Muharram has the great honor of being the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four months which Allah has made sacred and holy from the time he created the heavens and the earth. The Holy Quran points to this and says: “Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months, so was it ordained by Allah 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”. (Tawbah) While explaining the four months that are very sacred and holy to Allah, the Prophet (SAW) said: “The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhul Qaada, Dhul Hijja and Muharram and Rajab which comes between Juma’dal Ukhra and Sha’ban”. (Bukhari).
To indicate the sanctity of this month, Allah says in the Holy Quran: “So wrong not yourselves therein” which means that the believers are warned about committing sins in this month since sins committed in this month are worse than in other months. The Prophet (SAW) also mentioned that the best month for observing fast after Ramadhan is that of Muharram. In this regard, he said: “The most virtuous fast after the month of Ramadhan is (fasting in) the month of Allah, Al Muharram”. (Muslim) It this tradition, the Prophet (SAW) indicated to the greatness and virtue of the blessed month of Muharram by saying that it is the most virtuous month to observe fasting after the month of Ramadhan. The real story behind the mourning of Muharram is a very tragic one.
The mourning period starts on the 1st day of Muharram and lasts for ten days until the martyrdom day of Imam Hussain (AS). Shia Muslims mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) on Ashura, Sunni Muslims hold a fast following Muhammad (SAW) as Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has said that fasting on the day of Ashura will kill away all the sins of the previous year. During Muharram Muslims must pay attention to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) regarding the virtues of the month of Muharram and Ashoora.
On the 10th day of Muharram, also called Ashura, in the 61st year of the Islamic calendar, the fierce battle of Karbala took place. The battle was fought between a small group of supporters and relatives of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussain (AS), and a much larger military of Yazid, the Umayyad caliph. Imam Hussain’s humble army comprised of only his friends and family, including women and young children. But they were surrounded by a heavily armed enemy army of thousands. They captured Hussain (AS) and his group and deprived them of water and food in the desert heat for three successive days. The cruel soldiers brutally martyred Hussain (AS) and his six year old son and took the women with them as captives. It is a very emotional story and Muslims honour the sacrifice of the innocent lives in the month of Muharram. Muslims respect their sacrifice and pray in abundance as well as refrain from all joyous events. The mourning period starts on the 1st day of Muharram and lasts for ten days until the martyrdom day of Imam Hussain (AS). Shia Muslims mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) on Ashura, Sunni Muslims hold a fast following Muhammad (SAW) as Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has said that fasting on the day of Ashura will kill away all the sins of the previous year. During Muharram Muslims must pay attention to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) regarding the virtues of the month of Muharram and Ashoora.
Courtesy : Dr. Firdous Ahmad Reshi