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The Period of mourning is observed
in the first month of the Islamic calendar, and it commemorates
the death of Hazrat Imam Hussain in the battle of Karbala.
Muharram means 'respected'. It is the first month of the Islamic
calendar.The first ten days of this month are observed as a
period of mourning by Muslims, particularly by those belonging
to the Shiah sect, in memory of the tragedy of 680 AD. Hazrat
Imam Hussain, the grandson of Muhammad the Prophet was killed in
the battle of Karbala. This event, called Muharram, is named
after the month in which it took place. The tenth day, called
Ashura, is observed as the day for a public expression of their
grief and is the most important day of the month.
During the pre-Islamic period in the Arabian penninsula,
fighting was prohibited in four months of the year.These months,
of which Muharram was one, were considered sacred. This period
of inactivity was a necessity in heavily decorated replicas of
the tomb of the Imam and his family are made for Muharram the
era of warring tribes. The tradition was maintained even after
the advent of Islam, though provisions to accommodate and accept
war in special situations, like a threat to the sovereignty of
an empire, were introduced. The gory battle of Karbala was
fought against this law and tradition of Islam. The inhabitants
on the banks of rivers Euphrates and Tigris were traditional
rivals. Their animosity was contained to some extent by
Muhammad. But when his son-in-law Hazrat Ali was the Caliph, the
old enmity re-surfaced. Hazrat Ali had two descendants, Hazrat
Imam Hussain and Hazrat Imam Hassan. Hussain was the ruler of
the part of the empire known today as Iran. The other part in
modern Iraq was ruled by the Umayyads. Hussain was called upon
by the Shiahs of Kufa, a small town in the Umayyad kingdom, to
accept their allegiance and claim his place as the leader of the
Islamic community. This was against the wishes of the ruler of
Kufa, Yazid, who instructed his governor, Ibn-e-Ziad to take
appropriate action. Meanwhile, in response to the call of the
Shiahs, Hussain accompanied by his family members, headed for
Kufa. When they reached Karbala, enroute to Kufa, the forces of
the governor surrounded them and their 70 men. Hussain, his
family and his troops were tortured and killed, and Hussain's
head was severed and presented to the king. They received no
help from the Shiahs of Kufa. This happened on the tenth day of
Muharram and it was called Ashura.
To commemorate this tragedy, the 40 days starting from the first
day ofMuharram to Chehalum, are observedas a period of mourning
by the Shiahs. During this period, women foresake alladornments,
even their bangles. All kinds of celebration like marriage are
disallowed during this period. Shiah Muslims are celibate for
these 40 days. The first 10 days however, are the most important
and are passionately observed asa period of mourning. During the
first nine days of the month, majlish(enacted grief-stricken
scenes from the battle of Karbala) are organised in Shiah
mosques. Huge Shiah crowds wearing black assemble at imambaras,
where plaintive verses in memory of Imam Hussain are recited.
These nine days are also spent in making Taziahs. On Ashura, the
most important day,processions with Taziahs are taken out in
commemeration of the sad event. The procession also includes a
well-decorated horse, representing the horse of Imam Hussain.
Emotional plays,enacting scenes from the battle of Karbala, are
performed by bare-chested Shiah men. They strike their body with
chains while some walk with bare feeton burning coals. Crying "hai
Hussain hum na rahe", meaning 'Oh Hussain, we were not there',
they express their anguish at their in ability to have prevented
him from being tortured. By beating themselves, the Shiahs
relive the pain Hussain suffered and thus express their sorrow.
They also distribute water, soft drinks and fruit juices to
passers-by in an effort to quench the thirst of the six-month
old son of Hazrat Imam Hussain and many others who are believed
to have died asking for water. The Taziah processions from
allover the town terminate at the Karbala of the city. Most old
habitations with a Muslim tradition have a specially marked
place to represent the original Karbala.
The Taziahs are buried there. Sometimes they are dismantled so
that they can be used again. Often they are immersed in a river.
According to a popular belief among the Shiahs, the mud on the
grave of Hazrat Imam Hussain turns blood red on Ashura. Muharram
is also a time for making vows. People pledge their promises to
the Taziah of Hussain. They can do this in two ways. The first
is by sending milk,a soft drink, dates or refined sugar to the
craftsman who is making the Taziahs. The craftsman recites the
Al-Fatiha breaks a coconut and distributesits water with the
soft drink or milk in small cups to those present.The second
method of making a vow is by performing an act of penance or
self-torture before the Taziah. This is generally practiced by
woman who volunteer to stand and watch over theTaziahs for a
night or more. They go to the place where it is built, and
accompany it through its route to the Karbala. This commitment
is performed on the ninth night of the month of Muharram. Some
people offer to roll on the ground for a certain distance in
front of the Taziah as thanksgiving for favours that have been
granted or for wish fulfillment. Though the 10 days of Muharram
are a period of mourning for the Sunni sect too, they do not
indulge in passion plays and nor do they cry out Hussain Hussain
because their tradition stipulates grieving in silence.They keep
a two-day roja on the ninth and tenth of the month, wear only
black clothes and read the Namaz and AlFatiha five times a day.
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