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The Day of Aashurah, sometimes spelled ‘Ashurah or Aashoorah (Arabic عاشوراء, ʿĀšūrāʾ), falls on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the death of Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of Muhammad and the third Imam of the Shi'as, at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). The word aashurah means simply ten in Arabic; hence the festival's name, literally translated, means "the tenth day".
This day is of particular significance to Shi'a Muslims, who consider Husayn a rightful successor of Muhammad. Many Shi'a make pilgrimages on Aashurah to the Mashhad al-Husayn, the shrine in Karbala, Iraq that is traditionally held to be Husayn's tomb. Some Shi'as also express mourning by beating themselves on the back with chains. This is intended to connect them with Husayn's suffering and death as an aid to salvation on the Day of Judgment. Husayn's martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi'a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression. The regime of Saddam Hussein saw this as a potential threat and banned Aashurah commemorations for many years. In neighboring Iran, the festival became a major political symbol during the Islamic Revolution, as also occurred in Lebanon during that country's civil war.
The 2004 (1425 AH) Shi'a pilgrimage to Karbala, the first since Saddam Hussein was removed from power in Iraq, was marred by bomb attacks, which killed and wounded hundreds despite tight security.
Aashurah is also commemorated by Shia as the traditional date on which Noah's ark came to rest, the Prophet Abraham was born and the Kaaba was built in Mecca. It was also a fast day for the Jews of Medina, in remembrance of their salvation from the Pharaoh of Egypt.
The conventional meaning of Aashurah in the Shariah refers to the 10th of Muharram-ul-Haraam. In his book, Ghuniyatut Taalibeen, Sayyiduna Ghaus-ul-Azam, Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jilani (radi Allahu anhu) writes that the Ulema have a difference of opinion, as to why this day is known as Aashurah. Since the reason has been explained in various ways, the consensus of the majority of the Ulema is that it is known as Aashurah because it is the 10th day of Muharram, while certain Ulema say that from the sacred days that Almighty Allah blessed the Ummat-e-Muhammadi with, this day is the 10th most important day, and it is for this reason that it is known as Aashurah.
See also
External links
- Ashura.com (http://www.ashura.com) – explains the background and significance of the festival
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