Why can't we mourn for Imam Hussain(as) on Ashura? I read on Sunni Path they said it was a bida.
Mourning for Imam Hussain(as)
Why can't we mourn for Imam Hussain(as) on Ashura? I read on Sunni Path they said it was a bida.
Why don't you mourn the Prophet's death which was the worst callamity that ever hit the Ummah and the death of the Best of Creation.
Shaykh Gibril Haddad states:
Commemoration of al-Husayn on Ashura?
Q. Is transmitting the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (ra) part of sunnah of rasul (saw). What do we actually have to do on this day? is it sunnah?
A. No. Ashura is an important and great day in Islam not because of the historical events in question but because of Divine and Prophetic stipulations that concern it as part of Muharram, the holiest month after Ramadan. To follow other than those Divinely-ordained stipulations is a distraction from the proper observance of that great day that would rob its victim blind of its benefit here and hereafter, especially compounded with the added delusion that such innovation is a pious deed.
The modality of observance of Ashura is found in the Sunna and nowhere else. And the Sunni practice on Ashura' consists in fasting (an emphasized sunna that carries tremendous reward and expiation of sins); giving sadaqa (which on this day is multiplied by the days of the year); renewed generosity and kindness to one's immediate dependents; honoring and visiting the returning pilgrims to the House of Allah and asking their dua; and visiting the Ulema and Awliya.
As for the merits of using kohl or henna, or doing ghusl on that day: it is based on false evidence and forgeries. (The report, "Whoever dyes his eyelids with kohl on the day of Ashura shall never suffer ophthalmia for the rest of his life" is forged by agreement of al-Hakim per al-Fayruzabadi in Sifr al-Sa`ada; Ibn al-Jawzi in the Mawdu`at; Ibn Nasir al-Din in al-Lafz al-Mukarram bi-Fadli Ashura' al-Muharram; Ibn Rajab in Lata'if al-Ma`arif; al-Sakhawi in the Maqasid; al-Haytami in the Sawa`iq al-Muhriqa; and al-Qari in the Masnu`.)
Therefore, if by "transmitting the martyrdom" of our liege-lord al-Husayn (Allah be well-pleased with him) is meant the scholarly narration of those events by a qualified historian in a book or a gathering, this has been done by some past masters such as Ibn Abi al-Dunya, al-Baghawi, and Ibn Nasir al-Din in monographs and by al-Dhahabi and al-Suyuti as part of more extensive works, so it is part of Sunni history and education.
However, if by such transmission is meant a public discourse or a book commemorating those events for specific emotional or purportedly religious purposes then the Ulema have said that this is ignorance and the door of fitna and jahiliyya because it fosters unislamic expressions of mourning and divisive hatred of some of the Companions of the Prophet and other early Muslims from the centuries praised by the Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, all of which is haram. Nor has such commemoration been Sunni practice at all - even for the death of the Holy Prophet, whose passing from this world is a much greater loss - whether on Ashura or any other time of the year.
As for love of Ahl al-Bayt it is an integral of Sunni belief but in a Sunni way, not a sectarian way chock-full with ill feelings fanned by fabrications. Ibn Kathir said in al-Bidaya wal-Nihaya (8:201-202):
"Al-Tabarani mentioned in this chapter very strange reports indeed and the Shi`is went overboard concerning the day of Ashura', forging many hadiths that are gross lies such as the sun being eclipsed on that day until the stars appeared, no stone was lifted except blood was seen under it, the celestial regions became red, the sun and its rays seemed like blood, the sky seemed like a blood clot, the stars were hurling against one another, the sky rained red blood, there was never redness in the sky before that day, and the like... among other lies and forgeries of which not one report is sound."
Success is from Allah, may He keep us on the path of His Prophet and his Companions, away from sectarianism and bad adab posing as love of Ahl al-Bayt.
Hajj Gibril
Various Questions For Sunni - Shia
NNM wrote in a message
concerning MUHARRAM
As-Salamu `alaykum:
One may weep (shed tears) but should not wail (tear shirts, beat chests, cut oneself,etc).
Please refer to Mishkaat ul Masaabeeh
Expressing sorrow on `Ashura' is HARAM in the Hanafi madhhab unless one mourns for all the Companions that were martyred at all times. (Hadiyya `Ala'iyya).
The Sunna on `Ashura' is to show generosity to one's spouse and children.
And Allah knows best.
Hajj Gibril
Mourning And Wailing
This was a clearand concise answer to which I will add the references requested.
there are many innovations in the Jaffari school. Maybe someone can help me with the references but I have heard we are discouraged from public mourning. However, the Jaffari followers are always wailing and beating themselves in public.... I have even seen pictures of them beating themselves until they are covered in their own blood.
In al-Bukhari and Muslim: "The dead are tortured by the wailing of the living over them." Mutawatir by al-Suyuti's criterion, as it is narrated from the Prophet by `Umar, Ibn `Umar, Hafsa, Anas, `Imran ibn Husayn, Abu Musa, Abu Bakr, Abu Hurayra, Samura, al-Mughira ibn Shu`ba, and Suhayb as in al-Kattani's Nazm al-Mutanathir (#106).
In the Sahihayn and the Sunan also, wailing (al-niyaha) is counted among the characteristics of Jahiliyya.
I also know that Khomeine wrote a book and said in it that the 12 Imams:
Khomeini, in his book Al-Hukoomatul-lslamiwah (the Islamic government), claims that the Twelve Imams are infallible, and he raises them to a level above the heavenly angels and the commissioned pro- phets of Allah; he stresses:
The Twelve Imams, the `Itra, and the Companions - Allah be well-pleased with them all - put together are below the level of a single Prophet - upon our Prophet and upon them blessings and peace. This tenet is in al-`Aqida al-Tahawiyya:
98. We do not prefer any of the saintly men among the Community over any of the Prophets but rather we say that any one of the Prophets is better than all the awliya' put together.
Also, Ahl al-Sunna concur that the generality of the Prophets are above the generality of the angels in level. See on this point my post "Best of Creation ."
Hajj Gibril
GF Haddad ©
"Muhammad is the noblest of the Arabs and `Ajam.
Muhammad is the best of those who trod the earth."
(Al-Busiri)
Excellent responses by Brother Omar HH. Mashallah. Jazakhullah for those.
I'd like to add my two rupees to this conversation.
If we started mourning every day that some hero of Islam was martyred, then there would literally not be a day left in the year that we could be happy, since every day of the year has been the marytrdom of some hero of Islam.
Furthermore, the Shia sometimes try implying that the Sunnis do not love the Ahlel Bayt and they say "look, how they don't mourn the loss of Imam Hussain."
But do the Sunnis even celebrate the death of Prophet Muhammad (s) or of ANY of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs? Do the Shia? We wonder why the Shia make such a huge deal of Ashura and Kerbala. If we were going to mourn days people died, then Hussain (ra) would not be the first we'd mourn, and there would be many in line that would take precedence before him. This is not to diminish his greatness; but of course, Prophet Muhammad (s) is higher than him, and we don't even mourn his death.
Actually, we are not allowed to any Bidah (innovation) to worship after the death of the Prophet. That is why we cannot mourn Kerbala like a holiday, because the Prophet (s) never did this, and anything outside of his Prophetic Sunnah, is thus Bidah.
The Muslims are being butchered in Palestine, and Shaikh Yassin was killed recently. Should we now mark his murder every year and mourn it like the Shia mourn Kerbala?
Indeed, the entire manner in which the Shia mourn Ashura is ludicrous and Jahil.
Allah Almighty condemns the pagans for the barbaric way in which they would worship: "Their [pagan] prayer at the House (of Allah) was nothing but whistling and clapping of hands; therefore taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve!" (Quran, 8:35) The Quran looks down on these barbaric and native ways of prayer which make the Muslim look like a wild tribesman and nothing more. In any case, there are better avenues of channeling grief, including reading Quran and being a good Muslim. What better way to commemorate the loss of Imam Hussain (ra) than by trying to rid the world of evil and barbarity? A person could donate money to the poor, create a trust fund in the name of the deceased, etc etc....the options for channeling grief are almost infinite...so why beat yourself up? What does it accomplish?
Do we really think that Hadrat Ali (ra) or Imam Hussain (ra) would really appreciate people engaging in self-mutilation? They would no doubt think that the people have gone mad!
Let's say that I like a certain girl. I want to impress her, so I decide to beat myself up for her to show her how much I love her. Do you think she would be impressed with me? Haha, no! Rather, she would be scared out of her wits and call the cops! Only crazy people beat themselves up. It's a psychological disorder--just check out the medical literature on it!
Likewise, it is completely abnormal and barbaric to beat oneself up even if to mourn the loss of a close one.
Well one not all Shia hit themselves. And they do it to express their grief if thats what they choose whats wrong with it? Different people have different ways and they choose that way, why not let them do what they wish they arent hurting anyone by doing that. What about mourning for the Imam by crying which most Shia do? They simply shed tears for the Sayed as Shuhada(as). And they have lectures disscussing what we learned from him(as). Theres nothing wrong with that.Originally Posted by TankOfAllah
Well read this statemeny by the Sunni Shaykh Sayyid Mawlana Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Ninowy:
http://www.alhaqq.net/Ashura.html
"In the upcoming very sad days in our lives, and the life of every free human being, I urge myself and you to:
1. Express sadness and show sorrow for the massacre of the dearest and purest of the Family of the Beloved Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa aalih wa sallam. It is customary to many families of Ahlul bayt to show sadness during this month.
2. Expressing sorrow should be manifested by sincere intentions of repentance, and believing that if you were with them, you would have been on the side of Imam Husayn, even if it costs you any and everything. "
Wassalam.
And very many Shi`a hit themselves and cut themselves and use weapons and this happens even in the city of Karbala on `Ashura - although you are correct many `Ullema of the Shi`a condemn this practice but not all and it is prevalent. Also the Bohara Shi`a are agreed upon the practice of matam where they do not use knives but they hit themselves in the chest repeatedly.
Why do these same Shi`as not cry and weep on the day of the death of Rasul Allah
If your going to mourn - mourn for everyone and I agree that the killing of Sayyidina al-Imam al-Husayn (radi Allahu `Anhu) was an extremely sad event in the history of Islam. The saddest event ever in the history of the Ummah which was recorded by the Prophet
Wassalam,
Omar.
It is true that not all Shia hit themselves...but it's also true that most Sunnis don't pray 5 times a day...this does not change the core belief of the religion.
Just like praying 5 times a day is part of the Islamic faith, so too is beating oneself up during Ashura part of the Shia faith.
Drawing blood (Tatbeer) is considered MUSTAHABB (highly recommended) by the 19 most prominent Maraje amongst the Shia....and this has been the opinion of ALL the Shia ulema since classical times. So beating yourself up as a Shia is MUSTAHABB.
Ayatollah Shirazi further said: " Tatbir (shedding blood using swords) has always been recommended as Mustahab (highly recommended) by the overwhelming consensus of the ‘ULAMA and there has rarely been any, if at all, high-ranking ‘Aalim ever to have declared otherwise." (Source: http://www.shirazi.org.uk/ashura.htm#ashuramisuse)
Please see the following from my site: http://shiism.blogspot.com/2006/02/a...gellation.html
As well you can see the Shia website yourself...this is the website of the late Grand Ayatollah Sherazi where he declares how it is MUSTAHABB to cause yourself to bleed during Ashura: http://www.shirazi.org.uk/tatbir%20fatawa.htm
Why are we against this barbaric practise? Isn't it obvious? Why don't you visit my site and scroll down to the Matam section to see what's wrong with it: www.shiism.blogspot.com
In fact, you should probably read my entire site, since you seem to need it . Inshallah it will make it easy for you to realize that Shi'ism is Batil (false).
Furthermore, can you please stop using the abbreviation "as" to refer to Hadrat Hussain (ra).......the Shia believe that their Imams are superior to Prophets and so they even endow them with the respect of using "as" but this is not the way of the Sunnis, who only use "as" for prophets, and "ra" for the Sahaba.
Brother, what is the Daleel for this?? We should not devote special days to mourn special events, because this is not from the Prophetic Sunnah. If there was a certain day of the year that the Prophet mourned, then we can mourn that. But we cannot arbitrarily pick and choose to mark a certain day as a day of mourning.
If you want to be sad about the Death of Hadrat Hussain (ra) then why restrict yourself to the 9th or 10th of Muharram???? Then, be sad the whole year and your whole lives! There is nothing special in a day of the year...this is the way of Bidah to make special days for special events. If you want to be sad about Hadrat Hussain, then be sad about it all the time, not just one or two days of the year.
We are not even allowed to mark the day of the Prophet's death, so how could we mark the day of Hadrat Hussain's death!?????
Again, if you want to be sad of the death of the Prophet, then be sad every day and do not single out only one day of the year to do so. This would be Bidah and Bidah is Dalala.
Brother, I used to believe this too, until I saw what the Shia Ulema say. Let me reiterate it for you...although you are correct many `Ullema of the Shi`a condemn this practice but not all and it is prevalent.
Grand Ayatollah Shirazi said: " Tatbir (shedding blood using swords) has always been recommended as Mustahab (highly recommended) by the overwhelming consensus of the ‘ULAMA and there has rarely been any, if at all, high-ranking ‘Aalim ever to have declared otherwise." (Source: http://www.shirazi.org.uk/ashura.htm#ashuramisuse)
I didnt know this either until very recently, but yes, basically it is a HUGE LIE (Taqiyya) when the Shia claim that only ignorant Shia beat themselves up.
The ONLY time that Matam is banned is when the Shia leaders urge their minions to do TAQIYYA and hide their faith. For example, in Iran, the leaders have said that they should do Taqiyya and hide their belief in Matam since it makes them look bad in the eyes of the West. Subhanallah! So yes, they have said dont do it...but the reason is NOT because there is anything wrong with it, but rather becuase they advise their minions to do Taqiyya!
Fi Aman Allah.
The driving force behind the disgusting spectacles of the Rafidhah during Muharram is to express their hatred and bara'ah from Ahl as-Sunnah.
Why do I say this?
Because the people who killed al-Husayn were a small group of sinful criminals who happened to be from Ahl as-Sunnah.
The Rafidhah ("Shi'ah") believe that 'Ali (radhiyallahu 'anhu) is greater then al-Husayn, and 'Ali was also martyred. So why do they not commemorate the martyrdom of 'Ali in the way they do for al-Husayn?
Because the killer of 'Ali was from the original sect of the khawarij who no longer exist today.
But the killers of al-Husayn attributed themselves to Ahl as-Sunnah. Therefore the Shi'ah need to keep alive their hatred for Ahl as-Sunnah every year by commemorating the massacre at Karbala'.
A side note: Some Shi'ah in Iran actually celebrate the day of the martyrdom of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, calling it the day of "Fatimah's joy"!!! And there is a grave in Iran purported to be the grave of Abu Lu'lu'ah al-Majusi, the murderer of 'Umar, where they go and honour him (i.e. Abu Lu'lu'ah) and they call him "Baba Shuja'ud-din"!
(Of course it is not really Abu Lu'lu'ah's grave, because the Sahabah killed him in al-Madinah. It seems highly unlikely that they would have sent his body back to Iran for a "state funeral"...)
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