The Ray of Hope
Muharram 1423
Mar-Apr 2002
A Journal By The Students Of Darul Uloom Sabeelus Salam, Hyderabad, India
Visit www.scribd.com/musarhad for more articles on Islaam.
_____________________________________________________________________________ Vol.1 No.2 Muharram 1423 A.H. Mar-Apr 2002 PATRON: MAULAANAA RIZWAN AL QASMI ADVISORY BOARD
Under the guidance of: Master Ameeruddin Sb Chief Editor: Noamaan Bader Editor: Syed Rashid Hussain Sub-Editor: Shamsul Islam
Maulaanaa Akhtar Imaam Aadil Sb Qasmi Ml Abdul Basit Sb Nadvi Ml Khursheed Anvar Sb Nadvi Madani Ml Md Ayyub Sb Siddiqi Nadvi
C O N T E N T S 1
Editorial: The Hijree calendar and its first month
Noamaan Bader
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Muharram and the innovations
Syed Rashid Hussain
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Hazrat Husain: a short biography
Shamsul Islam
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Nothing to mourn for!
Wasi Akhtar Nadvi
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The conflict between good and evil
Syed Asadullah
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The significance of Muharram
Shaik Imran Ba Qateeb
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Editorial
The Hijree Calendar And Its First Month
Noamaan Bader The Islaamic calendar, which is based purely on lunar cycles i.e. the beginning and ending of the months are determined by the sighting of the crescent moon. It was first introduced in 638 C.E. (17 A.H.) by the second Caliph, ‘Umar bin Al Khattaab ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪ. As the Muslim empire expanded during his leadership, ‘Umar ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪfelt the need of a dating system to maintain official records. He consulted his advisors in order to come to a decision regarding the starting of a new Muslim chronology. It was agreed that the most appropriate reference point for the Islaamic calendar was the ‘Hijrah’ – the migration of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢfrom Makkah to Madeenah – since it was an important turning point in the history of Islaam which evidently contributed a lot in causing the Muslims to organize and establish the first real Muslim community with social, political and economic independence. It was only after this event that the world could see the aspect of social decency and decorum under Islaam. Likewise, Muharram to be the first month of the Islaamic calendar was decided by this council. The month of Muharram is one of the four sanctified months about which the Qur’aan says in Soorah Taubah, verse 36:
ِ إِ ﱠن ِ ﺎب اﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ ﻳـﻮم َﺧﻠَ َﻖ اﻟ ﱠ ِ َﺸ ُﻬﻮِر ِﻋ ْﻨ َﺪ اﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ اﺛْـﻨَﺎ َﻋ َﺸﺮ َﺷ ْﻬﺮا ﻓِﻲ ﻛِﺘ ﱡ ﱠ ض اﻟ ة ﺪ ﻋ َ َ ﺴ َﻤ َﺎوات َو ْاﻷ َْر َ َْ ً َ ِِﻣ ْﻨـﻬﺎ أَرﺑـﻌﺔٌ ﺣﺮم ذَﻟ .ﱢﻳﻦ اﻟْ َﻘﻴﱢ ُﻢ ﻓَ َﻼ ﺗَﻈْﻠِ ُﻤﻮا ﻓِﻴ ِﻬ ﱠﻦ أَﻧْـ ُﻔ َﺴ ُﻜ ْﻢ ﺪ اﻟ ﻚ َ ٌ ُ ُ َ َْ َ ُ
“The number of months in the sight of Allaah is twelve (in a year), so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred: that is the right religion. So wrong not yourselves therein.” These four months, according to the authentic hadeeth are the months of Zul Qa’dah, Zul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab. Fasting in the month of Muharram is highly desired. The Messenger of Allaah ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢsaid:
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ﻀ ُﻞ َ ْأَﻓ
The Ray of Hope
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ﻀﺎ َن َﺷ ْﻬ ُﺮ اﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ اﻟ ُْﻤ َﺤ ﱠﺮُم ( اﻟ ﱢThe best fasts after the fasts of Ramazaan are َ ﺼﻴَ ِﺎم ﺑَـ ْﻌ َﺪ َرَﻣ those of the month of Muharram. – Muslim 1982). This hadeeth signifies that the fasts of the month of Muharram are the most rewardable ones among the Nafl (desirable) fasts (i.e. the fasts one observes out of his own choice without being obligatory on him) and clearly indicates the importance of voluntary fasting in this month.
Although the month of Muharram is sanctified as a whole, yet the day of ‘Aashooraa’ (10th Muharram) is the most sacred among all its days. The Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢemphasizes the fast of ‘Aashooraa’ (10th Muharram) with a prefix or suffix of another fast. There are some legends and misconceptions with regard to ‘Aashooraa’ that have managed to find their way into the minds of the ignorant. Like some people attribute the sanctity of ‘Aashooraa’ to the martyrdom of Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪduring his battle with the army of ‘Ubaidullaah bin Ziyaad. No doubt, the martyrdom of Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪis one of the most tragic episodes of our history. Yet the sanctity of ‘Aashooraa’ cannot be ascribed to this event for the simple reason that the sanctity of ‘Aashooraa’ was established during the days of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ, much earlier than the birth of Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪ, the beloved grandson of the Prophet. We ask Allaah to make us the followers of the Sunnah of our noble Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ. May He help us to do that which he loves and which pleases Him. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions and send peace on all. And our last prayer is that all praise belongs to Allaah alone Who is the Cherisher and Sustainer of all creations.
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Muharram And The Innovations
Syed Rashid Hussain Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin their Islaamic calendar. As this month approaches, many misleading and innovative activities creep into the ignorant minds. They consider this month to be inauspicious for Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪ was martyred in this month. They believe the day of ‘Aashooraa’ i.e. the 10th of Muharram to be a day of mourning and wailing, reciting elegies and telling fabricated stories and they openly display the rituals of Jaahiliyah by eulogizing and wailing in a crazy manner, beating their cheeks and chests, rending their garments and so on. All these and other whims and fancies are totally baseless and contrary to the teachings of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. If the death of an eminent person on a particular day renders that day unlucky for all times to come, one can hardly find a day free from this bad luck, because each and every day of the year has a history of the demise of some eminent person. The Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢforbade the Muslims from doing all these and directed them to observe patience by saying:
ِ إِﻧﱠﺎ ﻟِﻠﱠ ِﻪ وإِﻧﱠﺎ إِﻟَْﻴ ِﻪ ر اﺟ ُﻌﻮ َن َ َ
“To Allaah we belong, and to Him is our return.” (Qur’aan 2:156) Therefore, every Muslim should avoid this practice and abide by the teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ.
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Hadhrat Husain: A Short Biography
Shamsul Islam One of the two leaders of the youths of Paradise, Husain bin ‘Alee bin Aboo Taalib bin Haashim bin ‘Abd Manaaf ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎwas born at Madeenah in Sha’baan 4 AH (January 626 CE). He was the son of Faatimah, the leader of the women of Paradise and daughter of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ. His filial appellaion was Aboo ‘Abdullaah. In 11AH (632 CE), Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢpassed away and then soon after on 3 Jumaadal Aakhirah 11 AH (~26 Aug 632 CE), Husain’s loving mother too expired. The two tragic events were to hard to bear for the little child Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪwho was just seven then. When ‘Umar became the Caliph, he fixed Husain’s ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎstipend at 5000 dirhams. The same amount was fixed for his brother Hasan ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪwho was a few years elder to him. A few years later, he was married to a lady Shahr Baanu who was the mother of Zain-ul ‘Aabidee (38-93 AH ~ 658-712 CE). Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪwas inclined towards learning from his early age itself. The elders of Madeenah used to consult him on questions related to Islaamic theology. He used to expound the exegesis of the Holy Qur’aan and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ. He was inclined to austerities, engaging himself in prayer and worship as much as possible. He used to remain awake in the
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nights for worship and would often observe fasts. He performed Haj 25 times in his life. In the holy month of Ramazaan, he would recite the holy Qur’aan at least once. In spite of his high status and noble parentage, he was very humble and modest. The good acts like forgiving the faults of slaves, freeing them, treating the poor with respect, sending food to the houses of indigents, paying the loans of the debtors, etc. were routine affairs for him.
However, the most famous event in his life is the tragic Karbalaa incident in which he laid down his life for Allaah’s sake fighting against evil and falsehood. § § § § § § § § § §
Nothing To Mourn For!
Wasi Akhtar Nadvi (Kulliyat-ul Hadeeth)
Much against the general opinion, the 10th Muharram on which Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪwas martyred, is not a day of sorrow. The reason is that for a Muslim, there is nothing to lose through martyrdom. On the other hand, it is an achievement which even our Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢstrongly longed for. He is quoted as saying:
ِ ِ ِت أَﻧﱢﻲ أُﻗـْﺘﻞ ﻓِﻲ ﺳﺒ ُﺣﻴَﺎ ﺛُ ﱠﻢ أُﻗـْﺘَ ُﻞ ُ َوﻟََﻮِد ْد ْ ُﺣﻴَﺎ ﺛُ ﱠﻢ أُﻗـْﺘَ ُﻞ ﺛُ ﱠﻢ أ ْ ﻴﻞ اﻟﻠﱠﻪ ﺛُ ﱠﻢ أ َ َُ
“I wish to be martyred in the way of Allaah, then restored to life, then martyred again, then restored to life, then martyred again (for a third time).”(Bukhaaree 35) Likewise, when Haraam bin Milhaan ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪwas martyred, he said: ت ُ ﻓُـ ْﺰ ب اﻟْ َﻜ ْﻌﺒَ ِﺔ ( َوَر ﱢBy the Lord of Ka’bah, I have succeeded. – Bukhaaree 3783, 3782, 2591). If one really wants to do something good and pious on this day, then he should observe fasts on this day along with either the preceding or the following day instead of engaging oneself in unholy practices related to mourning. § § § § § § § § § §
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The Conflict Between Good And Evil
Syed Asadullah
A few decades after Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢleft for his heavenly abode, an undeserving king Yazeed was raised to the throne of the Great Islaamic Empire. His close associates and advisors were mainly those who had been overwhemed by the splendor of this world and their own whims and desires, and had little fear of Allaah. The way Yazeed governed the state contradicted the noble teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢin many aspects. It was extremely difficult for Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪto see the rein of powers go into the wrong hands. It was his keen desire to see the state run in accordance with Allaah’s laws. Therefore, when the people of Koofah ‘invited’ him promising him to accept him as their Caliph, Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪsaw a golden opportunity for ending the unislaamic rule in the Islaamic state. When Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪarrived at Koofah, much change had taken place. A wicked person ‘Ubaidullaah bin Ziyaad had been appointed the governor of Koofah by Yazeed. The tactics of this newly-appointed governor had frightened the people of Koofah causing them to change sides. They broke their promise to Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪand decided to have nothing to do with him, not him protect him from his enemies whose leader was ‘Ubaidullaah bin Ziyaad. Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪ, finding himself alone and helpless here, camped at the bank of river Euphrates and fought with the army of ‘Ubaidullaah. On the 10th of Muharram 61 AH (~ 10 Oct 680 CE), the great hero, left in lurch by his avowed supporters of Koofah was martyred. He vindicated the fact that a pious head can never bow down to evil.
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The Significance Of Muharram
Shaik Imran Ba Qateeb (Jamaa’at e Khaas) In our times, many Muslims have come to think that the only significance of the 10th Muharram is the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad’s ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ grandson Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪ. However, it is not the whole truth as Muslims used to lay special significance to this day even before this tragic event occurred. This is event in the traditions of Prophet Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ. Prophet Muhammad called this month as Allaah’s month. In one of the traditions, it is narrated:
ﻀﺎ َن َﺷ ْﻬ ُﺮ اﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ اﻟ ُْﻤ َﺤ ﱠﺮُم ﻀ ُﻞ اﻟ ﱢ َ ﺼﻴَ ِﺎم ﺑَـ ْﻌ َﺪ َرَﻣ َ ْأَﻓ
“After the fasts of the month of Ramazaan, the most important is that of the month of Allaah which is called Muharram.” (Muslim 1982) It is quite unfortunate that many people regard this day as a day of sorrow because Husain ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪwas martyred on this day, in spite of the fact that Islaam treats martyrdom as a blessing and fortunate achievement. Umar ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻪused to pray for martyrdom:
ﺻﻠﱠﻰ اﻟﻠﱠﻪُ َﻋﻠَْﻴ ِﻪ َو َﺳﻠﱠ َﻢ َ ِاﺟ َﻌ ْﻞ َﻣ ْﻮﺗِﻲ ﻓِﻲ ﺑَـﻠَ ِﺪ َر ُﺳﻮﻟ َ ِﺎدةً ﻓِﻲ َﺳﺒِﻴﻠ َ اﻟﻠﱠ ُﻬ ﱠﻢ ْارُزﻗْﻨِﻲ َﺷ َﻬ ْ ﻚ َو َ ﻚ
“O Allaah! Grant me martyrdom in the city of your Prophet ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢi.e. Madeenah.” (Bukhaaree 1757)
Moreover, if the martyrdom of a great person had been the criterion for observing a day as the day of sorrow, then the 1st of Muharram and the 18th of Zul Hijjah too should have been treated the same way, as on these days, two of the greatest companions of Prophet Muhammad, Umar and Usmaan ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻬﻤﺎwere martyred respectively.
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