Muharram is the Islamic month and this marks the beginning of the new year of Islam religion. But in 10th Muharram, Muslims celebrate mourning in memory of Hazrat Imam Hussain. It is believed that Imam Hussain was martyred on the 10th of this month, due to which this day is called Roz-e-Ashura. This is considered to be the most important day of Muharram. On this day, Hussain’s martyrdom is remembered by taking out a procession. There is also a tradition of fasting on the 10th Muharram.
When is Muharram?
This time the month of Muharram is from 01 September to 28 September. But 10th Muharram is the most special. It is believed that Hazrat Imam Hussain gave up his life to protect Islam on the day of 10th Moharram. Although Muharram is the month of the Islamic calendar, people usually give the 10th Moharram the most importance. This time the 10th Moharram is on 10 September.
Why is Muharram celebrated?
According to Islamic beliefs, the blood king named Yazid was an enemy of humanity in Iraq. Yazid considered himself a Khalifa, but he had no faith in Allah. He wanted Hazrat Imam Hussain to join his camp. But Hussain did not approve of it and he declared war against Yazid. Hazrat Imam Hussain, a Nawase of Prophet-e Islam Hazrat Mohammad, was martyred in Karbala along with family and friends. The month Hussain and his family were martyred was the month of Muharram.
The Importance of Muharram
Muharram is a day to celebrate mourning and remember the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain, who protects religion. In the month of Muharram, Muslims mourn and give up their happiness. According to the beliefs, Emperor Yazid persecuted Hussein and his family members to establish his power and killed 10 Muharram with impunity. Hussain’s objective was to eradicate himself and keep Islam and humanity alive. This religion became a permanent record on the pages of war history. Muharram is not a festival but it is the day that symbolizes the victory of religion over unrighteousness.
the battle of Karbala
Currently, Karbala is the main city of Iraq which is 120 km from Radhani Baghdad. After Makkah-Madina, Karbala is the main place for the followers of the Muslim religion. According to the beliefs of Islam, Hazrat Imam Hussain along with his family and companions reached Karbala on 2 Moharram. His convoy also had small children, women and old men. Yazid had stopped watering him for 7 Moharram to force Hussain. 9 On the night of Moharram, Hussain extinguished the lights and said, ‘Yazid’s army is large and he has more weapons than one. It is difficult to escape in such a situation. I allow you to leave here. I do not mind When after some time again the lights were lit, all the companions were sitting there. No one left except Hussain.
On the morning of 10 Muharram, Hussain offered Namaz. Then Yajid’s army made arrows rain. All the companions surrounded Hussein and stood up and he kept doing Namaz. After this, 72 people of Hussain were martyred by the end of the day, including their six-month-old son Ali Asgar and 18-year-old son Ali Akbar. It is said that due to the closure of water from Yazid, the people of Hussain had a bad situation due to thirst. His youngest son Ali Asghar fainted because of thirst. He went to the river with his son. He asked the king’s army for water for the child, which was unheard of. Yazid ordered a man named Hurmal to kill Hussein’s son. On seeing this, he bled the child’s neck with a three-pointed arrow. The little child died right there. After this, Yazid also got Hussein’s neck cut off by a man named Shimura.
In the battle of Karbala, the whole family was martyred except for Hussain’s son, Januel Abedin. Januel Abedin survived because he was ill and could not participate in the war due to this. It was 10th on that day. The 10th day of Muharram month is called Ashura. After this incident, the people of Islam stopped celebrating the new year of the Islamic calendar. Later, the month of Muharram turned into a month of grief and sorrow.
How is Muharram celebrated?
Muharram is not a festival of joy but a month of weeds and tears. People of Shia community remember the martyrdom of Hussain and his family by wearing black clothes on the day of 10 Muharram. Remembering the martyrdom of Hussain, a procession is taken out on the streets and mourning is celebrated. On the 9th and 10th of Muharram, Muslims keep fast and prayers are offered in mosques and houses. At the same time, people of the Sunni community keep fast for 10 days in the month of Muharram. It is said that one day of Muharram is worth 30 days daily.
