At Ashura Is shedding blood at ashura haram? Why do the shias shed blood at ashura? Is Matam a sunna or an act of Kufr? Do such acts make one a kaafir? Sunnis usually attack the twelvers by calling them kaafirs, because they perform Matam and shed blood at ashura (zanjeer). The question arises, Is shedding of blood on Ashura allowed. Is this the Sunnah of the Ahl-ul-Bayt at all? The shedding of blood during Muharram for Imam Hussain, peace be upon him, is not only Halal, but it is also very Mustahab indeed, and all PROMINENT scholars and religious authorities - Maraje - always encouraged it throughout the history of Islam. This included the Tatbir or Qamah-Zani - which is the hitting of the head with swords. The Maraje have even decreed that it is acceptable and permissible if one is harmed in this process, provided of course the injuries sustained do not constitute permanent injuries or endanger the life of the individual. The people who practice Tatbir take lead, amongst the teachings of other infallibles, from Zaynab al-Kubra, heroin of Karbala and sister of Imam Hussain peace be upon them. Zaynab peace be upon her was the first person who hit her forehead to a bar inside the carriage she was in, causing considerable bleeding, when the head of al-Hussain (AS) was being paraded in Kufa. This is one evidence that the shedding of blood is permissible; whether from the head or from the back etc. It is a sunna of Hz Zainab Binte Ali. The infallible Imam Zayn-el-Aabidin (AS) used to address Lady Zaynab al-Kubra (AS) by saying to her: You are al-Hamdu-Lillah an untaught scholar - Anti al-Hamdu-Lillah Alimah Ghayr Muallimah This statement is seen by scholars as indicating a degree of infallibility for Lady Zaynab (AS). There are also reports that Imam al-Saadiq (AS) arranged for SHABEEH or enactment about Ali the Junior (Ali al-Asghar the son of Imam Hussain (AS) whose throat was slashed by Harmalah when the imam sought water for him) to recreate the scene of Karbala for the people, and the Imam (AS) does not hold this enactment solely for the Ali al-Asghar but for all the martyrs of Karbala. On another occasion a poet comes to the Imam (AS) and asks permission to recite a poem about al-Hussain (AS). The Imam (AS) said to the poet to wait so that he could set up a Hijaab to that the women could come to the Majlis and listen to the lamentation. When the Hijaab was set up the imam invited the women to come to the Majlis and asked the poet to start reciting, which he did. The imam (AS) stopped him asked him to recite the lamentation in way and dialect, which he does it in their hometown (in Iraq for example). All these indicate that the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) used to teach and proactively encourage their followers to uphold the memory, torment, and the teachings of Imam Hussain by words and poetry, by enactment - SHABEEH - to recreate the scenery of the day of Ashura in Karbala, and by show devotion to Imam Hussain in Tatbir as shown by Zaynab al-Kubra (AS). Last, but not least, al-Imam al-Mahdi (AS) states in his Zeyarat al-Nahiya addressing Imam Hussain (AS): . . . . now that I could not help you when you needed most help . . . I shall mourn you every morning and every evening, AND I SHALL CRY BLOOD FOR YOU INSTEAD OF TEARS . . . Thus to perform matam, shed blood at ashura and to hold majlis-e-aza for Hussain is the sunna of the Ahl-e-Bait. This is not anti-Islamic at all. And this does not increase the sectarian gap. I will like to mention another incident. Did ever Oways Kerni (ra) the famed contemporary of the Holy Prophet (saws) who punched his own teeth out when he heard of the news of the Holy Prophet losing a tooth in jihad ever see Mohammad (saws)? Yet he is acclaimed as a great companion and an exemplar of the teachings of the Holy Prophet (saws). This is nothing but love and respect for the holy prophet Muhammad. Shia perform Matam and zanjeer zunni just out of the love for the prophets ahl-e-bait. The Tazia taken out in the procession is a shabi. This is as stated above, a sunnat of Imam Al-Sadiq. When we respect the Maqam-e-Ibrahim, we are not worshipping a stone or a place, rather cherishing and re-living the memory of Hazrat Ibrahim, whom we love. And we love Hazrat Ibrahim for his love for Allah and because Allah loves him... Therefore, when we trace this line of love, we find that it originates from and ends at the Almighty Creator, the Most Merciful!!!! Similarly, the ziarats in the procession are shabis, as Imam Jaffer-Al-Sadiq did. We re-live the memories of AL-Hussain and his sufferings. This is the love of Shia towards prophets ahl-e-bait. Say (O Muhammad!): I do not ask of you any reward (or fee) for it (my service to you) but love for my near relatives [Quran, 42:23] Imam Zayn al-Abidin wept for his father for twenty years until he breathed his last, and every time he was served food and drink, he wept for Imam Hussain , until on one occasion his servant said to him, Is your sorrow and grief not going to end?, Imam Zayn al-Abidin, replied, Woe unto you! The prophet Jacob had twelve sons, and (when) Allah made one of them disappear, his eyes turned white (i.e. blind) because of his increasing crying for him, his head turned gray because of grief, and his back humped because of sorrow, and all this while his son was alive in the world. Whereas I saw my father, my brother, my uncle, and seventeen members of my family killed around me . . . so how can my grief and sorrow end?
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 21:38:51 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015