ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Misbah-uz-Zulam, Roots of the Karbala’ Tragedy Mourning For Imam Husain Azadari means mourning for Imam Husayn (a.s.) and his relatives and companions who were martyred in the desert of Karbala’. Mourning is a precept as well as a practice.

An example of practice is to wear black or green clothes, to construct sarcophagus (Tazia) like Imam Husayn’s tomb, to construct Husainiyyahs, to install banners, hold meetings to commemorate Imam Husayn’s martyrdom, feed mourners, distribute food among poor people, serve the poor and rich with eatables and drinks. All these are different methods of commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a.s.). For example, standards (Alam) are installed in Iran and in India people make sarcophagus (Tazia).

In China, there is no such thing; there the people go to the forest, make a fire and walk on it. Mourning for Imam Husayn (a.s.) is such a deed that his believers can never give it up and enemies of Muhammad’s Progeny can never bear it. All important religious and secular events are commemorated annually like the 12th Rabi Awwal etc. Ghazzali prohibited narrating the tragedy of Husayn (a.s.), because it cast aspersion on Abu Bakr, Umar and Muawiyah.

Abu Hanifah also prohibited celebrating Eid Ghadeer for this very purpose. But the followers of Muhammad’s Progeny can never give up the remembrance of the tragedy of Imam Husayn (a.s.) and can never neglect mourning for him. Remembrance of a beloved is a natural thing. The demand of friendship is not forgetfulness. Now the writer would like to write about the custom of mourning, lamentation and dirge recitation among Ahlul Sunnat.

The book Ashatal Maat[^1] states that when the Holy Prophet (S) passed away, angels came to express condolence and Allah also did not abstain from expressing sorrow. That is, Allah also gave condolence to Himself. We come to know that condolence is a natural thing and it is not out of Allah’s will. Everyone knows that Prophet Adam (a.s.) also mourned for his son, Habil’s death and why should he had not have done so, when mourning is a natural thing?

Hence, if followers of Husayn (a.s.) and other family members of the Prophet mourn for Imam Husayn (a.s.), it is a necessary thing, and it is true and appropriate. Lamentation and dirges are included in mourning and to consider it prohibited is entirely senseless.