Muharram-Ashura

The first month of the Islamic calendar is known as Muharram. This is also known as the Muslim calendar and followed by the most Muslim community people to observe the Islamic date, fasting and Hajj date. The warfare is forbidden this month like four other months. During the advent of Islam, the Quraish and Arab also forbade to start warfare continue in these months. New Year starts with the sighting of the moon.

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This month is regarded as the second Holy month after the sacred month of Ramadan. The tenth day of Muharram is known as Ashura. This day is also important for Sunni people because Musa (A) and his followers were saved from Pharaoh. For the Shia Muslims this day is marked as mourning day because the grandson of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), Husayn Ibn Ali was martyred in the battle of Karbala. The Battle of Karbala has created the different segment regarded as Shia and new form of rituals has started with their memories. They have the Shia literature which includes the story in the past memories of the time. They regarded the suffering of Husayn (R) as icon of sacrifice to establish the right against the wrong doer. It is the mourning day for the Shia people around the world. They arranged the public gathering and do the procession. Sometimes beat there chest and the back and shed blood in the mourning of the loss of beloved Husayn (R). The brave Husayn (R) and his companions are regarded as the martyr by the both Sunni and Shia Muslim. On ashura the Shia people follow partial fasting and the Sunni people follow the complete fasting. The Muslim people remember the sacrifice of Husayn (R) and his companion in this day and refrain from joining any joyous events. Some of the people do not eat until the afternoon at the part of the mourning. The Battle of Karbala was started when the crisis arose from the succession ofYazid I. After the succession of Yazid I, he sent the news to Husayn (R) that he should pledge to their allegiance. Husayn(R) understood the matter and said that this is against the teaching of Islam and sunnah of his grandfather Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). Then they moved to Mecca. There is an important book named Ziyarat Ashura, which is read by the Shia people as the part of Ashura. This book is written concerning Husayn (R) the word Ziyarat also refers to the form of application made by the Shia in which send salutations and greetings to great prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his family. There are a limited number of Shia mosque in Bangladesh, they follow their rituals accordance to the memory of Husayn(R). Muharram means the month of remembrance in the word ‘Ashura’ means 10th. This means the 10th day of holy month Muharram.   As Husayn (R) was the granddaughter of our great prophet Hazrat Mohammed (pbuh). Our prophet had many memories with him. But in the battle of Karbala Husayn (R) was killed mercilessly by the enemy groups. Our great prophet was distressed when he heard the news of losing his apple of my eye. The Shia Muslim starts mourning from the first day of the Muharram, remember the sacrifice of Husayn (R) encounter the tenth day of Muharram which is known as the day of Ashura. The last few days are very crucial because from the seven day Husayn (R) and his family members where deprived of the food and water when was in a miserable condition. They became very weak and tired. On the tenth day of Muharram he along with his 72 followers were killed by the Yazid I army following the order of Yazid. The other followers who were not killed was taken into captivation, sold them and was imprisoned. The day of Ashura is observed in many countries of the world such as Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Iraq. Those are mostly Muslim people oriented country. The popular elegies were written by the poets to remember the Battle of Karbala. In different countries of the world Ashura is regarded as the national holiday. Many people participate in the event that is conducted concerning the Asura. In the meantime the people of Kufa requested Husayn(R) to join and help them. In reply he told that he would send his cousin, know the situation and report back to him. If the condition is as favorable that was mentioned, then he would definitely join them in the favor of their support. He was active in case of upholding the justice, establishing the truth and would not step back sacrifice his life in the path of Allah. This is a tragic day in the history of the Islam.  So people observe this day by mourning and respect.

Written by, 

Sakibul Hasan

Information Collected