Civil Engineering Association

The Day of Ashura (عاشوراء transliteration: ‘Āshūrā’, Ashura, Ashoura, and other spellings) is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram but not the Islamic month.

This day (A'ashura) was an ancient Judaic feast day of celebration and atonement. Now it is well-known because of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). Furthermore Sunni Muslims believe that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberation of Israelites from Egypt. According to Sunni Muslim tradition, Muhammad fasted on this day and asked other people to fast.

The word ashura means simply tenth in Arabic; hence the name of the remembrance, literally translated, means "the tenth day". Islamic scholars, however, give various explanations as to why it is thus called.

Etymology of Ashura

The word Ashura is Arabic for tenth. The day is indeed the tenth day of the month, although some Islamic scholars offer up different etymologies. In his book Ghuniyatut Talibin, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani writes that the Islamic scholars have a difference of opinion as to why this day is known as Ashura. The general consensus is that the day is the tenth day of the month of Muharram. Some scholars, however, suggest that this day is the tenth most important day that God has blessed Muslims with; hence the name Ashura.

Significance of Ashura for Shi'a Muslims

This day is of particular significance to Shi'a Muslims, who consider Hussein (the grandson of the Prophet) Ahl al-Bayt the third Imam and the rightful successor of Muhammad. Many Shi'as make pilgrimages on Ashura to the Mashhad al-Husayn, the shrine in Karbala, Iraq that is traditionally held to be Imam Hussein's tomb. On this day Shi'a are in remembrance, mourning attire is worn; they refrain from music, the reason being naturally in Islam when death has occurred music is considered impolite. It is a time for sorrow and respect of the person’s passing and it is also a time for self reflection. Basically committing yourself to the mourning of the Imam Hussein completely. Weddings and parties are also never planned on this date by Shias. Shias also express mourning by crying and listening to poems about the tragedy. They also listen to sermons on how Hussein and his family were martyred. This is intended to connect them with Hussein's suffering and martyrdom, and the sacrifices he made to keep Islam alive. Hussein's martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi'a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression. Shi'as believe the Battle of Karbala was between the forces of good and evil. Imam Hussain represented good while Yazid represented evil. Shi'as also believe the Battle of Karbala was fought to keep the Muslim religion untainted of any corruptions and they believed the path that Yazid was directing Islam was definitely for his own personal greed.

Shia refrain from drinking and eating in commemoration of Imam Hussein. This is known as Fakah, which is not a formal fast.

Many of the events associated with Ashura are held in special congregation halls known as "Imambargah" and Hussainia.
As suffering and cutting the body with knives or chains (matam) have been prohibited by many Shi'a marjas like Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, some Shi'a observe mourning with blood donation which is called "Qame Zani" and flailing.

Certain rituals like the traditional flagellation ritual called zanjeer zani or zanjeer matam, involving the use of a zanjeer (a chain) are also performed. These are popularly done for the sake of Imam Hussain and his family.

Most Muslims, particularly Sunnis, believe that the Shia practice of mätam constitutes “Bidat” (innovation) and goes against the Quran and Islam.

Commemoration of the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali

This day is well-known because of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali the grandson of Muhammad, along with 72 members of his family and close friends at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). Yazid I was in power then and wanted the Bay'ah (allegiance) of Husayn ibn Ali. Yazid was openly going against the teachings of Islam in public and changing the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.

It is reputed that Mahatma Gandhi said: "I learned from Hussein, how to be wronged and yet emerge a winner."

It appeared at that time that like hundreds of similar events, this battle would be recorded in history and forgotten in time. However, the events that occurred on the 10th day of Muharram in Kerbala were to become a beacon and an inspiration for future generations.

History

Commemoration for Husayn ibn Ali began after Battle of Karbala. According to Tabari

Zaynab quoted as she passed the prostrate body of her brother, Husayn. " O Muhammad! O Muhammad! May the angels of heaven bless you. Here is Husayn in the open, stained with blood and with limbs torn off. O Muhammad! Your daughters are prisoners, your progeny are killed, and the east wind blows dust over them." By God! She made every enemy and friend weep.

Then Zaynab made people of Kufa and Demasque weep. Husayn's descendants weeping every year for him and their Shi'a did so. When Buwayhids conquered Baghdad, 'Imad al-Daula announced Ashura as a holiday and made people mourn for Husayn. Gradually it became a custom in eastern Muslim territory and even Sunnis participated in it.

Popular customs

Commemoration of Ashura is not a festival, but rather a sad event for both Shi'a and Sunni Muslims -- and for Shi'as a period of intense grief and mourning. Mourners, both male and female, congregate together usually at a Mosque for sorrowful, poetic recitations such as marsiya, noha, latmiya and soaz performed in memory of the martyrdom of Hussein, lamenting and grieving to the tune of beating drums and chants of "Ya Hussain." Also Ulamas give sermons with themes of Hussein's personality and position in Islam, and the history of his uprising. The Sheikh of the mosque retells the Battle of Karbala to allow the listeners to relive the pain and sorrow endured by Hussein and his family. In Arab countries like Iraq and Lebanon they read Maqtal Al-Husayn. In some places, such as Iran, Iraq and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Ta'zieh, passion plays, are also performed reenacting the Battle of Karbala and the suffering and martyrdom of Hussein at the hands of Yazid.

Many of the male (and female) participants congregate together in public for ceremonial chest beating (matham/latmiya) as a display of their devotion to Husayn and in remembrance of his suffering. Women pay tribute to the time period by holding a Majilis, Surahs from the Quran and Maqtal Al-Husayn are read.

Today in Indonesia, the event is known as Tabuik (Minangkabau language) or Tabut (Indonesian). Tabuik is the local manifestation of the Shi'a Muslim Remembrance of Muharram among the Minangkabau people in the coastal regions of West Sumatra, particularly in the city of Pariaman. The festival includes reenactments of the Battle of Karbala, and the playing of tassa and dhol drums.

Sunni Muslim Viewpoint of Hussein ibn Ali

Hussein, according to Sunni tradition, is a historical personality who attained martyrdom in this special historical event. Accordingly, Sunnis deal with the tragedy of Karbala by investigating the historical causes that led to the martyrdom of Al-Hussein and his companions. Sunnis may at times differ in estimating its causes and results, what is right and what is wrong about it, but never ignore Hussein's grand religious rank, affirmed by religious texts and his being Muhammad's grandson and coming from Ahl Al-Bayt. Nonetheless viewpoints in the Sunni community vary the reason being is that Sunnis accept the succession of caliphate including that of Ali as the fourth caliph. However, they do not see the remaining family members after Ali as the leaders of Islam. Whereas Shia Muslims follow the family lineage of Muhammad .

Also in some countries Sunnis mourn for Hussein as the Shi'as do. Mourning was already carried out in Iran between the 13th and 15th Centuries, prior to widespread adoption of Shi'ism in that country.

Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali by non-Muslims

In Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica all ethnic and religious communities participate in this event, locally known as "Hosay" or "Hussay", from "Husayn".

Socio-political aspects

Commemoration of Ashura has great socio-political value for the Shi'a, who have been a minority throughout their history. "Al-Amd" asserts that the Shiite transference of Al-Husayn and Karbala ’ from the framework of history to the domain of ideology and everlasting legend reflects their marginal and dissenting status in Arab-Islamic society. Such an ideology helps Shiites maintain and reinforce their collective spirit against the Sunni multitude. According to the prevailing conditions at the time of the commemoration, such reminiscences may become a framework for implicit dissent or explicit protest. It was, for instance, used during the Islamic Revolution of Iran , the Lebanese Civil War, the Lebanese resistance against the Israeli occupation and in the 1990s Uprising in Bahrain. Sometimes the `Ashura’ celebrations associate the memory of Al-Husayn’s martyrdom with the miserable conditions of Muslims in other non-Islamic third-world nations, on the pretense that every nation and era has their own Husayn.

On the other hand some governments have banned this commemoration. In 1930s Reza Shah forbade it in Iran. The regime of Saddam Hussein saw this as a potential threat and banned Ashura commemorations for many years. In the 1884 Hosay Massacre, 22 people were killed in Trinidad and Tobago when civilians attempted to carry out the Ashura rites, locally known as Hosay, in defiance of the British colonial authorities.

Violence during Ashura

The Sunni and Shi'a schism is highlighted by the difference in observance by Sunni and Shi'a Muslims. The violence is perpetrated by Sunni and Shia extremists. In countries that have significant populations of both sects, there is often violence during the holiday.

The 2004 (1425 AH) Shi'a pilgrimage to Karbala, the first since Saddam Hussein was removed from power in Iraq, was marred by bomb attacks, which killed and wounded hundreds despite tight security.

Ashura in the Gregorian calendar

While Ashura is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year due to differences between the two calendars, since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. Furthermore, the method used to determine when each Islamic month begins varies from country to country.

• 2003: March 13
• 2004: March 2
• 2005: February 19
• 2006: February 9
• 2007: January 29
• 2008: January 19
• 2009: January 7 and December 27
• 2010: December 16

Future dates listed above are only estimates.