![]() ![]() On the invitation of the people of Kufa, a city in Iraq, he set out from Medina. Hussain bin Ali vowed to resist this degeneration into monarchy. The basic tenet of the Islamic democracy is that Allah is the owner of this world, and only He has the power to legislate. This blatant violation of the Qur’an and its ramifications were immediately realised by Hussain bin Ali (RA). It was Amir Muawiyah who deviated from the practice of democratically electing the leader of the Ummah by anointing his son Yazid as his successor. ![]() His four successors - Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali (RA) - kept the tradition alive. The Islamic form of participatory democracy lasted for about 30 years after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). ![]() Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) established a just society and true democracy in the Arabian Peninsula on the basis of the principles enunciated in the Qur’an. There is no other event in the history of mankind for which so many tears have been shed.īut the historical fact and the real purpose of the martyrdom have disappeared behind rituals like Matam (chest-beating), Panja or Tazia processions (symbolic flags depicting the martyrs).Īn effort must be made to understand the real cause and the great purpose for which Hussain bin Ali (RA) and his entire family laid down their lives. Sunni Muslims fast on this day, in accordance with a tradition of the Prophet (PBUH).ĭuring the first 10 days, the events of Karbala are narrated in minute details in mosques and at other public gatherings. Shia Muslims mourn from 1st day till 10th day of Muharram, reliving the martyrdom of the Prophet’s kin in the battle of Karbala, Iraq, in 680 CE. Its 10th day - known as ‘Yaum-e-Aashura’ - has been a day of immense blessings from time immemorial. Many important events took place on this day, the martyrdom of Hussain bin Ali (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), being one of them. Muharram ceremonies represent the never-ending and unswerving stance of truth against falsehood and the humanity’s struggle against tyranny, the cause for which Imam Hussein sacrificed his life.Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. His sister, Zeinab (PBUH), later delivered an eloquent sermon in the court of Yazid, which proved the righteousness of the Shia Imam and the mendacity of the tyrant. On the eve of Ashura, known as Tasu’a, Shia Muslims across the world paid special tribute to Abbas ibn Ali, the half-brother of Imam Hussein, because of his sacrifices in the Battle of Karbala.įollowing Imam Hussein’s martyrdom, his remaining family members, mainly women and children, were taken captive and transferred to the then Levant. Similar ceremonies are scheduled to be held in Europe, America and Africa later in the day. Mourning processions are also underway in Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan and Lebanon. Large numbers of black-clad Iraqi and Iranian mourners plus people from other countries have also flocked to the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala, which is home to Imam Hussein’s holy shrine, to attend mourning rituals. Free food is also offered to people who take part in mourning ceremonies. Imam Hussein and his group were martyred in the Battle of Karbala, in southern Iraq in 680 AD, while fighting courageously against the 100,000-strong army of the despot.ĭuring Muharram, benefactors cook and distribute food offerings among neighbors, family and the needy. Passion plays are also staged in remembrance of the suffering imposed on the venerated figure of Shia Islam and his companions, who refused to pledge allegiance to the Umayyad caliph, Yazid I. The faithful have converged on the streets and in mosques with heavy hearts to honor Ashura, the 10th day of the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar Muharram, which is the climax of the mourning processions.ĭuring the ceremonies, eulogies are recited and sermons delivered in memory of Imam Hussein and his 72 companions. Millions of Shia Muslims in Iran and other parts of the world are commemorating Ashura, which marks the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (PBUH), the third Shia Imam. ![]()
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