Myra - DEATHLY VALENTINE

All are in pink, it must be an obvious view in Valentine’s day. Well, this Valentine might be different. I was so sure that I would have so many rivals when I went outside (For your information I always wear pink all day not only in Valentine’s day), until then I found no one in the same color as me. I didn’t even see someone who wore cloth close to pink. Black … that’s the only color I saw. Actually I was glad knowing I wouldn’t find my twins (by the color), but then I was eager to know who are they?

This people may not celebrate Valentine’s day, I am so sure they are even forbidden to celebrate it. So … what were they celebrating? They were all gathering, with dress code (black) in a very large convention room. I was invited by a friend to come to this event. I thought it was just like a religious event where we would be given a sermon then we would pray together or even read the Koran. But as this event went, I didn’t find those things I used to have. What I saw along the event was mostly a crying of this people. I have never seen a great number of people who was crying like that. They cried like they were in a very deep grief. I was in contrast with them, it’s not only because I was the only one who dressed in pink and the only one who didn’t wear veil but also because it was only me who didn’t cry.

My friend told me that they were all crying for Imam Hussein, he is the grandson of Prophet Muhammad who’s been killed by the Muawiyah emperor. He was killed because he didn’t agree with the way this emperor ruled. Ok I knew it then, but I still couldn’t understand why they were crying for those who had passed for a million years? My friend said that they follow Al-Hadist; whoever Love Muhammad they also have to love His Family and this Imam Hussein is one of them. That’s why they have to praise Imam Hussein and also have to remember his death. But is it by crying the way we love Prophet’s Muhammad’s family? I guess it’s more likely the incapability to accept. I mean when you love someone, you will set him/ her free won’t you? Beside if they are really Moslem, Islam teaches us not to love someone more than our love to Allah. Certainly what I saw contradicts with our role as a Moslem. Actually his death was a tragic one. He was killed and his head was cut off. The emperor then carried his head around Karbala, one of the hot deserts in the Middle East. Is it because of that they are all wearing black? Because they are mournful all their life? If they really believe, like all Moslems believe, that everything will return to Allah then why they are all sad? Also if they believe in Islam that everything happen with Allah’s will (it is called ‘Ridha’) why they have to cry like that as if they don’t accept Allah’s will? If that unfortunate tragedy really causes a great pain for them, then why they have to again reveal it every years by holding this event? Doesn’t it only bring more and more pain? Why they don’t just let it and face their own life which I am sure have a lot of tragedies within too? This is life, many things may happen; suffers, accidents, problems, and another unfortunate things. When we have to face one of those things in life, I guess nothing could we do but accept it! Yes, things happen and our role is to accept. There is much unpleasant news that worries us. We must have heard about children who suffered from illness and they died because they are too poor to see the Doctor. There are also many stories about catastrophe; flood, tsunami, drain, etc. Well do the victims cry a whole their life? No! They have to survive, life goes on. They won’t wait those who are trapped in their sadness!

I was surprised that a little girl beside me cried or more likely screamed with tears and she called this Imam Hussein. I also saw a boy, who is better play with his playmates than attend this kind of occasion, hitting his chest seem to regret the death of this Imam Hussein. Then I was wondering, do they really know what they are crying for? What lesson their patents give to them until they seem to really have a strong faith and tender to this Imam? They are very cute, it’s too early for them to cry for someone. It’s more acceptable if they are crying for candies! Gosh, what’s wrong with them? Indeed they are all lovely creatures, the men mostly are handsome and so are the women. I even saw a princely guy on the stage. But then I think twice considering his crying and hitting his body. He must have loved Imam Hussein more than a woman.

Mostly they are Arabian, though about 30 % of them are Indonesian. Arabian? That must be the answer of their too much praise to this Imam Hussein. Maybe they really have a family tree that connects them to Prophet Muhammad! But how about the rest Indonesian who were crying too? But hey … we all are connected to each other from our great father Adam and our ancient mother Eve!

I thought there wouldn’t be another mournful. They wouldn’t have more energy to produce another tear. But again I was surprised by a very loud scream when a flag was suddenly carried. I knew that it is Imam Hussein’s flag. They all desirably wanted to touch this flag. I heard again they cried … the painful crying I’ve ever heard. Some even collapsed after calling Imam Hussein loudly. Flag, it was a lifeless creature and they seem to praise it well too. What is this? Back to our ancient history where people pray to stone and all lifeless creature? I’m sorry but it’s a regression.

I was too tired. I hoped it would finish soon. It was almost 6 pm. I even hadn’t pray Ashar. Did they pray Ashar? Because I attended this occasion before Ashar. Did they more concern of this occasion than prayed? We then are all asked to head to Kiblat. I thought we would finally pray. Again I was wrong, they were all announced their wishes to be able in doing the pilgrimage to Hussein’s tomb. They even would do some efforts to make his tomb looked beautiful. They made a beautiful calligraphy for his tomb. I am so sure it costs a great amount of money. In my opinion, they should spend money for those who are alive. Imam Hussein has passed away. He may need nothing now but prayer. He has nothing to do with this life, he has rested in peace I guess. Why don’t we concern to those who are still alive; you and I who still have to face many things in life (perhaps the unfortunate one), and the living people who need more our help. Those who died has been released from suffers. They have found their peace. We may cry because we are jealous not because we regret his death, besides we all acknowledge that we will die too so why were we crying? Well anyway, I thank my friend for introducing me with this, my first black valentine.

–Myra Fathira, 19.02.2009-