Adil Najam
Today is the 10th of Muharram. Ashura.
It commemorates a struggle that is steeped in deep spiritual meaning, not only for Islamic history but for all humanity. It is a struggle between good and evil, between just and unjust, between weak and powerful, between immediate and the eternal, between principle and ambition. The power of Ashura is not only in the epic events that it commemorates, it is in the narrative of those events, in the symbolisms that we construct. Ultimately, it is in the meanings that we derive from those events.
Muharram is, of course, of special significance to Shias. But the events and meaning of Ashura is of significance and relevance to all Muslims, and I would suggest, to all humans everywhere.
Like so many others growing up in a Sunni household I grew up observing ehteram-i-Muharram and am always drawn in the days leading up to Ashura towards thinking about the meaning of religion and of faith. To me these have always been days of deep spiritual reflection; especially of intellectual enquiry into the meaning of justice (the concept of ‘adl’ holds a deep significance to me given the name I was given at birth and therefore I have always interpreted Ashura particularly as a time to reflect on what justice is).
Growing up in Pakistan, the night of Ashura was always defined for me by the Majlis i Shaam i Gharibaan (often by Allama Naseer ul Ijtihaadi) on PTV on the night of dasveen Muharram, which was followed immediately – and at right about midnight – by Syed Nasir Jahan’s soulful recitation of Salam-i-Akhir.
Bachay to aglay baras hum hain aur yeh gham phir hai
Jo chal basay tou yeh appna salam-i-akhir hai
His soulful voice, so pregnant with a deep and heartfelt pain, always echoes in my head when I read of continuing sectarian violence and the instigation of sectarian hatred.
Also echoing in my head are memories of the eloquent narratives of those PTV Shaam i Gharibaan’s. What I took from my yearly ritual of sitting glued to the screen was that the message of Ashura, of Karbala, is a universal and humanist messages. Justice is a universal message. Courage is a universal message. Conviction is a universal message. Sacrifice is a universal message.
It is the universality of the messages of Ashura that I hope we will all reflect upon. Every one of these messages is literally torn asunder each Muharram when the merchants of sectarianism highjack these commemorations with their vitriolic politics of fear, of difference, of hatred.
While these are universal messages, they are also – as they must be – messages of Pakistaniat. Yasser Hamdani sent me this quote from Mohammad Ali Jinnah published in a souvenir commemorating the 1300th anniversay of Imam Hussain’s shahadat.
There cannot be a better and more illustrious example than that of Husein who was the greatest embodiment of courage, conviction and sacrifice and every Mussalman in particular should take the great example of his life and service and follow it.
Jinnah was right. He would probably be pained to see how not only his own message, but that of Imam Hussain’s life -and death – have been so very lost on so many of his countrymen today.
[quote comment=”32209″]You may call me a qafir, but the way Muharam is celebrated by shias & sunnies is unislamic. Neither Holy Prophet or Hazrat Imam Hussain nor Hazrat Ali celebrated the event the way we, people in the east, celebrate it; and I do believe that they knew the details of the events in their lives.[/quote]
Dear Eidee Man although its not a religious discussion and I’m not a Molvi but here are some sayings of Prophet PBUH and Ahl e bait a.s that you find worth reading.
Laughing Eyes
The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: O’ Fatimah! Every eye shall be weeping on the Day of Judgment except the eye which has shed tears over the tragedy of Husain (A.S.) for surely, that eye shall be laughing and shall be given the glad tidings of the bounties and comforts of Paradise.
(Bihar al-Anwar, vol,: 44;pg,:293.)
The Customary Mourning
Abu Haroon al-Makfoof said: I presented myself before Imam Sadiq (A.S.) whereupon he said to me: “Recite for me a poetry” and so I recited for him. He said “Not in this manner. Recite for me as you recite poems and elegies over the grave of Husain (A.S.)” and so I recited for him (again).
Paradise – The Recompense of A’zadari
Imam ‘Ali Ibn al-Husain (A.S) used to say: Every Mu’min, whose eyes shed tears upon the killing of Husain Ibn’ Ali (A.S.) and his companions, such that the tears roll down his cheeks, Allah shall accommodate him in the elevated rooms of paradise.
(Yannaabe’ al-Mawaddah, pg.: 429.)
Mourning in the Houses
For those unable to go for the ziyarat of Imam Husain (A.S.) on the day of A’shura, Imam Baqir (A.S.) mentions the manner of performing A’zadari as follows: He should mourn over Husain (A.S.), weep for him and instruct the members of the house to weep for him. He should establish the mourning ceremony in the house by exhibiting lamentions and grief over him; the people should meet one another in their homes and offer condolences and consolations to each other over the calamities which befell him.
(Kaamil al-Ziyaraat, Pg.: 175.)
…and yes THEY knew what will happen on 10th of Moharam.
‘Ali (A.S.) Weeps Grieving the Martyrs of Karbala
Imam Baqir (A.S.) said: Amirul Mu’mineen Ali (A.S.), along with two of his companions, happened to pass by Karbala and as he did so, tears filled his eyes. He said (to them), “This is the resting place of their animals; and this is where their luggage shall be laid down; and it is here that their blood shall be shed. Blessed are you O’ Earth, that the blood of the beloved shall be spilled upon you.”
(Bihar al-Anwar, Vol.: 44, pg.: 258)
Adil: Thank you for reminding me of Syed Nasir Jehan’s Salam-i-Aakhir. It still gives me the same feeling of sadness that we continue to fail people like Hazrat Ali and Iman Hussain. As I see the pictures of devastation in Iraq, and now some in Pakistan, I can only pray for the maghfirat of the dead. Who knows in the midst of all this destruction in our part of the world, if we will even get an opportunity to give our Salaam-i-Aakhir.
There is more i would want to add into this discussion so to convey the reality of the Holy Month of Moharram and of Ashura’.
Most of us Muslim brothers are sisters are always confused to take it only as the holy event of Great Hazrat Imam Hussain’s shahadat- which in no way is right nor that the event belongs only to Muslims but, as Adil mentioned, to the all the humanity as well.
This article has been written by Justice (Retd.) Mufti Maulana Taqi Usmani and is available is both URDU and ENGLISH language for the convenience of viewers.
It is, therefore, requested that the mentioned article be viewed/read by clicking the following link and be passed on accordingly;
URDU Version:
http://www.mehnat.com/columns/moharram/
ENGLISH Version:
http://www.mehnat.com/columns/moharram/english.htm
Thanks
A Brother;
Ibn-é-Adam
—————————
May Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful, the most beneficial showers upon us all Muslim brothers and sisters the divine guidance from above, opens our hearts and minds towards its acceptance and understanding.
Amen
May Allah never shut the light of HIS guidance upon us and strengthen our enjoined hands to empower and apply HIS law upon our mother land and all the world that is made for Islam, and nothing else!
Amen
I wish all my Shia brothers and sisters (and non-Shia too) a bless day. May Allah unite us in peace, respect, and brotherhood.
I am reminded of Ahmad Faraz’s famous poem Mohassra (besieged) written during the Zia days, but forever relevant and which uses the iconography of besiegment and conviction very much rooted in the lessons of Karbala.