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Aashoorah:
Celebration or Mourning ?
Question:
What is the ruling on those actions performed on the day of Aashoorah, such as
wearing kohl, taking a bath (ghusl), using henna, shaking hands with one
another, cooking grains (huboob), showing happiness and so on…? Has any
saheeh hadeeth to that effect been narrated from the Prophet (sallallahu
alaihe wa-sallam)? If there is no saheeh hadeeth to that effect, does doing
these things constitute bid'ah (innovation)? What about the things that the
other people do, such as mourning, grieving, going without anything to drink,
eulogizing, wailing, rending their garments, etc.? Is there any basis for
these actions?
Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (rahimahullah) was asked these questions and he replied
saying:
All
Praise is to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Nothing to that effect has been
reported in any Saheeh Hadeeth from the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)
or from his Companions (radhi allahu anhu). None of the Imaams of the Muslims
encouraged or recommended such things, neither the four Imaams, nor any
others. No reliable scholars have narrated anything like this, neither from
the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), nor from the Sahabah (radhi allahu
anhu), nor from the Taabi'een; neither in any saheeh report nor in a da'eef
(weak) report; neither in the books of Saheeh, Sunan, nor in the Musnads.
No
hadeeth of this nature was known during the best centuries, but some of the
later narrators reported ahaadeeth like the one which says “Whoever puts
kohl in his eyes on the day of Aashoorah will not suffer from eye disease in
that year, and whoever takes a bath (does ghusl) on the day of 'Aashoorah'
will not get sick in that year, etc.” They also narrated reports concerning
the supposed virtues of praying on the day of Aashoorah and other reports
saying that on the day of 'Aashooraa' Adam (alaihi as-salaam) repented, the
Ark settled on Mount Joodi, Yoosuf (alaihi as-salaam) returned to Ya'qoob
(alaihi as-salaam), Ibraaheem (alaihi as-salaam) was saved from the fire, the
ram was provided for sacrifice instead of Ismaa'eel (alaihi as-salaam), and so
on. They also reported a fabricated ahadeeth that is falsely attributed to the
Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), which says: “Whoever is generous to
his family on the day of Aashoorah, Allah will be generous to him for the rest
of the year.”
(Then
Ibn Taymiyah discussed the two misguided groups who were in Koofah, Iraq, both
of whom took Aashoorah as a festival because of their bid'ah)
The
Raafidhi group made an outward show of allegiance to the Ahl al-Bayt although
inwardly they were either heretics and disbelievers or ignorant and bound by
whims and desires. The Naasibi group hated 'Ali (radhi allahu anhu) and his
companions, because of the troubles and killings that had occurred. It is
reported in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet of Allah
(sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said:
“In
(the tribe of) Thaqeef there will be a liar and an oppressor.” [Saheeh
Muslim]
The
liar was al-Mukhtaar ibn Abi 'Ubayd al-Thaqafi, who made an outward show of
allegiance to and support of the Ahl al-Bayt, and killed 'Ubayd-Allah ibn
Ziyaad, the governor of Iraq, who had equipped the party that killed al-Husayn
ibn 'Ali (radhi allahu anhu); then he (al-Mukhtaar) made it clear that he was
a liar, by claiming to be a prophet and that Jibreel (alaihi as-salaam)
brought revelation to him. People told Ibn Umar (radhi allahu anhu) and Ibn
'Abbas (radhi allahu anhu) about this, and said to one of them: “al-Mukhtaar
ibn Abi 'Ubayd is claiming to receive revelation.” He said: “He is telling
the truth, for Allah says:
“Shall
I inform you (O people) upon whom the shayaateen (devils) descend? They
descend upon every lying, sinful person.”
[Soorah ash-Shoorah (26): 221]
They
said to the other: “Al-Mukhtaar is claiming that he receives inspiration.”
He said, “He is telling the truth: “And
certainly, the Shayaateen (devils) do inspire their friends (from mankind) to
dispute with you.”
[Soorah al-An'am (6): 121]
As
for the oppressor, this was al-Hajjaaj ibn Yoosuf al-Thaqafi, who was opposed
to 'Ali (radhi allahu anhu) and his companions. Al-Hajjaaj was a Naasibi and
al-Mukhtaar was a Raafidhi, and this Raafidhi was a greater liar and more
guilty of fabrication and heresy, because he claimed to be a prophet…
There
was much trouble and fighting between these two groups in Kufa. When al-Husayn
ibn ‘Ali was killed on the day of Aashoorah, he was killed by the sinful,
wrongdoing group. Allah honored al-Husayn with martyrdom, as He honored other
members of his family, and raised his status, as He honored Hamzah, Ja'far,
his father Ali and others.
Al-Husayn
and his brother al-Hasan are the leaders of the youth of Paradise. High status
can only be attained through suffering as the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe
wa-sallam) said, when he was asked which people suffer the most: “The
Prophets, then righteous people, then the next best and the next best. A man
will suffer according to his level of faith. If his faith is solid, he will
suffer more, but if his faith is shaky, he will suffer less. The believer will
keep on suffering until he walks on the earth with no sin.”
[Tirmidhee and others]
Al-Hasan and al-Husayn
achieved the high status by the help and decree of Allah. They did not suffer
as much as their forefathers had, for they were born and raised during the
glory days of Islam, and the Muslims respected and honored them. The Prophet
(sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) died when they were still young, and Allah
blessed them by testing them in such a manner that they would be able to catch
up with the rest of their family members, as those who were of a higher status
than them were also tested. Ali ibn Abi Taalib (radhi allahu anhu) was better
than them, and he was killed as a shaheed (martyr).
The
killing of al-Husayn was one of the things that caused fitnah (tribulation)
among the people, as was the killing of Uthmaan (radhi allahu anhu), which was
one of the greatest causes of fitnah, because of which the ummah is still
split today. Thus, the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “There
are three things, whoever is saved from them is truly saved: my death, the
killing of a patient khaleefah, and the Dajjaal ('antichrist').”
Then, Shaykh al-Islam
(rahimahullah) mentioned a little about the biography of al-Hasan and his just
character and he said: ‘Then he died, and Allah was pleased with him and
honored him. Some groups wrote to al-Husayn and promised to support and help
him if he went ahead and declared himself khaleefah, but they were not
sincere. When al-Husayn sent his cousin [son of his paternal uncle] to them,
they broke their word and gave help to the one they had promised to defend him
against, and fought with him against [al-Husayn’s cousin]. Those who were
wise and who loved al-Husayn, such as Ibn 'Abbaas (radhi allahu anhu) and Ibn
Umar (radhi allahu anhu) and others, advised him not to go to them, and not to
accept any promises from them. They thought that his going to them served no
useful interest and that the consequences would not be good.
Things turned out just as
they said, and this is how Allah decreed it would happen. When al-Husayn went
out and saw that things were not as he had expected, he asked them to let him
go back, or to let him join the army that was defending the borders of Islam,
or join his cousin Yazeed, but they would not let him do any of these things
unless he gave himself up to them as a prisoner. So he fought with them, and
they killed him and some of those who were with him, and he was wrongfully
slain so he died as a shaheed whose martyrdom brought him honor from Allah,
and thus he was reunited with the good and pure members of his family. His
murder brought shame on those who had wrongfully killed him, and caused much
mischief among the people.
An ignorant, wrongful
group who were either heretics and hypocrites, or misguided and misled made a
show of allegiance to him and the members of his household, so they took the
day of Aashoorah as a day of mourning and wailing, in which they openly
displayed the rituals of jaahiliyyah such as slapping their cheeks and rending
their garments, grieving in the manner of the jaahiliyyah.
But
what Allah has commanded us to do when disaster strikes? One is to bear
with patience and fortitude when disaster strikes, seek reward, and
remember that all things come from Allah and we must return to Him:
“…
but give glad tidings to al-saabiroon (the patient ones), who, when afflicted
with calamity, say: 'Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall
return.' They are those on whom are al-salawaat
(the blessings) (i.e., who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their
Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who
are the guided ones.” [Soorah al-Baqarah 2:155-157]
It
is reported in al-Saheeh that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “He
is not one of us who strikes his cheeks, rends his garments and prays with the
prayer of Jaahiliyyah.”
And
he (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “I have nothing to do with those
who strike [their cheeks], shave [their heads] and rend [their garments].”
“If
the woman who wails does not repent before she dies, she will be raised up on
the Day of Resurrection wearing trousers made of tar and a shirt of scabs.”
In al-Musnad, it is
reported from Faatimah bint al-Husayn, from her father al-Husayn, that the
Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said:
“There
is no man who suffers a calamity, and when he remembers it, even if it is old,
he says 'Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon (Truly, to Allah we
belong and truly, to Him we shall return),'
Allah will give a reward equal to the reward He gave him on the day he
suffered the calamity.”
This
is how Allah honors the believers. If the disaster suffered by al-Husayn, and
other disasters, are mentioned after all this time, we should say “Innaa
Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon” - Truly, to Allah we belong and
truly, to Him we shall return- as Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alaihe
wa-sallam) commanded, so as to be given the reward like that earned on the day
of the disaster itself. If Allah commanded us to be patient and steadfast and
to seek reward at the time of the disaster, then how about after the passing
of time?
The
Shaytaan made this attractive to those who are misled, so they took the day of
Aashoorah as an occasion of mourning, when they grieve and wail, recite poems
of grief and tell stories filled with lies. Whatever truth there may be in
these stories, serves no purpose other than the renewal of their grief and
sectarian feeling, and the stirring up of hatred and hostility among the
Muslims, which they do by cursing those who came before them, and telling many
lies, and causing much trouble in the world.
The
various sects of Islam have never known any group tell more lies or cause more
trouble or help the kuffaar against the Muslims more than this misguided and
evil group. They are even worse than the Khawaarij who went beyond the pale of
Islam. They are the ones of whom the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)
said:
“They
will kill the people of Islam and will leave alone the people who worship
idols.”
This group cooperated
with the Jews, Christians and mushrikeen against the members of the Prophet's
household and his believing ummah. The evil and harm that they do to the
Muslims cannot be enumerated by any man, no matter how eloquent he is.
Some
others either Naasibis who oppose and have enmity towards al-Husayn and his
family or ignorant people who try to fight evil with evil, corruption with
corruption, lies with lies and bid'ah with bid'ah opposed them by fabricating
reports in favor of making the day of Aashoorah a day of celebration, by
wearing kohl and henna, spending money on one's children, cooking special
dishes and other things that are done on Eids and special occasions. These
people took the day of Aashoorah as a festival like Eid, whereas the others
took it as a day of mourning. Both are wrong, and both go against the Sunnah,
even though the other group (the Rafidis) are worse in intention and more
ignorant and more plainly wrong…
But
Allah commands us to be just and to treat others well. Prophet (sallallahu
alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Those of you who live after my death will see
many disputes. I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the sunnah of my
rightly-guided successors (al-khulafa' al-raashidoon) who come after me. Hold
onto it as if biting it with your teeth. Beware of newly-innovated matters,
for every innovation is a going astray.”
Neither the Prophet
(sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), nor his rightly guided successors did any of
these things on the day of Aashoorah, they neither made it a day of mourning
nor a day of celebration.
But
“when the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) came to Madeenah, he saw the
Jews fasting on the day of Aashoorah. He said, “What is this?” They
said, 'This is the day when Allah saved Moosa from drowning, so we fast on
this day.' He said: “We have more right to Moosa (alaihi as-salaam) than
you.” [Saheeh Bukharee]
So
he fasted on that day and commanded [the Muslims] to fast on that day. He
(sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) did not tell ordinary Muslims to fast on
Aashoorah, but he used to say: “This is the day of Aashoorah; I am fasting
on this day and whoever wishes to fast on this day may fast.”
And
he (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “Fasting on Aashoorah expiates for
the sins of one year and fasting on the day of 'Arafaah expiates for the sins
of two years.”
When,
towards the end of his life, the Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) heard
that the Jews took the day of Aashoorah as a festival, he said:
“If
I live until next year, I will certainly fast on the ninth”
to be different from the Jews, and not to resemble them in taking the
day as a festival.
As for the other things,
such as cooking special dishes with or without grains, or wearing new clothes,
or spending money on one's family, or buying the year's supplies on that day,
or doing special acts of worship such as special prayers or deliberately
slaughtering an animal on that day, or saving some of the meat of the
sacrifice to cook with grains, or wearing kohl and henna, or taking a bath
(ghusl), or shaking hands with one another, or visiting one another, or
visiting the mosques and mashhads (shrines) and so on… all of this is
reprehensible bid'ah and is wrong. None of it has anything to do with the
Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) or the way of
the Khulafa' al-Raashidoon.
It
was not approved of by any of the imaams of the Muslims, not Maalik, not
al-Thawri, not al-Layth ibn Sa'd, not Abu Haneefah, not al-Awzaa'i, not
al-Shaafa'i, not Ahmad ibn Hanbal, not Ishaaq ibn Raahwayh, not any of the
Imaams and scholars of the Muslims.
The
religion of Islam is based on two principles: that we should worship nothing
besides Allah Alone, and that we should worship Him in the manner that He has
prescribed, (i.e: the Qur’aan and the Sunnah of the Messenger ) not by means
of bid'ah or reprehensible innovations. Allah says: “… So whoever hopes
for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none
as a partner in the worship of his Lord.” [Soorah al-Kahf (18): 110]
Righteous deeds are those, which are loved by Allah and His Messenger
(sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam), those which are prescribed in Islam and in the
Sunnah. Thus, Umar ibn al-Khattaab (radhi allahu anhu) used to say in his
du'aa': “O Allah, make all of my deeds righteous and make them purely for
Your sake, and do not let there be any share for anyone or anything else in
them.”
[The
above is summarized words of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) from
his Book ‘Al-Fataawa al-Kubra’ Part 5 | Courtesy: Islam
Q & A :
Authoritative answers by Sheikh Muhammad al-Munajjid on a range of topics.
English, Arabic or French]
