Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

Assalam-o-Alikum everyone,

A week or so ago, i hear that festival of BasanT was celebrated in various
cities of Pakistan, alongwith Lahore. Now what is BasanT ?. From what I heard and
saw on the tube, suggests people from all
walks of life, dressing-up and flying-up
kites, setting-up and cutting-up peychaas
and sitting down and stacking up plates
of food, etc.
All this up and down is not going over well
with some strains of Maulanas here. So the MMA (Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal,The MMA is an alliance composed of 4 powerful religious parties: Jamaat Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (N)) has officially given the FaTwah to
ban BasanT. Ofcourse, the jiyalaey went
ahead and celebrated it anyway.
The Qs. remains…according to the best int-
erpretation of Quran and Hadith…would some-
thing like this be allowed ?. Could it?

So what do you think guys?

Now, If somebody will ask me the same question?what will be my response to it?

My answer is “Muslims should remember that while they are wasting their bullets on “Basant”, their fellow Muslims were dying in Palestine and Kashmir”

lets flash back on my response as well give me your opinions too

Thanx

2

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

As far as I can make out, the anti-Basant argument is that it was originally a Hindu celebration, and that the Quran and Sunnah forbid us from celebrating other religions' occasions.

Those who go out and celebrate it argue that their intentions have nothing to do with Hinduism, that they do what they do because it is just the day every year when everyone decided to have fun in that way.

Frankly on the basis of the annual deaths during basant from basant-related activities, it should get no support from the government at all. Banning it would have questionable benefit.... how would a ban be enforced when so many people celebrate it every year? You would have to put so many policemen on basant-enforcing for several that other areas of policing would collapse.

PS: Who uses bullets on Basant?

3

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?


Hawa-ii *firing to celebrate *bo-kaataa of the opponent. Although its debatable whether bullets saved in basant in Lahore will make their way to save our brothers and sisters in Palestine and elsewhere.

Re: Basant, the religious arguments to oppose basant are quite flimsy and in many instances factually exagerrated and incorrect. Its more a social issue and a source of several deaths every year. I doubt anyone supports deaths of innocent people, especially kids, in the name of fun. It probably requires common sense rules, and involvement of community leaders to enforce the rules. It can't be/shouldn't be enforced solely through police action. Its a poor man's sport, and involving police will just make life even more miserable for poor people (the rich, as usual, will go scot-free).

4

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

I think it should be celebrated and we should also include other festivals to portray ourselves as forward and an all inclusive nation...Islam Wislam can take a rest...

We should, among other celebrations, also celebrate Holi, Deewali, Halloween, Valentine's day, Cinco de Mayo, Mardi Gras e.t.c.

These celebrations have nothing unIslamic about them and we should be allowed to celebrate them despite what religious scholars say...They are ignorant anyways...

5

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

Cinco de Mayo? Except this 5th of May stuff, I think pretty much all are "celebrated" in Pakistan already. Some openly, some in closed parties. Ship a few Mexicans, and we shall have Cinco de Mayo too. By the way, remember that Mar 17 is St Patrick's day. Wear something green, else you WILL get pinched. :-D

6

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

basant = spring = bahaar

kite flying = a sport

not neccesarily anything to do with religion

7

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

It'd be interesting to find out the history of basant prior to ruling it out as something forbidden or accepting it as something permissible.

8

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

This is what i posted in other basant thread.

Let ,e explain these terms
Basant
Wo mela Jo buzurgon kay mazar aur deotaon kay Asthanao per phool charha ker kertay hain-
Hindu iss din apnay autaroon per charhanay kay liye phool latay hain iss liye iss melay ko phoolon kay rang say munasbat daitay hoay basant kehtay hain-(Farhang e Asafiya)

Basant: Ab fasal kay baar awar honay ka itminan ho chala wo zard ohholo ko ghar la ker beewi bachoon ko dikhata hay aur sub mil ker basant ka tehwar manatay hain — iss rauz kamdiyo aur ratti ki pooja hoti hay kamjio ko shiv jee nay bhasham ker diya tha
—HINDU TEHWAROON KI ISLIYAT MUnshi ram parshad-

It is evident that Basant ( Note no kite flying is mentioned in any defination of basant) is a hindu festival celebrated by harvestors etc-( it is a pure rural festival-* pata nahi lahore main bachoon kay ilawa kon see fasl ugti hay ? *:slight_smile:

Kite Flying
In my opinon it is a useless way of entertainment and as no physical exercise is involved not recommended in islam

Kite flying on basant

Now this is main issue- which you all convinently skipped- Kite flying on basant started on the death of a blashphmous hindu boy Haqiqat rai- so this makes highly objectionable for muslims to support / participate in this festival..
References:

Let me show you some references.

Quote:
The basant da mela was held in January at the tomb of haqiqat rai near kot khuwaja said-the fair was held at the time of blooming of mustard seed.This fair commororated for the martyrdom of Haqiqat rai who was killed on making bad remarks to Bibi Fatima:razi: and Prophet Muhammad :saw: Kite flying on basant started in the same year

Punjab under the later Mughals (1707-1759) by Bakhshihs singh nijar- MA Phd Patiala
I hope these few references will explain my point of view- Any one wishing to answer my my post please be specific and to the point- main dheel ka paicha nahi lagata :slight_smile:

**Kuffar Muslimeen say mashghool e jang hain
Aur muslimeen khair say mahuway patang hain

Umnmat ka ghum tau khak hau khud apna gham nahin
khush mastion main mast hain mehway tarang hain**

Wasalam

For the married girls
For the married girls
9

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

You do not need to know history of something that has negative effect on the community. Due to which innocent people die and property damage ranges in millions.

Such acts are Haram. There is no middle path. Instead all the money spent on this destruction, why not donate it to poor people, feed them, clothe them, provide them a shelter. For once think and care...

10

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

I was never a fan of kite flying, however, have witnessed several parties and "rangeen" parties on the occasion. You guessed it, I am from Lahore (originally). I remeber when I was about 8 years old.....wnet up to the roof and was busy flying "patang" and forgot about the homework for school. Next day was chitrool day both at school and home. Never did attempt Kite flying again.

11

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

^ Read Instructions Next time: Included in the Package :cb:

12

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

Kite flying is a sport and Islam does not stop a person from sport. However we are also not allowed to immitate other occassions. Why do we we have to have a day for flying kite? like basant...

Why can't people not go in the open spaces or parks to fly kites? and most importantly why does the government endorse and support such a thing? Enlightened moderation that goes with it is what is not acceptable...

If so many people do die on basant , for whatever reasons why do we we even have to celebrate such a thing?
According to the Qur’an "Saving one life is like saving the whole humanity” (Al-Ma’idah 5:32).

13

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

laeeqkhan: Kite flying is a sport and Islam does not stop a person from sport?

Re: A-o-A!

first of all I would like to know from laeeqkhan that who told you that kite flying is a sport? kite flying is NOT a sport, we made it a sport.

14

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

[quote=Lajawab]
I think it should be celebrated and we should also include other festivals to portray ourselves as forward and an all inclusive nation...Islam Wislam can take a rest...

Re: you said we should celebarte the other festivals. Am i right? then I have a question for you? don't mad alright..but the thing is when any muslim dies, we make a NAMAZ-E-JANAZA and then we go to cemetary ..right? but in the Hindu culture, they just put the wood beside the dead body and then they make the fire and after that they flow the lashes in to the river?Just think about it for a minute...what will happen if it will happen to you? and someone will come and say to you(while tyou are dead) Islam Wsalam take the rest!!how would you feel...ALLAH has given us a book and way to live our life.

15

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

Lajawab,

No need to resort to sarcasm.

Let us do see what the scholars have to say, their opinions are well known. For the most part, they state that it is not for a Muslim to celebrate non-Muslim religous festivities. More so, there is also an opinion that imitating unbelievers is also forbidden.

The problem in applying this to Basant is two-fold:

a) Basant has lost all religous meaning
b) Basant, at least in Pakistan, is almost universally practiced by people who are Muslims, and they are not doing it as a way to follow the traditions of other peoples. Intent is very important.

Scholars need to adress the two points above if they want their suggested ban to hold any merit. In all the fatwas I’ve read, they’ve ignored these facts.

The Taliban, actually, had the best case: Basant kills. Idiots use wires instead of strings on their kites, which are known to get around the necks of people. Over the years the problem was getting worse, so they simply banned the festivity. If people are going to behave like careless children, then treat them as such :k:

16

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?


and this is what you wrote couple of years ago

[mp=B]31857300.14734[/mp]

:P

17

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

i think what sadiyah might have been trying to say is what the history is behind it from the hindu perspective? why did they or why do they still celebrate basant? was it to celebrate one of their many gods..or ...exactly what?
i'd be interested to know that as well.

18

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

uhh no. If it's a practice of another religion then obviously I highly doubt that it'd be permissible. We're forbidden from celebrating or imitating the holidays and festivals of other religions and Allahu aalim.

19

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

In my opinion , its a spring festival..not the festival of hindus anymore..its name doesnt imply that it is religious festival
yet there are very bad effects of it on society so those problems should be sorted out
there is nothing wrong with it if it is not harmful..

20

Re: Should Muslims Celebare Basant Festival?

Walikum salam Tajammal !

Welcome to Gupshup, I hope you have a nice time here :)

First of all you heard it wrong, Basant was not celebrated in various cities of Pakistan, Yet !. It is scheduled for the comming weekend or the next...

Now what is **BasanT* ?*

For an average native of Lahore city. Basant is the time to fly kites, fight duels with kites , celebrate no matter who wins, play loud music and hoot at opponent, catch stray kites gather family and friends and have a good time.

For an outsider it is either a fun gala or an evil hindu festival.

For those who think it is a fun event try to come to Lahore and participate.

Those who think it is a hindu custom, have declared it haraam and also demand a complete ban on this festival.

I am a native of Lahore. I find basant very colorful festival, and i like flying kites and I think it has nothing to do with religion, it is a pastime, a game just like cricket.

Just like there are few evils attached with cricket (for instance ) there are evils attached with kite flying. and once playing cricket was considered haram too ( according to noteworthy Ulema during 1950s ~1960s )

Many Kids in pakistan who play cricket on the street get injured and some get killed in accidents. Those who live in pakistan can not refute the fact ! same is true for kite flying ( many get injured some get killed

Most kids who play cricket in pakistan develop the habbit of juwa, satta (gambling ), and once they lose money in satta, they resort to mugging and robbing people on gun point to recover the loss.

Loss and damage to the Property of people is part and parcel of playing street cricket.

Not to mention waste of time

App kay mooNh maiN Ghee Shakar