Muharram is the first month of the Hijri Calendar. It is a month of great reward and virtue. The word Muharram means Forbidden. It is one of the four months which have been mentioned as sacred in the Holy Quran. The sins committed during the holy month of Muharram is more serious and good deeds bring humongous rewards.
"Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve (in a year): It was so ordained, by Allaah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein..." [al-Tawbah 9:36]
What are forbidden during Muharram?
Muharram is considered as a sacred month. So any bad deeds committed during the month of Muharram are considered worse than bad deeds committed in any other month. Qutaadah said, "Wrongdoing during the sacred months is more serious and more sinful that wrongdoing at any other time. Wrongdoing at any time is a serious matter, but Allah gives more weight to whichever of His commands He wants..."
[We must give more attention to the fast and fast as much as we can during the month of Muharram. Fasting is strictly observed on Ashura. We must be generous in doing good deeds and careful in not doing bad deeds. We must not cook special meals during the month of Muharram especially on the 9th and 10th day of Muharram. If someone invites us over for a feast, we must avoid the feast altogether]
What is loved by Allah during Muharram?
Ibn Abbaas said that the good deeds during the month of Muharram brings greater reward. One should pay special attention to the fasting. Fasting within the first third of Muharram is highly regarded as, especially on the day of Ashura. Prayers along with fasting on 9th and 10th days of Muharram are considered sacred. Giving charitable donations and reaching out to the poor is highly rewarded by Allah.
While breaking the fast it is recommended to break it with many people and feeding the fasting people. Reading the biography of Imam Husayn bin Ali (SA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SAAS), is also recommended to be done during the month of sacredness.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
"The best of fasts besides the month of Ramadhan is the fasting of Allah's month of Muharram." (Muslim)
Although the month of Muharram is a sacred month as a whole, the 10th day of Muharram, Ashura is the most sacred among all its days. It is one of the most important and blessed days of Allah in the Hijri calendar.
When the Holy Prophet Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam migrated to Madinah, he found that the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. They said that it was on this day that the Holy Prophet Moosa Alayhis Salaam and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously, and the Pharaoh was drowned in its water. On hearing this from the Jews, the Holy Prophet Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said,
"We are more closely related to Moosa than you."
So the Prophet Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam directed the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashura. It is advisable that the fast of Ashura should either be preceded or succeeded by an additional day of fast. If a Muslim wishes to relieve himself from minor sins of the previous year then he must consider fasting on the day of Ashura.
Martyrdom Of Imam Husayn
Imam Husayn, was the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah Zahra. Ali ibn Abi Talib was the fourth Rashidun Caliph of Sunni Islam, and the first Imam of Shia Islam. Fatimah Zahra was the daughter of Muhammad. Husayn is an important figure in Islam. He was born on 8 January 626 CE and along with his brother Hasan, he was the last descendants of Prophet Muhammad living during his lifetime, and after his death. Muhammad loved them both and declared them as his Ahl al-Bayt.
Imam Husayn is regarded greatly by the Muslims because he refused his allegiance to YazidI. He left Medina with his family and Hasan's because he considered the Ummayud Rule as unjust and tyrant. His views of Ummayud Rule opposing the integrity of Islam led people of Kufa to believe in him. They invited him to Kufa to establish his caliphate as they had no Imam. Abdullah ibn Umar and Abdullah ibn Abbas opposed his ideas and urged him that if he were to proceed to Kufa, he would have to leave the women and children behind in Mecca.
On his way to Kufa, his caravan was stopped by Yazid I's army at Karbala. In the historic Battle of Karbala, Husayn was beheaded in 680 (61 AH) by Shimr Ibn Thil-Jawshan. His memory is honored annually on the 10th day of the month of Muharram and is known as Ashura. It is a day of mourning for Shia Muslims. They define the day to be one of sorrow and preserve it by refraining from music, listening to sorrowful poetic recitations, wearing mourning attire, Furthermore, joyous events, namely weddings, are avoided on the day in order to avoid any distractions them from the sorrowful remembrance of that day.
Edited by caffeineaddict. - 9 years ago
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