by Sanjay SaxenaOne participant, Zaidi, stated that the day of Nasrallah’s death is a “black day” for them. “We are here to pay tribute to Nasrallah and protest against Israel,” he said. The protest stretched almost a kilometer from the smaller to the larger Imam Bargah. The participants emphasized that Nasrallah was a strong leader and guide for the Shia community, having made significant contributions to both the Shia society and humanity, which cannot be forgotten. They highlighted his role in protecting the shrine of Hazrat Zainab during ISIS attacks and his unwavering support for the victims in Palestine. They condemned Israel for shedding innocent blood.
Zari, a member of the Husseini Tigers, mentioned that the Shia community will mourn Nasrallah’s death for three days. “Today, we are out on the streets protesting against Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister attacks those who help the victims. We urge the 56 Muslim countries of the world to unite and raise their voices against injustice. For three days, we will mourn and pay tribute by placing black flags on our rooftops. We demand that Israel immediately halt its aggression against the people of Palestine and Lebanon.” Maulana Yasub Abbas called Nasrallah a strong Shia-Muslim leader who consistently supported the oppressed people of Palestine against Israeli forces. He expressed deep sorrow over Nasrallah’s death, describing it as a significant loss for the Muslim world, and held Israeli forces responsible for his assassination. The Shia community plans to observe three days of mourning and display black flags from their rooftops. Additionally, they will keep their shops closed for three days. The Maulana urged the United Nations to put pressure on Israel to stop its aggression against the people of Palestine and Lebanon.
However, this is just one side of the story. While Shia Muslims in India may be upset over Nasrallah, there has been no reaction from the Arab world regarding his death. It is noteworthy that Lebanon, which has been a stronghold for Hezbollah and various extremist groups, was a Christian-majority country just a few decades ago. This is not an ancient history; it pertains to the 20th century. At that time, approximately 60% of parliamentary seats were reserved for Christian leaders. Subsequently, some Muslim extremists expanded their influence, leading to a Muslim majority in the country. As a result, Lebanon has now transformed into an Islamic nation, largely due to the actions of Hezbollah terrorists, which have devastated the country. Just a few decades ago, Beirut was compared to Paris, with a Christian majority in parliament. However, the religious demographic shifted significantly, influenced largely by the events in Gaza. Today, about 70% of the population in Lebanon is Muslim.
In the 1950s, 70% of the population in Lebanon was Christian, with the remaining 30% comprising Muslims and followers of other religions. The last census was conducted in 1932, and since then, there has been no official census in the country. Until 1970, Lebanon was the only country in the Middle East that was non-Muslim, while Israel was predominantly Jewish. At that time, around 60% of the key positions in Lebanon were held by Christians. This situation led to growing discontent among the Muslim population, who sought equal representation. Several events unfolded, including Christians living among Muslims converting to Islam, which led to rising animosity against Christians. Nasrallah played a significant role in promoting hostility toward Christians, which resulted in him being designated as a terrorist by several countries. This has raised questions about how Nasrallah can be celebrated, given his actions cannot be deemed justifiable by humanitarian standards.
