The issue is not personal taste but tashbeeh to Kuffār. Lights, Decors & colour palettes resembling Christmas & Hindu culture. Also, funky colors with wacky patterns were never a trait of pious people, We've steered away from simplicity & elegance. As far as I know, this phenomenon is pretty recent & was not existent during & post Ala Hazrat era.
Ideally Aesthetics shouldn't matter especially for those seeking the truth but the reality is they play a much bigger role than some of our scholars realise. Contrast the traditional sunni sufi subcontinent aesthetic with its bright colours to the salafi aesthetic and its military esque look - think combat boots, thawb far above the ankle, dark muted colours and their bare bones often industrial looking masjids (sometimes literally a warehouse). Look also at the physical condition of the individuals who are the PR front of these groups. There is clearly a bigger emphasis in non sunni groups on physical condition - their masjids often having combat sports opportunities. Some younger Sunni Imams have tried to emulate this in recent years. The most aesthetically culturally assimilated mosque in the UK is Cambridge Mosque with its traditional English flower gardens turning it into somewhat of a tourist attraction. It has its benefits and harms.
Modern urban aesthetics aren’t the gold standard for the rest of the world. Yes, the saffron colored garlands and vibrant decor at mazarat may not align with minimalist urban tastes, but that doesn’t make them inherently wrong. Culture, color and celebration vary from region to region. Sometimes, a small masjid in an economically backward area puts up colorful lights or vibrant decorations during a Urs or blessed night, not because they’re copying anyone, but because that’s their heartfelt way of expressing love for the Awliya. Dismissing that as distasteful shows more about our elitism than their sincerity. It’s crazy to judge the truth of a group based on aesthetics. If someone avoids the barelwi tradition because of colorful flowers or loud slogans, they are not seeking Haqq, they are seeking a curated vibe. That said, I do agree, we should strike a balance. Beautification should never let us forget that a mazar is a grave of a wali of Allah. It’s a place of humility, remembrance of death, and reflection, not entertainment. Also, our scholars and speakers must learn to read the room. Asking well educated urban audiences to shout slogans, raise hands for "attendance," or respond like a village crowd often backfires. It’s not about diluting the message, it’s about delivering it wisely. We need hikmah, not just jazbah.
https://x.com/coffeeandkunafa/status/1918435995797553310?t=Tih5qns6djx_XSWVh3GAwQ&s=19 Even the bright, overly-saturated saffron-colored floral garlands & decorations at mazārāt are so off-putting & reminiscent of hindu-culture Not surprising if some people avoid associating with "barelwis" only because of optics : https://x.com/AmzBoogie/status/1918786385672015969?t=2aSgvYswvqlmHvoVbQ2mzA&s=19
