Mumbai: As the nation gave an emotional farewell to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, visuals of actor Shah Rukh Khan saying a dua at the cremation ground won hearts on social media, and also triggered a controversy.
Visuals from the cremation ceremony at Shivaji Park in Mumbai show Mr Khan and his manager Pooja Dadlani paying their last respects to the singer. A photograph of Mr Khan with his hands raised in dua and of Ms Dadlani with her hands joined in a pranam went viral on social media, with most people appreciating how the frame beautifully captured India’s diversity.
A tweet by a Haryana BJP leader, however, stoked up a controversy.
Arun Yadav, whose Twitter handle says he is the state in charge of Haryana BJP’s IT cell, shared a short clip that shows Mr Khan saying the dua, removing his mask and blowing air.
“Did he spit?” Mr Yadav asked in a Twitter post, setting off a targeted social media attack against the actor, with many accusing Mr Khan of disrespecting the legendary singer at her funeral.
The BJP leader faced a major backlash on social media as people started pointing out that the blowing of air after a dua is to “ward off evil spirits” and accused him of triggering a controversy out of a beautiful moment.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate was among those who hit out at Arun Yadav, accusing him of spreading hatred.
According to Islamic traditions, whenever a person makes a dua, he raises his hands up to the chest and asks Allah for whatever is required. This dua could be for anything: for someone’s well-being, for a job or for a soul to rest in peace. We have seen such images in movies. SRK did the same before Lata Mangeshkar’s mortal remains. Like millions of her fans, he prayed for her soul to rest in peace.
When SRK was praying, with his hands raised, he had a black mask on his face. He prayed for about 12 seconds, removed his mask, bent slightly and blew air on Lata Didi’s mortal remains.
Some said SRK spat when he was actually blowing air. Haryana BJP IT cell head Arun Yadav also raised this question while sharing a video on Twitter.
From a religious viewpoint, this way of making a dua is quite common. At mosques and dargahs, we have seen parents making a dua before a Maulana or Mufti and blowing air on their children. This can be and is done for adults as well. A dua can be made for anyone. Blowing air is also common in Tantrik rituals.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali says one blows air after a dua to protect someone from illness or buri nazar. It is said when air is blown on someone, the dua reaches that person.
Another Islamic scholar, Mufti Amzad, also says that the Quran mentions the blowing of air for someone to be free of pain.
However, Maulana Khalid Rasheed said the blowing of air after a dua is done only for those alive and not for the dead. Maulana Khalid Rasheed said just because Shah Rukh Khan is a star, it shouldn’t be linked to religion.
On Sunday, Shah Rukh and his manager Pooja Dadlani paid their final respects to the late singer at her funeral in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. Shah Rukh paid her a floral tribute, said a prayer for her and touched her feet. SRK has been keeping away from the limelight since his son Aryan Khan was arrested last year for his alleged connection to a drugs case. Aryan was later let out on bail.