ASHURA! A DAY OF CONDOLENCE OR CELEBRATION?

Raza from India

forwarded an Article by Aboobakar, printed in "Times of India" News Paper.

ABOOBAKAR SAYS : The Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10TH day of Muharram (Ashura), the day on which Prophet Moses and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously. So the Holy Prophet directed the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashurah. Some others attribute the sanctity of Ashurah to the martyrdom of Husain during his battle with the Syrian army. Since Husain was killed during Muharram. Hence people avoid conducting marriage during this period. This is baseless. If the death of an eminent person on a particular day renders that day unlucky for all times to come, no day of the year would be free from bad luck. The H. Quran and the Sunnah of the H. Prophet have liberated us from such superstitious beliefs. Lamentations, breast-beating and mourning in memory of Husain’s martyrdom are not sanctioned by Islam. The H. Prophet has forbidden holding mourning ceremonies on the death of any person. A number of Ahaadith are available. To quote one of them: He is not from our group who slaps his cheeks, tears his clothes and cries in the manner of the people of Jahiliyyah (Sahih Bukhari).

ABDULLAH REPLIES: Going through your article, I came to the conclusion, that the H. Prophet (P) saw the Jews fasting and ordered the Muslims to follow the same, right? How is it possible for the H. Prophet (P) to go against the command of Allah and follow the path of the Jews? Allah (S) has clearly mentioned in the H. Qur’an …And if you follow their (Jews & Christians) desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper. (2:120).

And if you meant to say that H. Prophet (P) directed the Muslims to fast on the 10th of Muharram because the life of Prophet Moses (P) was miraculously saved, then obviously he would have commanded his followers to fast on all those days on which the life of other Prophets were miraculously saved and today every Muslim would have fasted on the day of Eid-uz-Zuha, because on this very day the life of Prophet Ismail (P) was miraculously saved but we find that fasting on the day of Eid is haraam (forbidden). How can a sunnah of H. Prophet (P) becomes haraam?

Secondly, why don’t you disclose the name of the oppressor, who killed H. Husain (P)? Are you unaware of the fact or for some worldly Interest? If you are unaware, than let me disclose the name of the oppressor. The one who killed H. Hussain (P) and his companions was a man made Caliph Yazid ibne Muawiyah ibne Abu Sufyan for whom our sunni scholar Jarir Tabari writes in his history that, the Holy Prophet (P) saw Abu Sufyan riding a donkey. Mu’awiya was pulling it from the front, and his son, Yazid, was pushing it from behind. The Prophet said, ‘Curse be upon the Rider, the Puller, and the Pusher. To whom H. Prophet (P) curses, why are we trying to prove them innocent? Are we not the follower of H. Prophet (P)?

Most of the prominent Sunni Scholars regard Yazid (L) as an infidel and a cursed one because his rule brought disgrace on the fair name of Islam. His wickedness included drinking wine, murdering the Prophet’s son, cursing the Prophet’s successor, demolishing the Ka’ba, and a mass killing of 10700 Muslims in Madina. (Ref.: Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Abdu’r-Rahman Abu’l-Faraj Bin Jauzi in his Kitabu’l-Radd Ala’l-Muta’asibu’l-Anidu’l-Mani’an La’n-e-Yazid La’natullah, Mas’udi, in his Muruju’z-Dhahab, Volume II, Sibt Ibn Jauzi in his Tadhkira, page 63 and 163, Ref.: Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Amir Shabrawi Shafi’i in Kitabu’l-Ittihaf be Hubbi’l-Ashraf Raji’ ba La’n-e-Yazid, page 20, Allama Samhudi in his Jawahiru’l-Iqdain).

Allah (S) says: And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his punishment is Hell….(4:93) Although Allah (S) has certified Yazid (L) to be the bearer of the Hell, yet some lawyers go on arguing Yazid’s case until the last moment to misguide the ummah, even though they know well the merits of the case. Due to such superstitious beliefs of the Muslims, today Islam and the H. Prophet (P) are blamed in the name of Terrorism.

On the other hand the Messenger of Allah (S) said: Acknowledgment of Ahlul-Bayt means salvation from the fire, and love for them is a passport for crossing the bridge of the Siraat, and obedience to them is a protection from divine wrath. (Ref.: Kitab al-Shafa, by Qadhi ‘Ayadh, published in 1328 AH, v2, p40, Yanabi al-Mawaddah, al-Qundoozi al-Hanafi, section 65, p370.). The Messenger of Allah said: Whoever loved Hasan and Husain loved me and who ever bore enmity to them bore enmity towards me. (Ref.: Jama Tirmizee p462, Mustadrak vol 3 p166, Kanzul Ummal p106).

Weeping is a sign of love and also a sunnah of H. Prophet (P), who wept for H. Husain (P) 50 years before the incidence of Karbala took place. Zainab binte Jahash the wife of Prophet (P) narrates: One day the Messenger of Allah was in my house and Husain (P.) was also there. He sat down and wept. I asked, what made you so grief, Prophet (P.) replied, Jibraeel came to me and informed me that this Husain (P.) will be killed by my ummah. (Ref. Mustadrak-as-Sahihain, Chp.4 : Pg.398). So if the Messenger of Allah (S) can weep on H. Husain (P) why can’t his followers?

I kindly request you that, before quoting any history or tradition related to Islam, you should at least confirm its authenticity with the H. Qur’an because many fabricated traditions were quoted after the death of H. Prophet (P). The H. Prophet (P) said; whenever you find any tradition in my name, refer to Quran if it matches take it or else throw it. Your reference of Sahih Bukhari, too contradicts other traditions of Sahih Bukhari as well as the book of Allah (S). The Holy Prophet (P.) said, Allah will not punish people because of the tears they shed (over the dead) but He will punish (them) because of this (tongue). (Ref.: Sahih Bukhari Vol.7 : Chp.24). So might be possible that Allah (S) punish those arguing and using their tongue against the weeping.

Not only for H. Husain (P) but also for other Martyrs and the dead ones, weeping is a sunnah of H. Prophet (P). The H. Prophet (P.) said: Zaid took over the flag and was martyred. Then it was taken by Ja’far who was martyred as well. Then Abdullah bin Rawaha took the flag but he too was martyred and at that time the eyes of Allah’s Messenger were full of tears. (Ref.: Sahih Al-Bukhari Arabic-English Vol.2 Pg.191, printed in 1984 at Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi, India)

Ibrahim (son of Prophet) was in his last breaths and the eyes of Allah’s Apostle (P) started shedding tears. ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Auf said, O Allah’s Apostle, even you are weeping! He said, O Ibn ‘Auf, this is mercy. Then he wept more and said, The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord. (Ref.: Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol.2, Hadees 390, Book 23, Pg.219)

Salami records: I paid a visit to the Prophet’s wife Umme Salma and saw her crying with grief. When I asked her what made her weep, she said, I just dreamt that the Prophet (p) had come with his beard and head covered with dust. When I asked him what had made him so full of grief, he told me that he had just returned after seeing his Husain Martyred. (Ref.: Jam’a Tirmizee Pg.166, Mishkat Vol.8 : Pg.189, Mustadrak Vol.4 : Pg.19). Though the H. Prophet (P) passed away from this world yet he came in the dream of his wife and conveyed the message to his followers that Ashura is a day of the greatest calamity. So how can his followers conduct marriages and perform celebrations? And if one conducts, then at least he should avoid claming himself to be a Sunni because Sunni means, one who follows the path of the H. Prophet (P) & not the one who goes against him (P).

Weeping is in human nature and it is a sign of love and affection. Calamities befall on the beloved ones make a man to weep. Weeping in the memory of H. Husain (P) is not forbidden in Islam but has a great reward because the H. Prophet (P) did so and even Allah (S) has certified this act to be a sign of love. It is a kind of condolence, which the followers should present before the H. Prophet (P). It is the Jahiliyyah of the scholars who give illogical statement against weeping to keep the innocent Ummah away from the truth.

I don’t understand as to why we get pain when someone beat their chest in the memory of H. Husain (P)? Actually we have being affected by the virus of inferiority complex. We any how, by hook or by cook, try to prove, the acts of others to be against Islam and finally, when we fail in proving them, we certify them to be a Kaafir (infidel) this is due to lack of tolerance. Being a Sunni I am sorry to say that just like the companions of H. Prophet (P) became Munafiq (hypocrite) in the enmity of H. Ali (P) we too are destructing ourselves and getting away from the Qur’an & Sunnah in the enmity of Shias.

Thus after referring the Quran & Sunnah one comes to the conclusion that H. Prophet (P) himself acknowledged weeping to be a mercy and it also pleases Allah (S). If it pleases Allah (S) why does it pinch us? Weeping is a way of expressing thanks to H. Husain (P), for saving Islam and humanity. Thus if H. Prophet (P) prefers ASHURA to be a day of CALAMITIES and if the H. Prophet (P) mourns on this very day, then how far it is right for his followers to celebrate and conduct marriages on the day of Ashura?

Wassalaam,

Abdullah