Page 487 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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and the Shias in Buhrain have now nothing to
fear from the Ruler.
Those Bahrainis in Katif who do not own

property now wish to return to Bahrain but the
Bahrainis in ^asbah wish to remain in Persia
in possession of their property but retaining
Bahrain nationality. This, according to
Persian law, appears to be impossible.

2. I.fuharram celebrations. It is an
interesting sign of the times that during the

last four or five years each year the Muharran
celebrations in Bahrain have increased. L'any
more people take part in the processions and
each season new innovations appear. Shias
from Katif and numbers of Persians visit Bahrain

for the ten days of louharram as these religious
celebrations are not encouraged in their own
countries. His Excellency Shaikh Hamad and
most of the Sunni Arabs show a remarkable

degree of toleration to these demonstrations
which are essentially anti-Sunni. His Excel­
lency Shaikh Hamad invariably lends camels
and horses to take part in the procession.
3. The pilgrimage. There has been an

increase in the number of Shias who have done
the pilgrimage to the sacred cities of Iraq but
very few people from Bahrain went to I'ecca this

year. The only person of any importance who
did the pilgrimage was Shaikha Ayesha bint
Mohomed, the widow of the late Ruler Shaikh Isa.
The chief reason for the falling off in pilgrims
from Bahrain is the increased expense and the