Ashura: Why Shia Muslims do not fast on the day of Ashura?
Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. Shia muslims consider Ashura a day of sorrow and grief as the holy prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussain, and all 72 of his companions were martyred on this day in Karbala. Therefor it is recommended not to eat or drink on Ashura till noon to mimic the one with a great sorrow, but fasting on the day of Ashura is disapproved (Makruh) according to religious opinions (Fatwas) of Shia scholars such as Imam Khamenei.
ashura
Although Ashura is a day of sorrow for Imam Hussain lovers but it was a celebration for the enemies of the prophet Muhammd’s grandson. They fast on this day and even built some mosques to show their happiness. That’s why Shia Imams recommend us not to fast on the day of Ashura:
Asking Imam Reza (the 8th Imam of Shiite Muslims) about fasting on the day of Ashura; Imam Reza replayed: “Do you ask about fasting of Marjanah’s son? The day of Ashura is a day in which Ziyad family’s wicked members fast for the happiness of Imam Hussain killing…” [1] Read More…
Ashura and disseminating sadness and tears among people?!
Each year, on the tenth of Muharram, the first month in lunar calendar, Millions of people, dressed in black, take to the streets and mosques to mourn the martyrdom anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussain (PBUH), on a day known as Ashura.
Ashura in Karbala
The supreme leader of the Islamic republic of Iran made a speech about Ashura in 2008:
Tears on Ashura
“Why are you disseminating sadness, crying and tears among people?” They complain. This is not sadness and tears for the sake of sadness and tears. Read More…
Karbala in the words of the Prophet Muhammad
Congratulations to all believers in God for the birth anniversary of his last Messenger , the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his descendants).
“My son is buried in a land called Karbala, a monument which has always been an Islamic Dome as there God saved the companions of the Prophet Noah from the hurricane.”
-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) (Kamil Al-Ziarat; p.269)
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و آله:
“يُقْبَرُ ابْنِي بِأَرْضٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا كَرْبَلَاءُ هِيَ الْبُقْعَةُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ فِيهَا قُبَّةُ الْإِسْلَامِ الَّتِي نَجَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَ نُوحٍ فِي الطُّوفَانِ”
کامل الزیارات، صفحه 269
Quote about Imam Hussain by Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens, the famous English writer of such prominent works as “Great Expectations”, “Hard Times”, and “David Copperfield”, has said about the prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussain (PBUH):
“If Husain had fought to quench his worldly desires, as alleged by certain Christian critics, then I do not understand why his sister, wife, and children accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore, that he sacrificed purely for Islam.”
Nazri food
During Muharram especially on Tasua and Ashura, Free food was offered to people who participate in the mourning ceremonies at public palces like mosques or even in the streets. This free Food is called Nazri /nazri:/ which is cooked by some people for the sake of God and for the love of Imam hussain (PBUH).
In Muharram, Nazri is also offered to you at your homes by your neighbors who cook and distribute Nazri among their neighbors home by home.
Nazri in Muharram in Iran
Nazri food in Muharram in Iran
Nazri food in Iran
Nazri food in Iran
Offering tea in the streets, in Iran
Offering tea in the streets, in Iran
The lady who completed the epic of Ashura
There was a lady who saw how her sons and her brother and all of her family members were violently martyrd on Ashura.
Ashura
She saw how Yazid’s army cut the heads of her family and put them on the arrows and how they ride on their bodies.
She was the only one who had to care of the women and children being held captive in Karbala and she was the one who had to continued the story of Karbala.
Ashura
This great Lady was Zeinab who is the prophet Muhammad’s granddaughter and Imam hussain’s beloved sister.
Our supreme leader, Imam Khamenei, in one of his speeches in year 2013 said about this great Lady:
“The epic created by Zeinab al-Kubra (PBUH)[1] complements the epic of Ashura. The epic that Zeinab al-Kubra (s.a.) created revived and preserved the epic of Ashura. The greatness of what Zeinab al-Kubra (PBUH) did, cannot be compared to other great events in history. It should only be compared to the event of Ashura itself and truly, these two events complete one another.
The Supreme Leader, Imam Khamenei
This great personality and this great lady of Islam and all of humanity managed to stand firm in the face of the great mountain of hardships and there was not even a tremble in her voice because of all these events. She stood firm like a glorious mountain peak both in the face of enemies and in the face of hardships and bitter events. She became a lesson, a role model, a leader and a pioneer.
The Great Lady
At the market of Kufa [A city in Iraq], while she was held captive, she made this astonishing speech: “Oh people of Kufa, who are treacherous and disloyal, do you cry for us? May your tears not dry and may your moans not stop. You are like a woman who loosens her threads after she pulls them together” [al-Ihtijaj, Volume 2, page 303]. The words are as firm as steel and the meaning flows like a river and it influences hearts and souls. In such conditions, Zeinab al-Kubra delivered a speech, which was like the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.), and she shook hearts and souls and she shook history with these words. This speech became eternal in history. It was delivered in front of the people while she was held captive.
Typography Labbayk Ya Zeinab
After that, she delivered a speech in front of Ibn Ziad [The ruler of Kufa] in Kufa and a few weeks later, she spoke in front of Yazid with such strength that it both humiliated the enemy and the hardships which the enemy had imposed. She said, “Do you foolishly think that you can defeat, suppress and humiliate the household of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) ?” “Honor belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the believers” [The Holy Quran, 63: 8]. Zeinab al-Kubra is the manifestation of dignity, as Hussain ibn Ali (PBUH) was the manifestation of dignity in Karbala on the day of Ashura.
The way she looks at events is different from the way other people look at those events. Despite all those hardships, when the enemy wants to taunt her, she says, “I did not see anything except for beauty” [Lohuf, page 160]. She said, “What I saw was beautiful. It was martyrdom. Although it was difficult, it was in the way of God and it was done for preserving Islam. It was the creation of an epic in history so that Islamic Ummah knows what it should do and how it should move forward and stand firm“. This is a great achievement made by the epic of Zeinab (PBUH). This is the dignity of God’s saint. Zeinab al-Kubra (PBUH) is one of God’s saints. Her dignity is the dignity of Islam and she made Islam and the Holy Quran valuable.
Of course, we are not as aspirational and determined as Zeinab al-Kubra (PBUH) and therefore we cannot say that the behavior of this great lady is our model. We are too inferior to say such things, but anyway, our movement should be in line with the movement of Zeinab (PBUH). Our efforts should be focused on bringing dignity for Islam, the Islamic community and the entire humanity. This is the same responsibility that Allah the Exalted has entrusted to prophets through Islamic obligations and rules.
…one of the factors which brought about this spirit and this patience in Zeinab al-Kubra (PBUH) and other divine saints – who moved forward with such spirit and patience – is sincerity and honesty. It is very important to honor our promises to Allah the Exalted and to devote our hearts to the path of God in a sincere way….” [2]
_____________
[1] Al-Kubra means the great which is a title of Lady Zeinab.
[2] Read the complete speech at here
Quote about Imam Hussain
A Quote from Prophet Muhammad about Imam Hussain (PBUH)
The Prophet Muhammad said about Imam Hussain (PBUH): “Hussain is from me and I am from Hussain.” [1]
_____________________
[1]-One of the References for the Prophet Muhammad’s saying is Sonan Termizi, V.5, p.658.
Ashura 2014 in Iran
Today is Ashura, the day when the prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam hussain and 72 of his loyal companions were violently martyred in Karbala and all of his family were taken as prisoners only because they did not want to say yes to Yazid ibn Mu’awiyah.
Yazid had forced Imam Hussein to pledge allegiance to his tyrannical government otherwise he killed Imam hussein (PBUH) .
There was no way for Imam Hussein (PBUH) but Imam Hussein preferred to be killed instead of accepting tyranny and injustice as he said it openly in front of Yazid’s Army: “death with honor and nobility is better than life with baseness and contempt.“[1]
Along with the grandson of the prophet Muhammad, 72 of his companions also decided to stand with him up to end. They all scarified their lives to save Islam from utter distortion and destruction .
Every year millions of Muslims hold mourning ceremonies to mark Ashura, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH) and here are some photos of this year on Ashura:
Ashura 2014 in Iran
The symbolic event of burning tents in one of the mourning ceremonies held today in the capital city of Iran to mark the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH) .
Ashura 2014 in Iran
Ashura 2014 and the day of fight against global arrogance.
Text shown in the above image: “Down with Yazid of time”
As November 4, also known as “Student Day” in Iran, marks the day of fight against global arrogance, Iranians have held massive rallies across the country to mark this day along with Ashura.
Ashura 2014 and the day of fight against global arrogance
Ashura 2014 and the day of fight against global arrogance in Qom, Iran
Ashura 2014 in Qom, Iran
The mourning ceremony held in the Holy shrine of Hadhrat-e Masumeh, Imam reza’s sister, in Qom, Iran.
Ashura 2014 in Qom, Iran
Mourning people took part in the noon prayer in congregation held in the Holy shrine of Hadhrat-e Masumeh in Qom, Iran.
[1]-” الموت اولی من رکوب العار “
Tasua 2014
Today was Tasua, the 9th of Muharram and Ashura is coming on tomorrow.
As Tasua and Ashura in Iran are vacations, people can freely take part in the commemorating processions held in mosques, the holy shrines or in the streets to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s grandson, Imam Hussein (PBUH), and his companions.
Some people also hold mourning ceremonies at their homes and invite their neighbors and friends.
Here are some photos were taken today in Kish island and Ardabil in Iran:
Tasua 2014 in Kish, Iran
Tasua 2014 in Kish, Iran
Tasua 2014 in Kish, Iran
Tasua 2014 in Kish, Iran
Tasua 2014 in Kish, Iran
Tasua 2014 in Ardabil, Iran.
Tasua 2014 in Ardabil, Iran.
Tasua 2014 in Ardabil, Iran.
Ashura 2014 is coming…
Tomorrow is the first day of Muharram and Ashura is coming, so you can see the color of Muharram all over the country in Iran.
Ashura in Tehran
The day of Ashura falls on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calender.
Every year, in the day of Ashura, plenty of people dressed in black, take to street to mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and his companions.
Here is some photos of Iranian shiite Muslims mourning in the day of Ashura in the center of Tehran, Iran.
Ashura in Tehran, Iran
Ashura in Tehran, Iran
Ashura in the great market of Tehran
Mourning in the day of Ashura in the “Great market of Tehran”, a traditional Market in Tehran, Iran.
A video from Ashura
The month of Muharram and the day of Ashura is coming in less than a week.
I found a video clip trying to show what happened to Imam hussain and his family in the day of Ashura in Karbala. In this clip, you will see some scenes of an Iranian serial titled “Mokhtar Nameh”.
Ashura 