Muharram the month of Allah

Muharram( First month of Islamic Calendar)

From an early age, people use different methods to determine the ongoing time and days by keeping track of time through different means like the position of sun and moon, changing temperature, etc. There are almost 40 different types of calendars recently known, the difference in these calendars is mostly religious-based and therefore followed by a different group of people.

What is Muharram?

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar based on lunar Hijri which is followed by different Islamic countries of the world.

The literal Meaning of Muharram is forbidden, unlawful, abiding, and sacred. 

As in this pious month, all the unlawful and haram activities are prohibited and any kind of war is also forbidden.

Muharram has its own importance in Islamic point of view  as in surah al Taubah it is signified by saying:

" Verily the number of months with Allah is twelve, so it was ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred. that is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein".

The last line indicates clearly that Allah alarum Muslims to forbade every act that is haram or wrong to themselves and others.

Prophet(SAW) further explained in one of the hadiths about these four months by saying: "The year is twelve months of which four are sacred; the three consecutive months of Dhull Qadh, Dhul Hajj, and Muharram and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumada and Shaban"

Celebration of this month:

Most Muslims celebrate this month as it is the first month of the new year and also in this month Hazrat Mossa was saved by Allah from the cruelty of Pharoh.

It has also been narrated in many history books that when Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa(SAW) arrived in Madinah, HE(SAW) noticed that jews observe fasting on 10th of Muharram, so when Rasool(SAW) asked about its background they(JEWS)  told that" This is a blessed day, on the day Allah saved the children of Israel from their enemy so Hazrat Moosa fasted on this day to thanks, Allah."

  After this event, Rasool( Saw) also instructed Muslims to observe fasting on this day as Moosa is also near to Muslims.

Mourning in the month of Muharram:

Also on the same day, a majority of Muslims belonging to the Shia sect commemorates this day as on the 10th of Muharram Imam Hussain(AS) got shahadat battling the army of Yazid in Karbala.

Shia Muharram

According to Shia thought, they mourn and grieve on this day by remembering and realizing the oppression through which the whole family and Kabila of Imam Hussain has gone through.

Imam Hussain( A man of his words):

This all started when Imam Hussain(AS) refuses to accept Yazid's evil rules. 

Yazid was from ummayah family and was the second successor after his father Muyawiah, it was in Yazid knowledge that most of the people support Imam Hussain(AS) and want him as their Calipha so Yazid wants Hussain to bayat(an oath of allegiance to an Aamir) on his hand so that most of his supporter would do the same but Hussain(AS) grandson of Prophet Muhammad never accepted to bayat on hand of such a tyrant ruler who will just spread bloodshed and distress among Muslims.

According to Imam Hussain(AS): " I never revolted in vain, as a rebel or as a tyrant but I rose seeking information for the nation of my grandfather Muhammad(SAW). I tend to enjoin good and forbid evil, to act according to the traditions of my grandfather and my father Ali ibn Abi Talib"

Karbala History

On the way to Kufa, Hazrat Imam Hussain was directed towards Karbala by Yazid's army, and for three consecutive days, they refrained from water by the army.

Imam Hussain's (AS) youngest son Ali Ashagr also known as Ali Akbar was just 6 months when he got shahadat in the hand of his father Hussain. He was the youngest of all to get shahadat and his death will never be forgotten.

On 10th of Karbala, most of Imam Hussain companions and supporter got killed by Yazid army and at last, the greatest shahadah of the time got shahadat that is Imam Hussain

Hazrat Zainab(RA):

At last, when the rest of the family members mostly women got captives and brought to Yazid court, Hazrat Zainab the most courageous and powerful woman of the times among all, she was also the woman who saved Islam. She delivered a  sermon at the court of tyrant Yazid that is still appreciated in different forms that are: "O the people of Kufa! Woe be upon you! Do you know which part of the messenger of Allah you have cut? And which vow you have broken? And whose blood you have shed? And which respected family you have brought to the public( as captives)? And whose sanctity would have violated? You have done that, which could tear down the skies, open the earth and make the mountains vanish. As far as the earth goes and as deep as the skies go, your obvious deed as no like, no similarity, and no decency. indeed you have done the ugliest, the most grievous and gruesome deed" she added: "By Allah(SWT) you can not remove us from the minds and you can not fade our message. you will never reach our glory and can never wash the glory and can never wash the stain of this crime from your hands. Your decisions will not be stable, your period of the ruling will be short and your population will scatter. On that day a voice will shout: "Indeed may the curse of Allah( SWT) be upon the oppressors.." and at last: " O my lord! Accept our humble sacrifice to you"