Muharram
Rituals-History and Relevance to Modern World
Dr. Mazhar Naqvi
The martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain at Karbala is one of the
most outstanding examples of sufferings in world religious traditions. Karbala martyrs
represent those who try to understand life, society and history against the
backdrop of sufferings and not in the sheen of materialism. To consider Karbala
as an ordinary suffering is nothing but denial of the redemptive side of
sufferings that had befallen on Imam Hussain and his small band of companions
and from whose blood sprouted a dynamic and productive system of Muharram
rituals that bring together past and present every year and offers admirers of
Imam Hussain a timeless quest for justice and creation of a global society on
the principles of brotherhood and equity.
Historians
generally accept that systematic Muharram mourning began in Buyids era. In 945,
the Buyids occupied Baghdad and named Al- Muti as new Caliph after forming a
secular government. They used their temporal power to protect the Imami faith
and to promote religious and intellectual activities. Buyids also encouraged mourning
in processions at public places and patronized twelvers’ theological writers.
Their efforts resulted in the firm intellectual foundation of Imami ideology.
To further the cause of Imam Hussain, Hazrat Zainab and Imam Sajjad, Buyids
also established the first independent Muslim college in Baghdad with leanings
towards Imami doctrines and Jurisprudence. Their attitude benefited greatly who
wanted to understand the philosophy of Imam Hussain and propagate his message
throughout the world.
The public
appearance of Muharram mourning encouraged the tradition to weep for Imam
Hussain and his followers. There are many narratives encouraging the
lamentation and weeping for Karbala. The followers drew inspiration from the
declaration of Imam Hussain ‘I am the
martyr of tears. There is no servant whose eyes shed one drop of tears for us,
but that God will grant him for it the reward of the countless ages in
paradise.” A narrative from the Sixth Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, supplemented the
declaration of Imam Hussain when he stated “The sigh of the
sorrowful for
the wrong done to us is an act of praise of God, his sorrow for us is an act of
worship, and his keeping of our secret is a struggle in the way of God.’
Tazia, one of
the most important icons of azadari, also played a crucial role in ensuring
timelessness of Karbala tragedy and keeping the memory of martyrs alive
forever. Tazia is thus not a simple or well-defined cultural phenomenon; rather,
it facilitated the growth of various social, religious, cultural, artistic and
philosophical factors over the centuries. It assumed its current form sometime
during the latter part of the Safavid period. Initially, Tazia was originally a
simple
passion play in
Iran about the tragic events at Karbala but
later on it emerged as replica of Imam’s shrine in Muharram rituals in Indian
sub-continent after the invasion of Taimur. Tazia serves many functions such as
redemption, suffering, personal religious revivalism, public appearance of a
faith, etc. At philosophical level, Imam Husain’s quest is seen as a symbol of
personal transformation, so joining and being a part of tazia community enables
the followers achieve the goal of bringing them in line of Islamic injunctions.
Imam’s martyrdom makes sense on two levels: first, in terms of Jesus Christ’s
sacrifice to redeem humanity and similarly Imam allowed himself to be killed to
purify the Muslim community and second, as an active factor vindicating the Imami
cause, contributing to its ultimate triumph.
There is no
doubt that rituals associated with the battle of Karbala have served as a
vehicle for expressing and strengthening a variety of political and social
relationships, associations, and identities. Marasims of Azadari have also provided
an opportunity for spiritual and political redemption for followers of Imami
faith.
The great Iranian scholar and thinker Dr. Ali Shariati
has rightly described Imam Husain’s movement revolving around three core
concepts,1- Revolution( Inquilab) 2- War in the Path of God (Jihad)3- Martyrdom(
Shahadat). Another leading scholar explained the essence of martyrdom in the
following words: ‘The Shahid (martyr) can be compared to a candle whose job it
is to burn out and get extinguished in order to shed light for the benefit of
others. The Shuhada (martyrs) are the candles of society.’
Safavid dynasty,
established in 1501, used Karbala as a
starting point
to conquer Persia
and then to turn it into an Imami country. Its founder Shah Ismail and his descendants
used Karbala and all related subjects for their policy. The success of Iranian
revolution is a contemporary example of the political use of the Karbala. One
of the most popular slogans during the revolution was ‘Every day is Ashura; Every
land is Karbala; Every month is Muharram.’
Despite the
continuous remembrance of Karbala, especially during Ayam-E-Aza, followers of
Yazid have not given up their satanic and sinister designs to keep the world
stricken with oppression, corruption, falsehood and bloodshed. What is
happening in Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and several other Muslim
countries only exemplify the existence of Yazidi elements in the higher echelon
of so called educated society. Does not the situation call all of us to ponder
that if the American influence can be wiped out from Iran mainly because of the
powerful effect of azadari rituals, why can’t we use the sublime sacrifice Karbala
martyrs against Yazidi activists who are once again trying to invent a new
Islam and striving to create a so called Islamic State based on UnIslamic
principles and killing of innocent people.
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