(New York Times) Huma Imtiaz and Charlotte Buchen - In Pakistan's heartland, holy men with bells tied to their feet close their eyes and sway to the music. This peaceful tableau is part of Sufism, Pakistan's most popular brand of Islam, which attracts millions of worshipers at about a dozen major festivals throughout the year. Each day, thousands visit shrines dedicated to Sufi saints. But the rituals came under heavy attack in 2010, as minority hard-line militants took responsibility for five shrine attacks that killed 64 people. "It's a very disturbing picture that militants have extended their targets to shrines, which are symbols of popular Islam in Pakistan and are widely visited," said Rasul Bakhsh Rais, a professor of political science at Lahore University of Management Sciences. "However, I don't think the militants are succeeding - thousands of people still visit the shrines despite these attacks." The U.S. sees Sufi Islam as a counter force to terrorism, and has given more than $1.5 million since 2001 for the restoration and conservation of Sufi shrines in Pakistan.
2011-01-07 08:05:43Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive