DUSHANBE, December 21, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda, a prominent Tajik religious figure, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Saidmukarram Abduqodirzoda, the head of the Council of Ulamo (a group of scholars and imams that provides interpretations of religious practice), in a court of Dushanbe’s Ismoili Somoni district.

The law suit was filed in the court on December 20 and Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda considers that a statement released on behalf of the Council of Ulamo actually was not coordinated and supported by its members.

“I accuse Abduqodirzoda of forging the Council of Ulamo’s resolution,” said Turajonzoda, “I also accuse him of defamation; he accused our family of inciting the civil war (1992-1997) and religious intolerance in the country.”

According to him, he also lodged application against Saidmukarram Abduqodirzoda, Abdurahim Kholiqov, the head of the Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA), and Anvar Vaysiddin, Mayor of Vahdat, to the Prosecutor-General’s Office and the Vahdat Prosecutor’s Office yesterday.  “The application was lodged under the provisions of Article 157 of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – prevention of performance of religious rites,” Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda said.

Lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov represents the Turajonzoda family in court.

We will recall that the statement released on behalf of the Council of Ulamo on December 6 called on the Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) to give a proper legal assessment of the move of the Turajonzoda family that allegedly commemorated the Ashura ceremony, which is commemorated by Shi’a Muslims.

In the meantime, commenting on this statement, Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda told Asia-Plus on December 7 that neither he nor his brothers have ever commemorated the Ashura ceremony, because this contradicts Sunni Islam.  “On December 2, we just honored Imam Husayn, the grandson of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and his relatives in the Friday prayer mosque in the Turkobod jamoat in connection with the beginning of the month of Muharram, which is the first month of the Islamic calendar.  Imam Husayn was killed on the 10th day of Muharram,” Turajonzoda said.

“I consider that the statement was not made by the Council of Ulamo but it was initiated by the authorities.  Thus, there are signatures of prominent scholars Muhammadii Qumsangiri and Allomai Regari under the statement, but they told me that they hear about that statement for the first time and that nothing was said about the statement at the meeting of the Council of Ulamo,” he said.

“Imam Husayn is a historical figure and people in Tajikistan, except followers of the Salafiya movement, respect and honor him, but this does not mean that they are Shi’a Muslims and sow discord among Muslims in Tajikistan,” said Turajonzoda, “According to their logic, all citizens of Tajikistan who have names of Husayn or Hasan are Shi’a Muslims.”

Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda noted that the Ashura ceremony has never been commemorated in the Muhammadiya Friday Prayer Mosque.  According to him, they have just honored that day in the Muhammadiya Friday Prayer Mosque for already twelve years and there have been no any problems so far.

Meanwhile, the authorities have suspended the functioning of the Muhammadiya Mosque in the Vahdat district, also known as the mosque of the Turajonzoda family, for three months.  Turajonzoda, told Asia-Plus that the Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) under the Government of Tajikistan stated on December 9 that the functioning of the mosque has been suspended for celebration of the Ashura ceremony.

The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.

It is commemorated by Shi’a Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH (October 10, 680 AD).  According to Sunni Muslim tradition, Muhammad fasted on this day and asked other people to fast.

In some Shi''a regions of Muslim countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Bahrain, the Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a national holiday and most ethnic and religious communities participate in it.  Even in predominantly Hindu country like India, Ashura (10th day in the month of Muharram) is a public holiday.