Monday 5 December 2011

Myth of Ashura

Tomorrow, 6th December 2011 will be the 10th of Muharrum, Ashura, when Shias and many other Muslims commemorate the Tragedy of Karbala; the sacrifice of Imam Husain (as) - grandson of the Holy Prophet - and his companions to save the religion of Islam which was being butchered by the corrupt ruler Yazid ibn Muawiya - son of Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan. What took place on that day fourteen centuries ago needs to introduction, it was simply the greatest sacrifice by mankind and is rightly remembered across the globe.


However, over the past few years, the message of Imam Husain's (as) mission has been tampered with, by some small but vociferous groups, trying to belittle the message of Karbala and trying to ignore what took place on Ashura. This was epitomised by Dr. Zakir Naik in 2007 when he gave a speech claiming that the tragedy of Karbala was merely a political battle and referred to Yazid as Radiallah tala anho (May Allah be pleased with him).


More and more we hear of various Muslims who promote fasting on this day. It has apparently been recommended by the Holy Prophet because it is a day that celebrates many famous occasions throughout the history of mankind whilst at the same time blatantly ignoring the sacrifice of Imam Husain (as). They want to devalue the significance of Ashura and distract Muslims from the events on that day.


The alleged hadith by the Holy Prophet tells of a time when he met some Jews who were fasting on the 10th of Muharrum. When he asked them why, he was informed that on this day Prophet Musa celebrated escaping from Egypt and the clutches of the Pharaoh. It was also said to be the day when Prophet Ibrahim was saved from the fire that he was thrown in to burn alive and the day when Prophet Adam descended down to earth from the heavens. Upon hearing this the Holy Prophet declared that all Muslims should also fast on this day, and because no-one loved Prophet Musa, Ibrahim and Adam more than him, he recommended that Muslims should fast on the day before and the day after for good measure as well.


Does any of the above make sense? The Holy Prophet, the most important  man on earth, the last of the Prophets of Allah, had to be taught a Jewish tradition that he was unaware of and then decided to make it his own for the Muslims? The hadith has been totally fabricated and has been narrated by the likes of Muawiya ibn Abu Sufyan and Abu Hurairah. Additionally, the Jewish calender does not run in the same pattern as the Islamic calender so the dates should never correspond with each other on a yearly basis. Even if the celebration took place, it would not be on the 10th of Muharrum every year.


Even if you disagree and believe the hadith to be accurate, the fundamental question is do the Jews celebrate the occasion now, will they be fasting tomorrow? The Jews fast on six seperate occasions and none of them celebrate Moses leaving Egypt. So, if the Jew's don't acknowledge such an event, why are some Muslims?


This hadith and the action of fasting has been created simply to belittle the message of Imam Husain (as), an attempt to try to marginalise the events of Karbala. It will never work, the sacrifice of Imam Husain (as) and his companions will live on till the Day of Judgement inshallah. Before I conclude, I attach some pictures of billboards that have been put up across London highlighting the events of Karbala.





9 comments:

  1. JazakAllahu khair for explaining so clearly.

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  2. Wonderful post, masAllah. JazakAllah kayr... I've also read that the narrators of this false hadith actually, when you look at the timeline, narrate the events during impossible times. For example, before even becoming Muslim... How true is this and could you shed some light on this more

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  3. Obviously a Shia perspective

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    1. Really? What would be your perspective then?

      "The Holy Prophet, the most important man on earth, the last of the Prophets of Allah, had to be taught a Jewish tradition that he was unaware of and then decided to make it his own for the Muslims?"

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  4. Shia Authorities and Historians on Who Murdered al-Husayn

    Shia authorities, historians and writers confirm that it was the Shia of Kufah, after deserting al-Husayn, and acting treacherously even though the pledge of allegiance they had given was still around their necks, came to kill him and take his family captive. The following quotes are all from Shia authorities.

    The advice of Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyyah, the brother of al-Husayn, who said to al-Husayn:

    O my brother, you already know the treachery of the people of Kufah towards your father and brother. And I fear that your affair will be the same as that of he who has already passed.” al-Malhoof of Ibn Tawoos (p. 39), Aashooraa of al-Ihsaa’ee (p. 115), al-Majaalis al-Faakhirah of Abd al-Husayn (p. 75), Muntahaa al-Aamaal of Abbaas al-Qummee (1/454).]

    The saying of al-Husaynabout the Shia of Kufah:

    O Allaah, judge between us and between a people who requested us to aid us, but who then killed us. [Muntahaa al-Aamaal of Abbaas al-Qummee (1/535)]

    The Shia writer, Husayn al-Kawraani writes:

    The people of Kufah did not suffice with splitting from al-Imaam al-Husayn, but the result of their changing their colours led to a third position which is that they began to prepare to depart to Karbalah in order to wage war against al-Imaam al-Husayn (alayhis salaam). And in Karbala they would hasten (racing each other) to take up their positions, those which pleased Shaytan and which anger al-Rahmaan (Allaah). For example we find that Amr bin al-Hajjaaj who only yesterday was prominent in Kufah as if he was the guardian of the sanctuary of Ahl al-Bayt, and a defender of them, and the one who led an army to save Haani bin Urwah, went on to stomach (gulped) all of his apparent position(s) in order to accuse al-Imam al-Husayn of exiting from the religion, let us reflect upon the following text: “And Amr bin al-Hajjaaj used to say to his companions, ‘Fight the one who exited from the religion and separated from the jamaa’ah (meaning al-Husayn)…’.” Fee Rihaab al-Karbalaa (pp. 60-61)

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  5. And al-Kawraani also writes:

    And we find another stance indicating the hypocrisy of the people of Kufah, Abd Allaah bin Hawzah al-Tameemi came in front of al-Imaam al-Husayn (alayhis salaam) and shouted, “Is Husayn amongst you?” Yet he was from the people of Kufah and only yesterday was he from the Shia (party) of Alee (alayhis salaam) and it is possible that he was from amongst those who wrote to al-Imaam (al-Husayn) or from the group of Shabath and others who wrote (to al-Husayn from Kufah)… then he (comes and says) “O Husayn, receive glad tidings of the Fire…”! [Fee Rihab al-Karbalaa (p. 61)]

    And another Shia author, Murtadaa Mutahhiree writes, answering the question he asks himself: How did the people of Kufah embark on fighting al-Husayn(alayhis salaam) despite their love of him and their sentimental attachment to him?:

    And the answer is the awe and fear which had taken root upon the people of Kufah in general since the time of Ziyad and Mu’awiyah, and which increased and grew to alarming proportions upon the arrival of Ubayd Allaah [bin Ziyaad] who upon arrival immediately killed Maytham al-Timaar, Rasheed, Muslim and Haani … [al-Malhamah al-Husayniyyah (3/47-48)]

    The Shia, Kaadhim al-Ihsaa’ee al-Najafee says:

    The army that set out to wage war against al-Imaam al-Husayin (alayhis salaam) were 300,000 (in number) all of them were from the people of Kufah. There was not amongst them any Shaamee, Hijaazee, Hindee, Baakistaanee, Sudaanee, Misree, or Afreeqee. Rather, all of them were from the people of Kufah and they had gathered together from many diverse tribes. [Aashooraa (p. 89)]

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  6. The Shia historian, Husayn bin Ahmad al-Baraaqee al-Najafee said:

    Al-Qazweenee said: And from that which for which scorn was shown to the people of Kufah was that they reviled al-Hasan bin Ali (alayhimaa as-salaam), and killed al-Husayn (alayhis salaam) after they themselves had invited him (to be their leader). [Taareekh al-Kufah (p. 113)]

    And the Shia reference point, Aayat Allaah al-Udhmaa Muhsin al-Ameen said:

    Then 20,000 from the people of Iraq who had given the pledge of allegiance to al-Husayn acted treacherously to him, revolted against him whilst their pledge of allegiance was around their necks, and killed him.

    And Jawaad Muhdithee said:

    And Imaam al-Hasan was faced by them with treachery, and Muslim bin Aqeel was killed unjustly whilst in their midst and al-Husayn was killed whilst languishing in Karbala, close to Kufah and at the hands of the army of Kufah.

    Numerous Shia authorities, from their Shaykhs, quote from Ali bin al-Husaynbin Ali bin Abi Taalib (known as Zayn al-Aabideen) that he addressed the Shia who deserted his father and killed him, reviling them, saying:

    O people, we implore you by Allaah, do you know that you wrote to my father and you deceived him and you gave him the pledge, the covenant, and you killed him and deserted him? So may you perish for what you have sent forth for yourselves, and for your evil opinionn. With which eye will you look towards the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam) when he says to you, “You killed my family, and you violated my sanctity, so you are not from me.” [Al-Tabarsee in al-Ihtijaaj (2/32), Ibn Taawoos in al-Malhoof (p. 92), al-Ameen in al-Lawaa'ij al-Ashjaann (p. 158), Abbaas al-Qummee in Muntahaa al-Aamaal (1/572), Husayn Kawrani in Fee Rihaab al-Karbalaa (p. 183), Abd al-Razzaaq al-Muqrim in Maqtal Husayn ((p. 317), Murtadaa Iyaad in Maqtal Husayn (p. 87) and Ridhaa al-Qawzeenee in Tadhlim al-Zahraa (p. 262), Abbaas al-Qummee in Nafs al-Mahmoom (p. 360)]

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  7. And when Ali bin al-HusaynZayn al-Aabideen (rahimahullaah) saw the people of Kufah wailing and crying, he rebuked them, saying:

    You wail and cry for us, so who are the ones who killed us? [Maqtal Husayn of Murtadaa Iyaad (p. 83), Tadhlim al-Zahraa of al-Qazweenee (p. 257) and al-Malhoof of Ibn Taawoos (p. 86), Nafs al-Mahmoom of Abbaas al-Qummee (p. 357)]

    And in another narration that he was passing by them and he was ill and he said in a weak voice:

    Are you wailing and crying for us? Who are the ones who killed us? [Abbaas al-Qummee in Muntahaa al-Aamaal (1/570)]

    And in another narration that he said:

    These people cry over us but who killed us other than them? [Al-Ihtijaaj of al-Tabarsee (2/29)]

    And Shia sources quoted Umm Kulthum bint Ali (radiallaahu anhumaa) as saying:

    O people of Kufah, disgrace upon you. What is with you that you deserted Husayn and killed him and you plundered his wealth and inherited it, and you took his women as captives, and you caused him distress. May you perish and may you be annihilated … what burden have you carried upon your backs and which blood have you shed … you killed the best of men after the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa aalihi) and mercy has been snatched from your hearts. [Nafs al-Mahmoom (p. 262), Maqtal Husayn of al-Muqrim (p. 316), Lawaa'ij al-Ashjaan (p. 157) and others.]

    And the Shia, Asad Haydar quotes from Zaynab bint Ali bin Abi Taalib (radiallaahu anhumaa), which is also mentioned by al-Tabarsee in al-Ihtijaaj(2/29-30):

    أما بعد يا أهل الكوفة، يا أهل الختل والغدر والخذل .. إنما مثلكم كمثل التي نقضت غزلها من بعد قوة أنكاثاً، هل فيكم إلا الصلف والعجب والشنف والكذب .. أتبكون أخي؟! أجل والله فابكوا كثيراً واضحكوا قليلاً فقد ابليتم بعارها .. وانى ترخصون قتل سليل خاتم النبوة
    To proceed, O people of Kufah, O people of deception, treachery and desertion … your example is like she who spins (yarn) only to break it after its strength. Is there anything in you but bragging, amazement, rank hatred and lying … do you cry for my brother?! Yes, by Allaah, cry much and laugh little, for you have been put to trial through its infamy … and how do you consider cheap the killing of the descendant of the Seal of the Prophethood. [Ma'al-Husayn Fee Nahdatihi (p. 295)]

    Muhsin al-Ameen al-Husaynee al-Aaamilee says in his book “Fee Rihaab A’immah Ahl al-Bayt” (1/9):

    Zahar bin Qays, he participated in the [battles] of al-Jamal and Siffeen with Ali (alayhis salaam), and Shabath bin Rub’ee and Shammar bin Dhil-Jawshan al-Diyaabee also witnessed [the battle] of Siffeen with him. Then they waged war against al-Husayn (alayhis salaam) on the day of Karbalaa, so it was an evil end (soo’ al-khaatimah) for them and we seek refuge in Allaah from the evil end.

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  8. And in the book al-Irshaad of the well-known and famous Shia scholar, al-Shaykh al-Mufeed (2/95-96 onwards) mentions those who set out to fight and kill Husayn:

    وأصبح عمر بن سعد في ذلك اليوم وهو يوم الجمعة وقيل يوم السبت، فعبأ أصحابه وخرج فيمن معه من الناس نحو الحسين عليه السلام وكان على ميمنته عمرو بن الحجاج، وعلى ميسرته شمر بن ذي الجوشن، وعلى الخيل عروة بن قيس، وعلى الرجالة شبث بن ربعي، وأعطى الراية دريدا مولاه
    And Umar bin Sa’d arose that morning, and it was the day of Jumu’ah (Friday), and it is said it was Saturday and he mobilized his companions, and then set out with those people who were with him towards the direction of al-Husayn (alayhis salaam), and on his right was Amr bin al-Haaj, and on his left was Shammar bin Dhil-Jawshan, and in charge of the horsemen was Urwah bin Qays and in charge of the infantry was Shabath bin Rub’ee and he gave the flag to Durayd, his mawlaa.

    Then over the next twenty or so pages he gives an account of the fighting, culminating in the killing of al-Husayn(radiallaahu anhu) by Shammar bin Dhil-Jawshan.

    Comments:

    The sayings of Ahl al-Bayt to the Shia of Kufah, “You wail and cry over us, yet you are the ones who killed us“ exposes the fraud, scam and sham that underlies the deen of the Shia which is based upon a ridiculous type of hatred and it is a sign of the lack of intelligence and of simple-mindedness (or otherwise a sign of the deranged maniac-like nature) of those who knowing full well that their own Shia ancestry killed al-Husayn (radiallaahu anhu), harbour the greatest of resentment and hatred towards those who do not share in their simpleton type understanding of history and do not share in their bloodthirsty type of rage, based upon a fake display of anger for the blood of al-Husayn, for they (their Shia ancestors) are the very people who killed al-Husayn after deserting him and being treacherous to him.

    Then this fake wailing, lamenting and crying became one of the bidahs of the Shia to this day of ours. Refer to the book “Man Qatala al-Husayn” by Abd Allaah bin Abd al-Azeez (Cairo) for further information.

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