As protesters swarmed the streets in Srinagar after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday, a slogan rang out, "Allahu Akbar, Khamenei rehbar (God is great and Khamenei is the leader)". It was an intense outpouring of grief and anger as mourners marched on the streets, beating their chests in rhythm.
It had all the elements of Ashura, the Muharram processions that mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, Prophet Mohammed's grandson, at Karbala in the Battle of Karbala.
Khamenei's full name was Ayatollah Syed Ali Hussaini Khamenei, representing his Hussaini Syed lineage. Hussaini Syeds trace their family line back to the Prophet.
Ayatollah is also the Imam of Shia Muslims, and in his death, Shia scholars say, they have lost their leader, Marja al-taqlid (meaning source of emulation) and Wali al Faqih (meaning guardian jurist).
The mourners have drawn parallels between the assassination of Khamenei and Imam Hussain's killing in the Battle of Karbala. They say Karbala has been repeated in Tehran, and this explains the widespread mourning marches.
"He (Khamenei) is more dear to me than my parents. It's an irreplaceable loss. They have martyred our Imam. He was the biggest pillar of Islam," said a woman protester. Her spouse, Ajaz Rizvi, was with her. He said he has no words to express his grief. "They can't kill the idea of Khamenei after his martyrdom," he said.
Khamenei's killing has also sparked protests in Lucknow and other parts of the country
"Imam Khamenei followed in the footsteps of his forefathers and was killed along with his family members. He stood for justice, the oppressed and the persecuted people of Gaza," said a protester, Raashid.
Khamenei had visited Kashmir only once in 1980 and played a key role in forging unity between Shia and Sunni Muslims. He had offered prayers with Sunnis at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar and delivered a brief sermon there.
In 1989, Khamenei took over as the Supreme Leader and highest religious authority for the Shias after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Since then, Shia Muslims have followed him. In fact, followers also pay khums -- religious dues of around 20% of annual savings -- to the Marja (meaning leader) or his chosen representative.
A Shia scholar explained that the Ayatollah is believed to be the vice-regent of Imam Mahdi, the last of the Twelve Imams, who will emerge at the end of time to establish peace and redeem Islam. "His death is not an ordinary death of a leader. It's about our faith," he said.
Aga Ruhollah Mehdi, MP from Srinagar, said there is no single reason behind the outpouring of grief and anger over Khamenei's death. "He represented an institution of resistance and those who believed in resistance, not submission to power. His stand on Gaza is an example. It's against those who submitted to imperialist powers - the US and Israel, he stood for the people of Gaza," he said.
Aga said Khamenei could also have negotiated a deal, too, and "live in peace" like Arab leaders, but he chose the other path. "He could not negotiate a deal with the US and lived the way Arab leaders and countries chose," he said, adding that there is a "sense of loss" due to the way Khamenei was assassinated. "He was the only ray of hope for people facing subjugation for standing against imperialistic powers."
Khamenei had a huge role in shaping the personal lives of Shia Muslims. "From issuing religious edicts/rulings on matters of worship to transactions to ethics to family law, he was the final authority on such matters, and daily affairs comply with Sharia. It was binding on every Shia Muslim," said Mujtaba Ali, who was part of the mourning marches.
While there is no single official leader for Shias worldwide, like the Pope for Catholics, most Shias follow either the Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani of Iraq or Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"His reverence comes from the Shia memory of the infallible imams; their struggle, steadfastness for truth, honour and justice. We are not just mourning the loss, but also expressing our resolve to live up to those ideals," said a mourner.
"There is a striking similarity between his martyrdom and those of revered Shia imams Ali and Hussain. Ali (the Prophet's son-in-law) was killed in the month of Ramadan in a mosque while he was offering prayers. Hussain was under siege and was killed hungry and thirsty along with family members. Khamenei has also been killed in the month of Ramadan. So also shares the status of being 'mazloom' (oppressed) like his ancestors and imams," said a Shia scholar. "In his speeches, he invoked the sayings of Hussain that are about not giving allegiance to the tyrants, and he lived upto that standard," he said.
