Widespread controversy over “desecration of the shrine” in Qom and Mashhad

With the attack of a group of people on the shrines of “Hazrat Masoumeh and Imam Reza” in the cities of Qom and Mashhad, the Iranian Seminary Management Center and many figures reacted to this incident. Some have called the attackers and the protesters “British Shiites.”

With the invasion of the "Hazrat Masoumeh Shrine" in Qom and the shrine of the eighth Shiite Imam in Mashhad, which occurred last night in protest against the temporary closure of the doors of these religious places to pilgrims, the Center for the Management of Seminaries across the country has reacted by issuing a statement regarding the "desecration of the sacred site of the Holy Shrine of the Ahl al-Bayt."

According to ISNA, the center's statement regarding the events that occurred at the "Hazrat Masoumeh Shrine" in Qom states: "Contrary to some biased opinions and suspicions of biased individuals and outsiders, the clergy and seminary have been and will be supportive and supportive of legal, specialized, and national decisions in all matters, and this principle will continue."

The Seminary Management Center continued: "It is clear that the centrality combined with rationality and spirituality in leaving these Corona days behind is the most important principle that should not be underestimated."

The statement referred to the attackers of the shrine as "ill-wishers and enemies of the homeland, the revolution, and Islam" who "passed the worst test in this test... and by carrying out extremist actions far removed from the norms of Sharia, they sought to harm the nation and the revolution."

Why did they attack the shrine?

The doors of the "Hazrat Masoumeh Shrine" in the city of Qom and the "Imam Reza Shrine" in Mashhad have been closed to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus.

This decision – the temporary suspension of pilgrimage to the shrine starting Tuesday, March 17 – was announced by the Custodian of the Holy Shrine of Astan Quds Razavi following a notification from the National Headquarters for Combating Coronavirus and the Minister of Health. In announcing this news, Hojjat al-Islam Ahmad Marvi referred to the “exceptional circumstances” that are not “slogans,” “political maneuvers,” or “rumors,” and called the coronavirus threat a serious threat to the world that is “no joke.”

With the doors closed, a number of people gathered in front of the shrine in Qom and Mashhad to protest this decision, and in Qom, according to domestic websites, they broke one of the shrine doors. Iranian news agencies, publishing this news, called these people “disruptive,” “extremist,” “rioters,” and “coordinated and pre-planned.”

Local news agencies write that people who had gathered in Qom chanted slogans calling the decision “blindly following the anti-religious recommendations of the World Health Organization.” In Mashhad, a group of “50 to 60 people” stormed “the Bab al-Jawad entrance and several other entrances, demanding entry to the shrine.” According to published reports, these people clashed with officers and addressed them with “obscenities and foul language.”

According to local news agencies, the commander of the Qom provincial police force announced the formation of a security council following the incident. Brigadier General Agha Khani pointed to the full readiness of the police and security forces “inside and outside the shrine” and said: “If orders and permits for police forces to enter and enter the holy shrine are issued, we will deal with the sit-in elements.”

On the other hand, an informed official in the police force told the ILNA news agency that they had arrested two "protesters" who were gathering in Qom.

Request to deal with "hard-thinkers"

The attacks on shrines, the breaking of the entrance to the shrine, and the clashes with the police have led to many reactions. In an interview with ISNA, attorney Hojatoleslam Chitsazian described the “desecration of shrines” as “by arbitrary extremists,” legally “contrary to regulations,” jurisprudentially “inappropriate,” and “in a way an opposition to the Supreme Leader.”

Ali Motahari reacted to the incident in a tweet, calling those who stormed the shrine "hard-headed" and demanding punishment for them, "both for helping to spread the coronavirus and for creating disrespect for Islam and Shia."

Reformist activist Mohammad Ali Abtahi, who called the attackers "religious extremists," wrote: "One of the big challenges is confronting these groups, which have so far received widespread support."

Ahmad Mazeni, a representative from Tehran in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, called violating the "sanctity of the Ahl al-Bayt" "holy ignorance" in his tweet and wrote: "Where were the guardians of the matter who could not prevent the aggression of some people with brutal behavior?"

Mohammad Javad Akbarin, a political activist and religious scholar living in France, also tweeted: "Who would have thought that the defenders of the shrine would attack the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad and his sister shrine in Qom with the slogan "Allahu Akbar"? Corona has cracked the shells to reveal their core and existence!"

Who were the attackers, the “British Shiites” or the “revolutionary kids”?

In its report last night, ISNA news agency called the attackers and protesters "those whose official affiliation with a political or religious group is still unclear." Other news agencies have described the action as a "suspicious act" that "is still unclear as to what possible affiliation they may have with a current or sect."

Hamshahri Online, citing an “informed source,” writes: “There are two or three groups that have been emphasizing from the beginning that the Imam Reza shrine should be open, and it is not clear now whether the presence of these people tonight was intentional or whether they came to the shrine without notice. It has been decided that a meeting with religious delegations will be held at the governor’s office on Tuesday morning regarding this issue.”

Many Twitter users, known as Evri, attribute this action to “British Shiites.” One Twitter user wrote: “Unlike sites that call opponents of coronavirus restrictions and violators of the shrine “a well-known group” or “British Shiites,” these people say they are none of these but “children of the revolution and they know them all.”

A video has been posted on social media in which protesters protesting the closure of the shrine in Mashhad shout, among other things: "Tehran made a mistake, the minister made a mistake, the president made a mistake."

One user wrote in a tweet: "The result of years of special attention and giving space to a certain group is that they will no longer adhere to any law and see themselves above any law, becoming selfish and bully. Yesterday's incident in Qom and Mashhad is the result of years of monologue by a certain group that has become less accountable and is now standing up to the people."

Another user writes: "Until this group brutally attacked the nation, they were "believing, revolutionary, value-based, and insightful people" who acted "with discretion." Khamenei and the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation encouraged them, but now that this same group broke down the door of the shrine of Hazrat Masoumeh, they suddenly became "British Shiites!"

A tweet by Mohammad Reza Zaeri, a critic of the Iranian government's approaches, regarding the identity of the attackers of the shrine has also sparked many reactions on Twitter. Hojjatoleslam Zaeri wrote: "Did you see how they shout angrily about their belief and how they shout about their zeal, and for example, they break their faith in the shrine and want to burn the whole place and rip everyone's stomachs open! Gentlemen, don't be fooled! You created and trained these people yourself, there is no plan for doing it yourself!"

Source: DW