Significance of Muharram

The first night of the month of Muharram is the Muslim’s new year’s night. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic year. The first day of Muharram is the first day of the Muslims’ new year, that is, of the Hijrî year (A.H.). Disbelievers celebrate Christmas on the first night of January, which is their new year’s day. They commit the actions of disbelief commanded by the Christian religion. They worship on that night. And Muslims, too, on their new year’s night and day, congratulate one another by exchanging letters (or by calling one another). They visit one another, give presents to one another. They celebrate the New Year with magazines and newspapers. They send their prayers so that the New Year will be beneficial and prosperous for them and for all Muslims. They visit their parents and the savants at their homes and get their benedictions. On that day, they put on new dresses as if it were a day of ’Iyd. They give alms to the poor.

The tenth night of Muharram month is Ashûra Night and the following day is Ashûra Day. Muharram is one of the four months esteemed in the Qur’ân. Ashûra is the most valuable night of the month. Allâhu ta’âlâ has accepted many prayers on Ashûra Day. Acceptance of Hadrat Adam’s repentance; Hadrat Nûh’s (Noah’s) ship’s being rescued from the Flood, Hadrat Yûnus’ getting out of the fish’s stomach; Hadrat Ibrâhîm’s not burning in Nimrod’s fire; Hadrat Idrîs’ being made to ascend to heavens; Hadrat Ya’qûb’s finding his son Yûsuf and healing of the cataract on his eyes; Hadrat Yûsuf’s getting out of the well; Hadrat Ayyûb’s recovering health; Hadrat Mûsâ’s (Moses) passing over the Nile and Pharaoh’s being drowned; Hadrat Îsâ’s birth and his escaping from being killed by Jews and his ascent to heaven alive; all these happened on the Ashûra Day.

It is bid’at to mourn and lament because Hadrat Husain ‘radiyallâhu anh’ was martyred on that day. It is sinful. Mourning on Ashûra Day is a custom of the Shî’îs. They mourn for Hadrat Husain. Because he was Hadrat Alî’s son, they praise him adoringly. But we the Ahl as-sunnat love him very much because he was Rasûlullah’s grandson. There is no mourning in Islam. Muslims do not mourn only on Ashûra Day. But they always become sad whenever they remember the tragedy of Kerbelâ. They grieve deeply. They weep bitterly. If there were mourning in Islam, we would have done it not on Ashûra Day but on the day when Rasûlullah’s blessed feet bled all over in Tâif, or when his blessed tooth was broken and his blessed face bled at Uhûd or when he passed away.

Sacred days and nights, like Ashûra Day and the night of Muharram are esteemed by Islam. Having great mercy upon His slaves, Allâhu ta’âlâ has made some days and nights valuable and has declared that He will accept the prayers and istighfârs (ask for forgiveness) done on these nights. He has made these nights opportunities for His slaves to worship much, to pray and ask for forgiveness. We must benefit from these days and nights, perform our omitted prayers of namâz, read the Qur’ân, say prayers and istighfâr, give alms, please Muslims and send the thawâb to the souls of the dead, too. We must respect these days and nights. To respect them means not to commit sins during them.