In the recent years, I see an increase in the number of Nazri Food seeking people on the Ashoora day. People running all over the streets trying to find a source of free food distribution. Well, looking deep into these people, they can be categorized into three groups, or a combination of each:
1 - The ones who are really poor and any opportunity for free food can be life saving.
2 - Those who are not poor and in many cases very wealthy but feel that anything free should be hunted, not excluding free food. For this group, it seems that increased love in money has caused this appetite. When you love money, you hate to spend it, you will not let go of any opportunity where you can gain something without spending money, such behavior can be observed very much in capitalistic countries specially the US.
3 - Those who feel that these Nazris are somehow holy and eating them will somehow magically increase their religious ranks, it is interesting that the more sinful a person is, the more they believe this way.
Either way, the way I see it, all of the above have a direct correlation with the word "Human Weakness" and it seems like the value of this attribute is increasing among the community. Not a good sign.
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There is a forth group whose mindset is a combination of the 2nd and the 3rd group. These people might think that the holy food will make them wealthier, or maybe while saving their money they have the glory of increasing their religious level.
There might also be a fifth group who are combination of 1st and the 3rd group. While they need the food they think that it'll promote their virtues.
I think its all because of ignorance and I believe it when I read this quote of
Albert Einstein :
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe
That comes from another problem which is the source of the one you mentioned here, "the show".
Why would people provide food in those vicinities? those neighborhoods that are over the poverty line of the city, already have "food", so why bother? I tell you why, because of the show. yes, the friggin show.
Its not about providing food for the poor, its about showing other "Haji"'s that you spend on these things and respect them, the bottom line, show and remind them that you are still in their gang, supporting their idols.
If you want to help the poor, why not learn from their own god, called Imam Ali? He [as they say] used to help the poor the way they wouldnt noticed.
IF you want to help someone [which i HIGHLY doubt and if you were that fair in the first place I doubt there would be any poverty but thats for another thing], go and do these Nazri things in lower sections of your city. its simple, right?
there is another part of this story that "why you are in the place of making Nazri and he is the poor one and not vica versa", but thats for another time, probably.
Also I would like to share me thoughts about this whole "religion" thing at some point, which I will find proper time.
Emmm... There might be another (partly) valid, but very specific reason for this kind of running.
Let me give you a bit of background! There's a cuisine in Mashhad called "shol-e" (pronounced like the first part of "shol-e zard", but nothing like it) and I happen to love it (I'm ashamed to admit!) The problem is that you can't cook it in small quantities (for home consumption, for example) and you can't buy it (not the best of it, at least.) Basically, the only option for eating good "shol-e" is to get it in Nazris or in funerals, and unless you have many expendable relatives, your only real option narrows down to getting your fill at Nazris in Moharram.
So, I am one of the people who hunt down "shol-e"s. Of course, "shol-e"fests are much more hunter-friendly!
I think thats the "dessert" (the zert?!) of the ritual, the main food/problem/darn-thing is the Naz-ri thing itself.
i have eaten that shol-e and i think that food is lush...
but if i am sure that when i am eating that food it is something like advertising for bad habits in society i will not do that again!!or do i?????
All in all, it's a sad scene, but there were a few points that can raise questions:
1) "it is interesting that the more sinful a person is, the more they believe this way."
Not really! Local observations are not sufficient to make such global statements. Human societies are not ergodic and a local portion, no matter how large, is not representative of the whole society. I know of many rather abstinent people who share the same belief.
2) The analogy with the U.S does not seem strong. Wanting to get for free can be seen every here and there in Iran and has a lot more in common with my fellow students wanting to get the grade without doing the work than with people in the U.S who stand out as a hard working nation in world.
yzt, I know how much you love Shole, and you will be excluded from the categorization ;)...
To the anonymous above:
I would very much like to know why an abstinent person with no sins would want to eat Nazri.
Free seeking is everywhere of course, what I mentioned is that its just seen more in Countries which money rules more, most countries are moving towards this goal, however the "hard working Nation" you mention happens to be on the top of the list of money rulers, money lovers, hate to spenders, free lunch lovers.In most other countries, dignity and pride are still a little bit more valued than money. Although it is vanishing.
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