Muḥarram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is forbidden. It is held to be the second holiest month after Ramadan. The tenth day of Muharram is known as Ashura
Muslims in many parts of the world observe the mourning during Muharram with blood donation. During the month of Muharram, the first in the Islamic lunar calendar, the Day of Ashura is very significant. This year the Day of Ashura is on Friday.
Muharram 2021: Know about the day of Ashura
- Shia Muslims mark the ceremonial mourning on this day and it’s called Ashura.
- On the Day of Ashura, the grandson of the Prophet, Hussain Ibn Ali (Hazrat Imam Hussain) was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.
- The Shia Muslims mourn the day of Ashura by beating themselves with sharp objects.
- This symbolises the suffering experienced by the Prophet’s grandson before his death.
- Ashura also marks the day Musa (Moses) was saved from the Pharaoh of Egypt by God.
- The Day of Ashura is also a symbol of struggle against injustice and oppression.
Muharram 2021: Muharram is a period of grief and mourning for Shia Muslims
Muharram 2021: Significance and history
Muharram, one of the four sacred months, is observed with great reverence by Muslims across the world. It was during Muharram that Prophet Muhammad went from Mecca to Medina. Many Muslims observe partial fast as part of the mourning. Muslims belonging to the Shia sect usually wear black clothes on Muharram.
The mourning traditionally starts from the first night of Muharram and continues for 10 nights. These are the most significant days as during this time Hussain Ibn Ali and his family and followers – women, children and the elderly – were deprived of water and tortured, and most of them were killed by the army of Yazid I at the Battle of Karbala.
