Why the Month of Muharram Is Considered Sacred

ABOOBAKAR THWAHIR
Muslims begin their lunar Hijrah calendar with the month of Muharram, one of the four months sanctified by Allah.

The other three are Dul-Qa’d, Dul-Hajj and Rajab. The speci-fic mention of these four months however does not in any way undermine the importance of other months.

The Prophet has said that the best fast after the fast of Ramadan is during the month of Muharram. Though fasting is not obligatory during Muharram, those who do fast will be rewarded by Allah. The tenth day of Muharram is ‘Ashurah’. The Jews of Madinah used to fast on this day, the day on which Prophet Moses and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously. So the Holy Prophet directed the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashurah.

In the beginning, fasting on this day was obligatory but later, the fasts of Ramadan were made obligatory and the fast on the day of Ashurah was made optional.

There are some legends and misconceptions with regard to Ashurah: That this is the day on which Adam was created; when Ibrahim was born; when Allah accepted the repentance of Adam; when doomsday will take place; that whoever takes bath on the day of Ashurah will never get ill…

Some others attribute the sanctity of Ashurah to the martyrdom of Husain during his battle with the Syrian army. No doubt, the martyrdom is a tra-gic episode…

Yet, the sanctity of Ashurah cannot be ascribed to this event for the simple reason that the sanctity of Muharram and the day of Ashurah was established during the days of the Holy Prophet, much before the birth of Husain.

In fact, it is one of the merits of Husain that his martyrdom took place on this day. Another misconception is that it is an inauspicious month since Husain was killed during Muharram. Hence people avoid conducting marriages during this period.

This is baseless. If the death of an eminent person on a particular day renders that day unlucky for all times to come, no day of the year would be free from bad luck. The Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet have liberated us from such superstitious beliefs.

Lamentations, breast-beating and mourning in memory of Husain’s martyrdom are not sanctioned by Islam. Though such martyrdoms are tragic, the Holy Prophet has forbidden holding mourning ceremonies on the death of any person.

People of jahiliyyah (ignorance) used to mourn over their deceased through loud lamentations, by tearing their clothes and by beating their cheeks and chests.

The Holy Prophet stopped the Muslims from doing all this and directed them to observe patience by saying “Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon”. A number of authentic Ahaadith are available on the subject.

To quote one of them: “He is not from our group who slaps his cheeks, tears his clothes and cries in the manner of the people of jahiliyyah” (Sahih Bukhari).

Even Husain, shortly before his demise, had advised his beloved sister Zainab, not to mourn over his death in this manner.

He said, “My dear sister! I swear upon you that in case I die you shall not tear your clothes, nor scratch your face, nor curse anyone for me or pray for your death” (Al-Kamil, ibn Kathir, Vol 4, pg 24).