Matam

Mätam, the term used in South Asia for the act of self-flagellation during the Shia remembrance of Muharram. Ma'tam (مأتم), a Shia congregation hall in Bahrain, known as a Hussainia or Imambargah elsewhere.

199142

Matam . Majlis . Salah (Prayers) . Salat al-Jama’at

If a Majlis concludes at Maghrib and Matam occurs instead of performing Salat, does that mean the prayer is not done on time? Is a 15-20 minute delay in congregational prayer considered to still be praying on time?

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... Answer updated 7 mesi fa

Imam Husain (AS) never delayed the Salat even when he was in the mid of fighting in Karbala. We are supposed to follow Imam Husain (AS) not our own thoughts. We should plan the timings of the Majlis and Matam both to finish before the time of Salat.

Wassalam.

150565

Matam . Hadith . Childbirth . Qur'an

Did Hazrat Ali provide assistance to people even before his birth? If so, how was that possible?

All the previous prophets including Adam, Noah and Ibraheem (AS) prayed to Allah (SWT) to Help them by the Waseela of The Prophet Muhammad and his Holy Progeny (AS).

'Wassalam.

188147

Majlis . Matam . Mourning . Nawha . Wedding . Eid al-Fitr

Is it appropriate to mourn or conduct Majlis, recite Noha, and perform Matam during weddings and Eid, considering that some Shia believe that Eid coincides with the 10th day of Imam Ali's martyrdom?

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 1 anno fa

Bismihi ta'ala

Unfortunately, this is a clear misguided view and practice. In the dua we recite on Eid al-Fitr day, it says it is a day in which Allah ta'ala made it as Eid for Muslims. It is definitely not appropriate to change a happy celebration occasion to mourning and ma'tam. There is a time for each of them.

As the hadith says, "Our Shi'ah..... they grieve when we grieve, and are happy when we are happy."

Much more can be said about this, and the most important thing is one follows not what a small fringe group does, but what majority of Shi'ah do, especially our mainstream esteemed 'Ulama.

And Allah knows best

182858

Shrine . Matam

I am concerned about the practice of 'Laytm al Shoor' and its impact on the reputation of Shia Islam. Is this practice considered acceptable, and why is it allowed in the shrine despite the negative perception it creates?

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 anno fa

Sometimes it is better not to worry too much about what other people are thinking. Sometimes, Shi'a are especially concerned about seeming strange to Sunnis or on the world stage. While this is understandable out of fear of killing or persecution, most, if not all, of the world's religions have practices that seem bizarre to others.

At the same time, many types of practices are similar across world religions because they serve a same function with respect to our psychology and spirituality, especially involving sound, recitation, and movement. Sometimes these things are also what keep a person in the religion in difficult times, rather than formal and serious things like formal scholarship.

So sometimes it is better just to let people do things how they would like to do it, when it comes to optional (non-wajib) religious ceremonies and commemorations, even if it doesn't match one's own preference; one can always abstain and do something else.

179162

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.

176794

Matam . Blood . Flagellation

Could you provide me with proper references regarding permissibility of Matam? Additionally, which form of Matam is considered correct, simple Matam with hands or drawing blood through Zanjeerzani?

Maatam (Beating chest) is a human action to reflect grief and sadness. It is been practiced by millions of people when they face or remember a sad incident. It was practiced by Muslims during the life of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) when they came to know about the injury of the Prophet (SAWA) in the battle of Ohod. Ayisha daughter of Abu Bakr did Maatam when the Prophet passed away. (Musnad Abi &A’la Al-Moosili, Volume 8, page 63) Hadeeth number 4586.

Wassalam.

163106

Matam

Did the Prophet (s) engage in Matam? If so, where can I find the evidence for it?

Matam is an expression of grief and sadness which is used by human beings in different societies in different ways. The Prophet Muhammad ((SAWA) after the battle of Uhud, encouraged Muslims to mourn on the martyrdom of his uncle Hamza when many Muslims were mourning their own martyrs by telling them : Why my uncle Hamza has no mourners? وعمّي حمزة لا بواكي له ؟ Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal , Hadeeth number 4742 and Al-Mustadral Ala Al-Saheehain; Hadeeth 1407, and Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabeer by Al-Tabarani; 11/310 , and Al-Tabaqaat Al-Khubra by Ibn Sa'ad; 2/44, and Tareekh Al-Tabari; 2/210.

'Matam was also done by Ayisha and Muslim women when the Prophet passed away. Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal , Hadeeth number 25144 and Dalaa'il Al-Nubowwah by Al-Bayhaqi (Al-Eltudaam (Beating the chest)).and Al-Tabaqaat Al-Khubra by ibn Sa'ad 2/261 and Tareekh Al-Tabari; 2/441 and Ibn Al-Atheer in Al-Bidayah Wal-Nihayah.

'Ahlul Bayt (AS) did Matam on Imam Husain (AS) as we read in Ziyarat Al-Naahiyah Al-Moqaddasa narrated from Imam Al-Mahdi (AS). لاطمات الصور

Wassalam.

135679

Matam . Flagellation

Why is Zanjeer considered forbidden but regular Matam is allowed when slapping yourself hard on your chest can also cause hurt? At what point or in what shape, if any, could Matam by hand be considered disallowed?

Our great Fuqahaa' who are the very high in Fiqh (Jurisprudence) do not issue any verdict of Haraam (not allowed) unless they have concrete evidence against it in Quran and Sunnah of the Ma'soomeen. There are many ways to express sadness and grief of the tragedies of Ahlul Bayt (AS) including beating the chest which called (Matam) in some countries and beating the back with chains which is called Zanjeer in some countries. Both are permissible to express the noble feeling of sadness and grief on Ahlul Bayt (AS). Having said that, we are not allowed to cause dangerous harm to ourselves which means that we must keep the limits of our mourning practices away from causing dangerous harm to ourselves.

Wassalam.

134810

Matam . Sunni-Shi'a

How do I answer a Sunni brother regarding Matam where he asked if there was any narration of Imam Hussain AS beating his chest on the martyrdom of Imam Ali AS? When did the practice of ritual chest beating start?

Beating the chest is an expression of sadness and grief used by human beings in many societies including Muslims. Ayisha daughter of Abu Bakr did the same when her father died as you can see in Sunni books e.g. Fat-h al-Baari bishar-h Saheeh al-Bukhari by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, V.6, P. 225.

Muslims did beat their chests on the demise of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) including Aiysha and other Muslim women as she said herself.( Musnad Abi Ya'la al-Mousili , V.8, P. 63.),

Same was done by those who love Ameerul Mo'minnen and other Infallible Imams on their demises. Those who do not have real love for Ahlul Bayt (AS) do not feel sad for the tragedies of Ahlul Bayt (AS) hence do not understand why lovers of Ahlul Bayt (AS) do that. It is in fact an expression of noble feeling of sadness and grief for the tragedies of the Prophet (SAWA) and his Holy Progeny Ahlul Bayt (AS).

We can not help those who do have such feeling for the Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS).

Wassalam.

132299

Matam

What are the reasons that the mourners for Imam Husayn (a) do Matam and beat their chests?

Beating the chest is a way to express grief and sadness among millions of human beings in different parts of the world. A'ysha daughter of Abu Bakr did beat her chest when her father died. (Fath Al-Baari Fi Sharh Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Hadeeth 2420).

Lovers of Ahlul Bayt (AS) love Imam Husain (AS) more than their love to their own families and children, and feel very sad when they remember the tragedies which took place in Karbala and other places. That is why they beat their chest to express their noble feelings of sadness on Imam Husain (AS).

Islam gives everyone his full right to express his feelings in the way suitable to him as far as it does not include a sinful act. No one can drink alcohol to express his sadness on any matter because it is a sinful to drink alcohol. Beating chest is never a sinful, and it becomes a noble act when it is to express noble feelings for the Most Noble persons who are Ahlul Bayt (AS).

Wassalam.

122924

Matam

How can I prove that Matam is not self harm to people from who might suggest so?

My view is that this is a difficult debate to win. Usually, for Shi'i-Sunni issues, there is an attempt to "prove" that certain practices are or are not acceptable according to certain standards (such as certain texts). (The same is true if one is discussing between Shi'is and people who are not Muslims, or between Shi'is.) However, most people have their own preconceived ideas about what is acceptable.

Rather than taking this approach, in my view, it is better to promote a spirit of diversity and tolerance - an acceptance that different Muslims have different practices and ways that they live their faith, and this is one of them. That is, encouraging mutual respect for differences rather than trying to argue it theoretically. In general, I feel that these arguments come up due to a lack of tolerance in some streams of contemporary Muslim thought, and that lack of tolerance of diversity is our real problem, which manifests in different ways.

Other people think differently and consider it to be very important to argue these things textually and may provide a set of hadith to "prove" that matam is acceptable. You can find those arguments online easily if you search. In my view, they don't do the job wholly, because they are about spontaneous events that happened rather than an institutionalized, regular ritual practice, but nonetheless they can be useful in defusing tension if an appeal to tolerance and respect doesn't work.

59071

Mourning . Muharram . Ahl al-Bayt . Matam

Can I still be considered a true follower of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt if I choose not to partake in Matam or other activities displaying public mourning during Muharram?

The main point is that you believe and feel grief for Imam Husain (AS). It is a condition for every believer to love the Prophet (SAWA) and his Holy Progeny Ahlul Bayt (AS) more than loving himself and his own family.

The way how to express this noble feeling of grief and sadness depends on you and your culture but it must be within the frame of Islamic rules

You were brought up in USA, so you may not be familiar with the Matam practiced by your brothers in faith who came from the Indian sub continent or other countries. You wrote that you felt wrong on seeing them. This feeling does not make you away from following Ahlul Bayt (AS) as far as you believe in Ahlul Bayt (AS) being the Most pious leaders of Islam after the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and you feel grief for their tragedies.

Islam as the religion for all human beings, gives all of them the choice to express their feelings according to their own different cultures and ways as far as it remains in the frame of Shariah.

Wassalam.