Muharram

Muḥarram (Arabic: مُحَرَّم‎ muḥarram) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year. It is held to be the second holiest month, after Ramadan.

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Muharram . Mourning . Hadith . Ashura

I have been to many different communities during Muharram, and they differ in their mourning periods. Is there any specific guideline in our Hadith for mourning after Ashura or is any continued mourning after then purely cultural practice?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 6 months ago

Muharram and Safar are the two months during which we mourn the tragedies of Karbala and avoid celebrations. Different countries have their own way of observing the mourning but all Shia Muslims express their grief on the tragedies of Ahlul Bayt (AS) by avoiding celebrations during Muharram and Safar.

Wassalam.

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Muharram

Is it permissible for Shia individuals to host unavoidable events, such as retirement parties, during the month of Muharram?

We as followers of Ahlul Bayt (AS) avoid any celebration during the month of Muharram and Safar. If retirement party does not include celebration then it will be acceptable.

Wassalam.

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Muharram . Safar . Sawm (Fasting) . Ziyarat

Is observing a fast mandatory before performing Ziyarah during the months of Muharram and Safar, as mentioned in a book on Ziyarah?

Observing fast is not mandatory just for Ziyarah, unless you have made a Nazr (Vow) to fast.

Wassalam.

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Sunni . Wedding . Muharram . Ethics . Fiqh (Jurisprudence)

What is the religious and ethical viewpoint on attending a wedding held by a Sunni friend during the month of Muharram?

Lovers of Ahlul Bayt (AS) share Ahlul Bayt (AS) the noble feelings of mourning on the tragedies of Karbala and don’t take part in any function of happiness or celebration during the days of Muharram. Let your Sunni or non Muslim friend know why we mourn on these days and I advise you to refrain from attending wedding ceremony during these days. Respecting our beloved Imams of Ahlul Bayt (AS) is much more important than pleasing people.

I don’t say that attending weddings during Muharram is Haraam as it depends on your intention and impact on others as far as there is no disrespect to our noble values, but i can say that it can be harmful to our spirituality and our noble feelings being persons hoping to be servants of Ahlul Bayt (AS).

Wassalam.

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Palestinian . Muharram

Is it allowed to display Palestinian flags during Muharram processions, especially on Ashura? Does it diminish the significance of the Flag of Abbas (as)?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 1 year ago

You can display either flag, or no flag. Flags are optional.

Beyond that, if the Palestinian flag is being flown to show genuine support for Palestinians, it is good. If the Palestinian cause is being co-opted to support someone else's political or ideological agenda, it may be less good.

If the people at the processions see national flags as taking away from the sanctity of the processions, this could also be taken into consideration.

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Home . Muharram

Can we move to a new home in Muharram?

From a shariah perspective, it is not prohibited (as long as one is not intentionally doing it to insult Allah or Ahl al-Bayt).

However, it is better not to do it in the first 10 days of Muharram, or on Ashura, if there is a choice. (For instance, you have not been evicted.)

From a hadith perspective, those are the times most emphasised for remembering Imam Husayn (A), but it is customary these days to observe all of Muharram and Safar.

So in general, it is better not to move during Muhrram, if it is optional and can be postponed, but sometimes there is no choice, or there is a strong reason to move. However, this is a matter of personal piety and observance, not shariah.

One thing to consider is that some people may be concerned that their new home lacks baraka if they move during this time. Then, if something goes wrong (and something always goes wrong in life!), they will assume this is because they moved during Muharram, and may not feel settled in their home. Even though this is a psychological reason, it may be better to avoid moving during this time for that reason.

Also, in some communities, people will be criticized if they do it during this time, and one has to decide whether or not to take into consideration the views of others.

In any case, it is your decision. Wishing you the best however it goes!

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Feet . Milk . Ibadah . Muharram . Zuljanah

Is it permissible in Islam for my country's Shias to wash the feet of a Shabeeh-e-Zuljanah horse with milk during processions, considering the enormous amount of milk wasted?

We all must respect and support every Azadari act which is according to the teachings of Ahlul Bayt (AS). We are not allowed to waste milk in any way because wasting any bounty of Allah (SWT) is against the teachings of Imam Husain (AS).

Wassalam.

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Muharram . Ashura . Sports

Can I celebrate my national team's win during Muharram, specifically on the 8th day when the Euro final takes place?

It's not prohibited to celebrate things during the first 10 days of Muharram, but it is better not to celebrate out of respect for Imam Husayn.

If one considers it necessary to celebrate something (for instance, a wedding of a relative who is not Muslim), it is good to be moderate and more serious during the celebrations or spend a limited amount of time on celebrations, rather than being extremely celebratory.

However, these are not requirements; rather, it is simply a matter of respect and honoring the seriousness days. Generally, people who do commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husayn over the first 10 days of Muharram do not want to engage in celebrations, anyway. But it is understandable that life happens, and sometimes other things occur during these days.

So it is your own decision.

It is very bad form to have celebrations on Ashura itself, and I personally would avoid that not only out of respect for Imam Husayn, but out of fear of divine displeasure.

In some Sunni-majority regions, for historical reasons, it is customary to celebrate Ashura in a happy way as a holiday, and while I find that deeply distasteful, I do understand that this is their history and custom and they are honoring it in the way they are used to honoring it, and are not intending any disrespect towards him.

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Muharram . Matam

What is the evidence supporting the practice of wearing black during Muharram?

Wearing black is a sign of mourning and grief on tragedies of the Prophet (SAWA) and his Progeny Ahlul Bayt (AS).

The Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) himself did wear black as you can read in Saheeh Muslim (Hadeeth number 1359).

Those believers who love the Prophet (SAWA) and his Progeny (As) feel sad on remembering their tragedies hence they wear black to express their noble feelings.

Wassalam.

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Salmon . Fish . Muharram

Is it forbidden or disliked to eat salmon fish during the months of Muharram and Safar?

It is not forbidden nor disliked to eat salmon fish or any other food during Muharram and Safar

. We avoid celebrations during Muharram and Safar out of mourning and respecting the noble memory of Ahlul Bayt (AS) who suffered greatest tragedies during Muharram and Safar but no one can claim that eating fish or chicken or meat is forbidden during these months.

If you live in a community which thinks that the certain food is part of celebration, then you have to be careful not give a wrong message, but eating any Halal food is allowed as far as you are not celebration or degrading the mourning on the tragedies of Ahlul Bayt (AS).

Wassalam.

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Muharram . Sawm (Fasting)

Yes. It is recommended to fast in the first day of Muharram as the narration from Imam Al-Redha (AS) asking the person who met him on the first of Muharram; are you fasting? Fasting on everyday in Muharram is good except on the tenth day of Muharram which was taken by Bani Umayyad as an Eid and they fabricated narrations on fasting that day of Ashura.According to Ahlul Bayt (AS) fasting in Ashura is Makrouh and it is called as the fasting of the enemies of Ahlul Bayt.

'Wassalam.

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Muharram . Sawm (Fasting)

Is it permissible to fast on the 10th of Muharram?

Ahlul Bayt (AS) mentioned that fasting the day of Ashura is the fasting of Ibn Marjanah, the ruler of Yazeed on Iraq ذلك صوم ابن مرجانة

Yazeed and his followers wanted to mislead Muslims and make them celebrate the day of Ashura to cover their crime in killing Imam Husain on that day. Many Sunni scholars including leading Wahabi Shaikh Naasir Al-Deen Al-Albani said that narrations on fasting in Ashura were fabricated by the enemies of Ahlul Bayt (Nawaasib)(Tamaam al-Minnah, page 412). Many Sunni scholars including Al-Albani said that fasting in the day of Ashura is a Bid'ah.

Also 'Ibn Al-Jawzi in Al-Mawdoo'aat ,

and Ibn Al-Soyooti in Al-la'aali Al-Masnoo'ah Fi Al Al-Ahaadeeth Al-Mawdhoo'ah.

and Ibn Iraq in Tabzeeh Al-Sharee'ah

and Al-Manaawi from Al-Majid Al-loghawi,

and Mohammad Salim Al-Munajjid .

The prominent Sunni scholar al-Maqreezi that Al-Hajjaj during the rule of Abdulmalik ibn Marwah ordered to announce the day of Ashura as Eid then it was taken by Ayyoubi kings who spread it among Sunni masses.

'According to Al-Kaafi, Volume 4, page 146, from Ja'far ibn Easa said: I asked (Imam) Al-Radha (AS) about fasting on the day of Ashura and what people say about it, he said: Do you ask me about the fasting of Ibn Marjaanah? That is day taken as a day of fasting by the murderers of imam Hussain(As).
'Wassalam.