The 10th of Muharram

 

ٱلْحُسَيْن ٱبْن عَلِيّ ٱبْن أَبِي طَالِب

 

In the picture here is the Mosque of Imam Ali in Najaf in Iraq. Also called the Ḥaram al-ʾImām ʿAlī   ( حَرَم ٱلْإِمَام عَلِيّ  ) or Shrine of Imam Ali. Imam Ali was the fourth caliph in Islamic history and also the son in law of the Messenger. 

This site is also the center of the universe for the Shia religion which claims Imam Ali as their true imam or leader.  I visited this mosque in the late 90s.  The grave of Imam Ali is located inside this mosque (the other picture).

 

We are a few days away from the 'Ashura' celebrations (on the 10th day of Muharram in the Arabic calendar). This year the 10th of Muharram will fall between Monday 15th July and Wednesday 17th July (depending on the location around the globe). 

Muharram is the first month in the calendar and a week ago we had a public holiday in Malaysia for the new year. 

The Ashura or 10th of Muharram is an important day for Shias and Sunnis around the world, especially for the Shia people. It is the day in which Hussein the son of Imam Ali and hence the grandson of the Messenger was murdered along with some of his supporters in a place called Karbala in Iraq.  Here is some brief history:

• For Shia Muslims, Ashura is a day of mourning as they annually commemorate the death of Husayn ibn Ali, the third Shia imam and grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Husayn refused to pledge his allegiance to the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiya (r. 680–683) and was subsequently killed, alongside most of his male relatives and his small retinue, by the Umayyad army in the Battle of Karbala on Ashura 61 AH (680 CE). 
• Among the Shia, mourning for Husayn is viewed as an act of protest against oppression, a struggle for God, and a means of securing the intercession of Husayn in the afterlife. Ashura is observed through mourning gatherings, processions, and dramatic reenactments. In such ceremonies, Shia mourners strike their chests to share in the pain of Husayn.

Here is a 3 minute video which captures one of these Ashura lamentation rituals among some Punjabi (?) Shias in India (?) You can zoom the video to full screen. The last two minutes are super fast.

Here is some trivia. The Jewish people also have certain lamentation and repentance rituals in the first 10 days of the Jewish new year.

Rosh Hashanah, the Ten Days of Repentance, and Yom Kippur are significant observances in the Jewish faith that collectively form a period of introspection, repentance, and forgiveness.

Rosh Hashanah, meaning "Head of the Year," is the Jewish New Year, celebrating the creation of Earth and Adam and Eve. It is a two-day holiday that falls on the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the High Holy Days and is a time for reflection, gratitude, and setting intentions for the coming year.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.