The Prohibitions of Muharram
Imam Reza told one of his followers on the first day of Muharram, “People maintained that fighting was prohibited in Muharram. But these people have no respect for this month or for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). They started a war in this month, they disrespected us and they captivated women and children. They set our refuges on fire and plundered what we had.”
Ali bin Musa-al-Reza added then, “The martyrdom of Imam Hussein was a sorrowful event that brought tears to our eyes. Hussein was disrespected in Karbala, so people should cry for him. God will forgive their greatest sins if they mourn for Imam Hussein.”
“If there is something you need to cry about, it is Imam Hussein. He was killed, along with eighteen of his family members, who were unique people.”
The heavens and earth cried for Hussein. Four thousand angels were present there on the day of Ashura. When Imam Hussein was killed, they stayed by his grave waiting for Imam Mahdi to come to the world, so that they could be among his followers.
Imam Reza said in the end, “If you want to go to the Heaven with us, you should be sorrowful with our sorrows and you should find joy in our happiness.”
There are certain things people need to stay away in Muharram.
The lovers of Imam Hussein should change their behavior in the first ten days of Muharram and both look and feel mournful in these days. They need to stay away from the joys of eating, drinking, and even sleeping and talking. They should act like people who have lost a parent or a child.
People should respect God and His great people as much as they respect their closest relatives. They should love God, Prophet Muhammad, and the Imams more than their family members. Otherwise, God will make them remorseful.
If someone cannot do these in the first ten days of Muharram, he should eat just bread on Tasu’a and Ashura and the day after and stay away from eating, drinking, or attending parties until the evening of Ashura.
One should hold a ceremony to mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussein at home or in a mosque, or to help others hold such a ceremony without showing off about it.
Imam Hussein’s children were killed and his relatives were captured, just because he meant to show people the right path and to save them from the Hell. Therefore, people need to mourn his martyrdom the way he deserves it and to be willing to sacrifice whatever they have for him, the way Imam Hussein sacrificed everything he had for Islam welfare of Muslims.
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
Other links:
Devotion to Hussein
