That’s imam number two, three and four of Masjid Ba’Alawi in Tareem.
I mentioned about the three days of official visitations on both Eids. It is called #Uwad. Each year, day two begins with the home of the imam of Masjid Ba’Alawi, which is in front of the mosque. After theirs, there’s perhaps four to six more places.
However this year, at dawn there was an announcement of a funeral. So what seem to have happened was that as host, they delayed the commencement of their visitation. This allowed their guests, arrived and on the way, to de tour for the funeral and then come back to their home (hopefully in time, because I missed it).
The main imam stayed back while his two brothers and cousin (pic) walked all the way to the cemetery to attend the burial. Being host to a major annual tradition didn’t seem to be an excuse for no show.
Imagine about to be host to thousands of people in your home, and last minute things change. An array of hosts are also about to be visited by these people too and how you go about things, will affect them too.
I’m explaining it this way for a specific point.
This is how they manifest respect and remember the elders here. Including the dead. We say the same about elsewhere but rarely it is truly true.
For example, elsewhere I find that the chant is always about the youth, how they are the future, listen to the youth, and so forth.
Politicians say it to capture new votes, companies echo it to gain new consumers. I know this well, very well. Both of them (and others), were my clients. Hence why it all becomes an empty slogan, and thus we keep hearing its repeat because it’s not rooted in anything true, sincere or good.
The breeding of a self-centered youth narrative further fuels its arrogance, and neglect toward the very same elders that fed them. The basic root is simple I suspect. One way to put it is, when the slave doesn’t know who he is, and forgotten who He is.
Tareem is a society that is ‘ignorant’ of Mother’s Day, hampers, cards and public wishes meant for individuals. Not to mention, ‘less educated’ ‘poor people.’ This is a closer look..
Years ago my father had mentioned after a trip here, that for the first time in his life he saw a forty plus year old man (his cousin) who just walked out of his house to go somewhere, only to run back inside promptly.
‘He heard his mother call his name.’
