i couldn’t believe that in this age people still believe in those ancient rituals…what’s your take, other than jihaalat, as to why this still happens in today’s age?
http://Eight held in Punjab village over ‘trial by fire’ ritual
****MULTAN: Police arrested eight people after three men accused of serious crimes were made to walk over hot coals in a ‘trial by fire’ ritual to prove their innocence. A jirga in Mana Ahmadi tribal village in Punjab ordered two murder suspects and one accused of adultery to undergo the ordeal on Sunday, local police official Saeed Khan Leghari told AFP.
The three men walked the length of a 24-foot strip of burning coals and were declared innocent by the council after apparently coming through unscathed.
“At least eight people have been arrested in connection with holding the jirga in which suspects were made to walk on fire to prove their innocence,” Leghari told AFP on Thursday.
Those arrested face charges of attempted murder and causing harm with fire, police said.
Local administration official Shafiullah Gondal confirmed the arrests.
Trial by fire, based on the premise that god will intervene to protect the innocent, has a history dating back thousands of years and across different cultures, though in Europe it was banned by the Church in the middle ages.
Re: Eight held in Punjab village over ‘trial by fire’ ritual
banned by the church in middle ages. because church found a new activity in form of burning old age people by labeling them witch
Such traditions survive as people don’t do any thing to break the viscous cycle of not breaking the chains (by getting education and voting same persons agn and again due to biradri, racism, etc).
Re: Eight held in Punjab village over ‘trial by fire’ ritual
true…why don’t the Jirga Judges do that themselves if they will pass the test. shear stupidity. they must be arrested, charged with the crime and thrown in jail.
Re: Eight held in Punjab village over ‘trial by fire’ ritual
Some people believe that holding coals in the hand can differentiate between real and fake syeds. I won't recommend this to people to confirm their castes though. :p
Re: Eight held in Punjab village over ‘trial by fire’ ritual
what is the reason behind this maatam? If we think a little more, seems these traditions are extended version of satti or vice verse
no, i don't think so.
i've been to Banda where my sister used to live for years. she told us that most Muslims in Banda are from Rajasthan...a large number of Hindus came to the city of Banda where the king was known for his generosity and mehmaan-navaazii. some of the Hindus [most of the Muslim population of the city in present day Banda] converted to small but kept their relationship intact with their Hindu counterparts. these Hindu families converted to Islam some 500 years ago and they still have soft corners in their hearts for the murtis of their ancestor's gods and goddesses. they were heavily influenced with each other's faith and hence they performed some rituals together. later on these two communities polarized but Hindus kept their tradition of Muslim rituals.
i wanna tell you one real incidence. i along with my sister went to her friend's house for dinner. it was a cold winter evening and we were in the room [past daalaan/dogahii]. i noticed that in one of the corners of the room, there were some murtis...i hesitantly, due to curiosity, asked the host as to why they have murtis of the Hindu gods and goddesses. his wife explained that our ancestors were Hindus not too long ago [say about 200 years ago] so did NOT feel like throwing them away...as a result, they put those murtis in a corner...they, of course, did NOT poojo those murtis.
Re: Eight held in Punjab village over ‘trial by fire’ ritual
I’ve seen murtis of Buddha in some Sindhi houses.. Not for worship purposes, but for relating themselves to Buddhist origins and 5000 years old history. There was recently a statement by a Mullah (Judge) in Islamic Forum saying that people in rural Sindh are naam ke Musalmaan
Re: Eight held in Punjab village over ‘trial by fire’ ritual
There is this aag ka Matam in some parts of Pakistan (for event of Karbala). I think Multan is also one of those areas
I went to the mazars of Bahauddin Zakaraiya, and Shah Rukn e Alam etc when I was in Multan. Some one told me that the faqeers there walk on burning coal (maybe on Urs), I haven't seen this with my eye and wouldn't want to either.
because church found a new activity in form of burning old age people by labeling them witch 
