Re: Sunni/Shia
This probably is a stereotype, since I’m speaking for my family and close friends, but during Muhurram my shiiah part of the family does nothing. And they make black clothes. And go to majlises ALL MONTH. Every day. All day. No fun, no tv, no makeup, nothing. And they do mataam and zanjeer zani. We also recently had a really big debate (almost got into a fight) over some of their views…I don’t consider my family very “informed” shiiahs, they’re the stereotypical Pakistani “our gfathers and fathers did it so we will too” type of people but the difference in our basic fundamental beliefs regarding some things was…frightening.
Being raised sunni, that’s…different. Stuff like that would be odd to adjust to if you don’t believe in doing so fully. And the fundamental differences we have…there’d be conflicts when we’d raise our children.
I’m totally not trying to be offensive btw. Like I said, I don’t think the shiiah members of my family that engage in extreme acts do so because they’re making an informed decision. They do it because “well everyone else does it”. So I’m not speaking for all shiiahs.
At the same time, most sunni members of my family go to darbars and whatnot. Which I don’t necessarily agree with either, so who knows.