Saanams Mind

Muharram is here! Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, Muharram moves from year to year when compared with the Gregorian calendar. Muharram is so called because it was unlawful to fight during this month; the word is derived from the word ‘haram’ meaning forbidden. It is held to be the most sacred of all the months, excluding Ramadan.

The word “Muharram” is often considered synonymous with the event of Ashura. Ashura, which literally means the “Tenth” in Arabic, refers to the tenth day of Muharram. It is well known because of historical significance and mourning for the martyrdom of Hussain ibn Ali (Hussain, Son of Ali), the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). It is a day of speeches, public processions, and great grief. Men and women chant and weep, mourning Husayn, his family, and his followers. Speeches emphasize the importance of the values for which Husayn sacrificed himself, his family, and his followers. For centuries Shi’a pilgrims flocked to Karbala during Muharram to see their imam and be there for the mourning.

Ashura is significant as the day that Allah (God) saved Moses (Peace Be Upon Him) and the Israelites by parting the Red Sea and drowning Pharaoh. When the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) migrated to Medina, the Jews told him that Moses (Peace Be Upon Him) fasted in gratitude on Ashura, and Jewish practice was to fast Ashura as well. Upon learning this, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) replied, “We have more right to Moses than you,” and he commanded Muslims to fast Ashura. Later, when fasting the entire month of Ramadan became obligatory, the Ashura fast was declared optional, and Muslims were instructed to differentiate their fast from the Jews by fasting the 9th or 11th of Muharram along with the 10th. Many Muslims fast from the 1st of Muharram till the 10th of Muharram.

As all know, there are two groups Sunnis and Shi’as. Sunnis only fast for the reason above and believes fasting on Ashura offers the reward of having their previous year’s sins forgiven. This is based on the hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said: “For fasting the day of Ashura, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before.”

While Shi’as observe the 10th of Muharram for an entirely different reason – it marks the day that Hussain, son of Ali and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), was killed as a martyr at the Battle of Karbala. Ashura is a major festival of self-reflection for Shiites, and they commemorate the tragic death of Hussain with outward displays of grief and mourning.

Such displays of grief, however, contradict the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Ashura (10th Muharram) was not declared a holiday by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), who cautioned Muslims about religious innovations: “Those of you who live after my death will see many disputes. I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah (teachings and traditions) and the Sunnah of my rightly guided successors who come after me.”

This year Muharram started on December 18th (1st Muharram) and will end on January 16th, 2010.

I wish you all a blessed new year. May Allah (swt) answer all your prayers, give you good health, forgive your sins, answer your prayers and bless you with all that one desires. Strive harder to reach your goals, forgive and forget, prayer for peace in the world and remember each other in your prayers. And remember, Humanity is above all.
God Bless!!!!!

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