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What date
Like most other memorable days in Islam, the day of Ashura is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. This is the tenth day of the Muslim holy month of Muharram. The very name of this day, “ashura”, is translated as ten. In 2022 Ashura Day falls on 8 August.
Day of Ashura: the history of the memorable date
Muslims believe that it was on the Day of Ashura that the heavens were created and that the first man on earth, Adam, was created from clay. According to the common Islamic tradition, on this day the Prophet Muhammad blessed Adam and called on all people on earth to be kind and do good deeds.
The history of the Day of Ashura until October 680 was the same for Sunnis and Shiites. From the first days of the existence of the Islamic religion, believers recalled the events of the Old Testament at this time. By the way, that is why this day is considered important for another Abrahamic religion – Judaism. With the Day of Ashura, the first Muslims associated the birth of Adam, the arrival of Noah’s Ark (in the Arabic tradition it was called Nuh) and the salvation of the prophet Musa, aka Moses.
In October 680, a historic event took place that once and for all changed the attitude to this memorable day among Sunnis and Shiites. In modern Iraq there is the city of Karbil, which existed in the XNUMXth century. Here, on the Day of Ashura, during the civil strife, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the son of the holy Shia Ali, Imam Hussein, were killed.
Since then, for the Shiites, Ashura Day has been a day of remembrance and mourning for one of the most significant religious figures in the history of Islam.
Day of Ashura Traditions
The two main Muslim branches, Sunnis and Shiites, observe and celebrate the Day of Ashura in different ways.
Sunni Traditions of the Day of Ashura
On the Day of Ashura, the Sunnis try to keep a voluntary fast, first of all, remembering the salvation of the prophet Musa (Moses). It must be said that it was customary for the ancient Jews to fast on this day. According to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad saw this and called on his followers to join the fast as well. Moreover, according to legend, even the pagans, the ancient population of the Arab peninsula, kept fasting at that time.
Since on this day the first person on earth, Adam, repented of his mortal sin and received forgiveness, the traditions of the Sunnis are slightly more festive than those of the Shiites. On the Day of Ashura, it has always been customary to do good deeds, prepare dishes and treat them not only to relatives, but also to those in need.
Shiite traditions of the Day of Ashura
For Shiites, Ashura Day is primarily a day of mourning for Imam Hussein, who died at Karbil in 680. That is why fasting on this day is obligatory for Shiites, not voluntary. Faithful Muslims in Iran, Iraq and Azerbaijan are holding historical re-enactments of that very battle in memory of the fallen followers of Ali.
Memorial ceremonies are held in courtyards and houses, the traditional attributes of which are empty jugs and stoves. According to Shia beliefs, the former recall the thirst that Muslims loyal to Ali experienced during the war, and the head of Imam Hussein was once hidden in the oven.
Perhaps the most famous tradition on the Day of Ashura is self-flagellation. Every year on this memorable date, the most devout Muslims take to the streets and beat themselves with chains until they bleed. In this way, some Shiites salute and commemorate their fallen saints.
Sunnis also commemorate Imam Hussein, but the traditions of this branch of Islam forbid self-flagellation and self-harm. Funeral rites are held in a more modest setting.
How Muslims Celebrate the Day of Ashura
As mentioned above, the Shiites perform rituals in memory of Imam Hussein and the first followers of Caliph Ali. Sunnis, on the other hand, dedicate a day to doing good deeds in memory of the events of the times of the Old Testament.
So, Muslims try to visit their sick relatives and friends. It is believed that it is on this day that moral help and support is multiplied many times over, and a good deed is counted before Allah.
In the Arab countries and Central Asia, where sometimes there are still problems with water supply, it is customary to help the homeless and the afflicted by bringing them jugs of water. Muslims believe that these good deeds are also counted before God.
Another tradition of celebrating the Day of Ashura is material assistance to those in need. Believers especially honor alms on this memorable date. Theologians say that for alms on the Day of Ashura, the Almighty will give a reward “the size of Mount Uhud.”