The incident of two people passing through burning embers after being accused of theft, how old is this tradition?
 |
| The incident of two people passing through burning embers after being accused of theft, how old is this tradition |
Because the charge was so great and if I did not agree to go through the burning embers, I would be stigmatized for the rest of my life despite being innocent. That is why I went through the burning embers without fear and danger in the name of Allah.
This was said by Mohammad Raza of Sanjawi area of Ziarat district of Balochistan who was accused of stealing along with another person and had to go through burning embers to prove his innocence.
Both men easily passed through the embers and the video of the process went viral on social media.
Speaking to the BBC on the phone, Mohammad Raza said that if they did not go through the embers, they would have to pay a huge amount of money along with the notoriety.
He claimed that 12 manats of wood had been burned to fill the pit through which he had passed. "Since I was innocent, I set foot on the burning embers and walked out of the pit with courage and fortitude," he says.
Government officials have taken note of the incident and assured action against those involved.
Ahsan Waqar, Sanjawi's assistant commissioner, said: "It is clear that the law of the land does not allow such measures. Since this practice is not considered wrong in terms of tribal customs, people follow it.
"The parties involved in this incident acted against the law, so as soon as the matter came to the notice of the administration, legal action was taken in this regard," he said.
He said that the statements of both the parties besides the people who had decided to pass both the persons through embers were being recorded and a report would be sent to the Deputy Commissioner in this regard.
Action will be taken as per the decision of the deputy commissioner," he said.
On what charge were both men charged with embers?
A Levies Force official in Sanjavi said a man's tractor had been stolen in the Sarkhezi area. The owner of the tractor accused Mohammad Raza and Gul Zaman, two locals, of stealing.
Mohammad Raza said that although he denied the allegation of theft, it was decided at the insistence of the owner of the tractor that he would go through the embers to prove his innocence.
"According to this decision, we both went through the burning embers barefoot and thus we proved our innocence," he said.
What's in the video passing through the embers?
The video, which went viral through the embers, shows a crowd of people.
In the middle is a pit in which embers are visible.
Before passing over the coals of the accused, a man with a shovel in his hand smooths the coals with it.
When the embers are smoothed out in the pit, the two accused pass through the burning embers one after the other.
When the first person descends into the pit barefoot, he does not take quick steps, but is seen walking contentedly on embers.
When he goes out, a lot of people hug and congratulate him and one person even puts a harb around his neck.
After the first person leaves, the second person also passes through the embers with great satisfaction.
 |
On what charge were both men charged with embers? |
What were Muhammad Raza's feelings before passing through the embers?
Mohammad Raza said, "Apparently it is a horrible scene to burn wood and turn it into burning embers and then ask a human being to walk on them."
He said that since he was innocent, he took off his shoes, put his feet in the pit with the name of Allah and then started walking on embers.
He said that he came out of the pit with satisfaction without showing any weakness and similarly another person Gul Zaman also passed through the embers with satisfaction. "When we both went out, congratulatory slogans were being raised for us."
Mohammad Raza said the ritual had been performed in and around his area to prove his innocence in the past.
"In three or four previous incidents, when the accused approached the pit to walk on the coals, the accusers forgave them but in our case it was not done but we were passed through the coals," he said. '
Mohammad Raza said that now that he was passed through the embers and he was proved innocent, now the accused will have to come to his house with a jirga and according to our demand he will also have to pay compensation.
What is the ritual of passing through embers and in which areas of Balochistan?
Sanjavi is located in Ziarat district of Balochistan. The population of Ziarat district is made up of different Pashtun tribes.
Mohammad Raza said that in Pashto this method is called 'char' to prove innocence.
Panah Baloch, a scholar and writer who has researched on Baloch customs in Balochistan, said: I am settled.
He said that this ritual is called as off in Balochi language. They say that fire is called fire and off water. Just as people are subjected to fire to prove their innocence, so they are submerged in water.
"A pit is dug to pass through the fire, which is six feet long and two feet wide and two feet deep," he said. It contains embers up to a foot. You have to prove your innocence by going through these embers.
He said that this custom was also prevalent among the people of some other tribes in the areas adjoining the Baloch tribes. In the areas of Sindh adjacent to the Baloch, it is called 'Charbel' or 'Charbelli'.
He said that if any one is accused then he is passed over and if he is found guilty then he is guilty and if he is not then he is declared innocent.
He said that at the time of performing this ritual there is a religious scholar who reads something on the embers and throws some green leaves on them and then the accused performs ablution and passes through the embers.
He says that when he passes over the embers and reaches the other end of the pit, his feet are not allowed to touch the ground and someone lifts him up and his feet are freshly slaughtered for this purpose. He puts it in the blood of a goat that if he has got blisters then he is guilty and if he does not get blisters then he is declared innocent.
He said that if the person passing through the embers is found guilty, he will have to pay a fine or ransom and if he is not found guilty, then the accuser will have to pay ransom and compensation.
Panah Baloch said that this ritual has been practiced for centuries and some researchers are of the opinion that it was prevalent among the arsonists or the tribes before them which is still going on.
 |
What is the ritual of passing through embers and in which areas of Balochistan? |
Opinions of legal experts
Constitutional and legal experts say that the practice of passing through embers to prove one's guilt or innocence is not allowed in the prevailing law of the land and is not allowed in Islam.
Amanullah Kanrani, a former Advocate General of Balochistan and former president of the Supreme Court Bar, said that it was not allowed in the country's laws but under the country's laws, punishments are given by the courts and investigations are carried out by the police or law enforcement agencies.
He said that despite the laws of the land, there were many reasons for the occurrence of such illegal customs and traditions, including the weakness of the administration.
"Other reasons are that people are not satisfied with the police investigation so people use their tribal means or customs to convict someone."
He said that if the investigation of police or other investigative agencies was effective and on scientific basis then people would not turn to these ancient and illegal customs.
Former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Senator Kamran Murtaza Advocate said that this is not a way to prove truth and falsehood therefore there is no place for such an act in Islam and the prevailing laws of the country.
He said that Islam has its own standards regarding punishments while the laws of the country require interrogation and testimony to prove an allegation while there is no such thing as testimony or interrogation.
He said that since there is a tribal setup in Balochistan, the governments are nominal and their interest is mostly in other things due to which such illegal customs are being followed.
0 Comments