Mourning rituals and self harm as found in the Qur'an
We read in Surah Nisa 004.148
YUSUFALI: Allah loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech, except where injustice hath been done; for Allah is He who heareth and knoweth all things.
We read in Tafseer Ibn Katheer Volume 2 page 20 Surah Nisa, under the commentary of this verse:
"Ali bin Abi Talib(a.s) said that Ibn Abbas commented on the Ayah and said,
“Allah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public, He does not like that any one should invoke Him against anyone else, unless one is wronged. In this case, Allah allows one to invoke Him against whoever wronged him. Hence Allah's statement Allah loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech, except where injustice hath been done'"
This verse makes it clear that the public relaying of injustice is permissible. Relaying the suffering of a victim is permissible. The traditions from Bukhari also proves that mourning is permissible when one is citing the pains inflicted on the aggrieved party hence any tradition that contradicts this must be ignored.
Sahih Bukhari ,Volume 2, Book 23, Number 336 :
Narrated by Jabir bin 'Abdullah
When my father was martyred, I lifted the sheet from his face and wept and the people forbade me to do so but the Prophet did not forbid me. Then my aunt Fatima began weeping and the Prophet said, "It is all the same whether you weep or not. The angels were shading him continuously with their wings till you shifted him (from the field). "
Sahih Bukhari ,Volume 2, Book 23, Number 390 :
Narrated by Anas bin Malik
We went with Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) to the blacksmith Abu Saif, and he was the husband of the wet-nurse of Ibrahim (the son of the Prophet). Allah's Apostle took Ibrahim and kissed him and smelled him and later we entered Abu Saif's house and at that time Ibrahim was in his last breaths, and the eyes of Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) started shedding tears. 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Auf said, "O Allah's Apostle, even you are weeping!" He said, "O Ibn 'Auf, this is mercy." Then he wept more and said, "The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim ! Indeed we are grieved by your separation."
Sahih Bukhari ,Volume 2, Book 23, Number 338 :
Narrated by Anas bin Malik
The Prophet said, "Zaid took over the flag and was martyred. Then it was taken by Jafar who was martyred as well. Then 'Abdullah bin Rawaha took the flag but he too was martyred and at that time the eyes of Allah's Apostle were full of tears.
We Shias perform all these acts as Allah (swt) has permitted us to do so, and the opposition is only on account for their love and support for Imam Husayn (as)’s killers.
Mourning and shedding blood is the Sunnah of Prophet Adam (as)
We read in Ahlul Sunnah's authority work Ma'arij al Nubuwwa Chapter 1 page 248:
Hadhrath Adam was so distressed that he smashed his hands onto his knees and the skin from his hands caused gashes from which bone could be seen.
Those who deem the act of self-harm to be Haraam should look at the bloodletting actions of Hadrath Adam (as). If Hadrath Adam (as) can do this why cannot the Shia when mourning for Imam Husayn (as)?
We read in Surah Nisa 004.148
YUSUFALI: Allah loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech, except where injustice hath been done; for Allah is He who heareth and knoweth all things.
We read in Tafseer Ibn Katheer Volume 2 page 20 Surah Nisa, under the commentary of this verse:
"Ali bin Abi Talib(a.s) said that Ibn Abbas commented on the Ayah and said,
“Allah does not like that the evil should be uttered in public, He does not like that any one should invoke Him against anyone else, unless one is wronged. In this case, Allah allows one to invoke Him against whoever wronged him. Hence Allah's statement Allah loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech, except where injustice hath been done'"
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| Shia Muslim mourning Imam Hussain |
Sahih Bukhari ,Volume 2, Book 23, Number 336 :
Narrated by Jabir bin 'Abdullah
When my father was martyred, I lifted the sheet from his face and wept and the people forbade me to do so but the Prophet did not forbid me. Then my aunt Fatima began weeping and the Prophet said, "It is all the same whether you weep or not. The angels were shading him continuously with their wings till you shifted him (from the field). "
Sahih Bukhari ,Volume 2, Book 23, Number 390 :
Narrated by Anas bin Malik
We went with Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) to the blacksmith Abu Saif, and he was the husband of the wet-nurse of Ibrahim (the son of the Prophet). Allah's Apostle took Ibrahim and kissed him and smelled him and later we entered Abu Saif's house and at that time Ibrahim was in his last breaths, and the eyes of Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) started shedding tears. 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Auf said, "O Allah's Apostle, even you are weeping!" He said, "O Ibn 'Auf, this is mercy." Then he wept more and said, "The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim ! Indeed we are grieved by your separation."
Sahih Bukhari ,Volume 2, Book 23, Number 338 :
Narrated by Anas bin Malik
The Prophet said, "Zaid took over the flag and was martyred. Then it was taken by Jafar who was martyred as well. Then 'Abdullah bin Rawaha took the flag but he too was martyred and at that time the eyes of Allah's Apostle were full of tears.
We Shias perform all these acts as Allah (swt) has permitted us to do so, and the opposition is only on account for their love and support for Imam Husayn (as)’s killers.
Mourning and shedding blood is the Sunnah of Prophet Adam (as)
We read in Ahlul Sunnah's authority work Ma'arij al Nubuwwa Chapter 1 page 248:
Hadhrath Adam was so distressed that he smashed his hands onto his knees and the skin from his hands caused gashes from which bone could be seen.
Those who deem the act of self-harm to be Haraam should look at the bloodletting actions of Hadrath Adam (as). If Hadrath Adam (as) can do this why cannot the Shia when mourning for Imam Husayn (as)?
Mourning and hitting one self is the Sunnah of the Prophet (s)
As evidence we shall cite the following works:
Sunan al Nasai Volume 3 page 305
Adhaan al Mufreed page 426
Saheeh al Muslim Volume 1 page 291
Musnad Abu Awana Volume 2 page 292
All these books state:
"Rasulullah (s) was in a state where he was hitting his chest."
Ibn Hajr Asqalani in the commentary of this tradition in Fathul Bari Volume 3 page 90 writes:
"This Hadeeth demonstrates that it is permissible to bang your hand at a moment of distress".
If hitting oneself is Haraam then what Fatwa do the Nasibis have for the Prophet (s)? The Pillar of Shariah is himself hitting his chest, so if the Shia do the same, why are their actions Batil?
Beating oneself in times of trouble is the Sunnah of Umar
We read in Ahl'ul Sunnah's authority work Aqd al Fareed, Volume 1 page 342:
ولما نُعي النًّعمان بن مُقَرَّن إلى عمر بن الخطاب وضع يدَه على رأسه وصاح يا أسفي على النعمان
When Umar received news of the death of Numan ibn Muqran, he placed his hand on his head and wailed: 'O my grief for Numan!'
We find a similar narration in Kanz al Ummal, Vol.8, Page 117, Kitab al Maut:
When Umar heard of Nu'man ibn Muqran's death he beat his head and screamed, "O what a pity that Nu'man died".
When Umar mourns the death of his friend in such a way, the descendents of Mu'awiya remain silent, but if the Shi'a mourn Imam Husayn (as) through such an act they are deemed Kaffirs. If Nasibis wish to accuse us of introducing Bidah into the religion then they should know that Umar introduced this long before the Rafidis! If such acts of hitting oneself and extreme wailing are prohibited then what was your Khalifa indulging in this act for?
Thigh beating is the Sunnah of Maula 'Ali (as)
We read in Taufa Ithna Ashari page 523 published in Karachi:
"When Ayesha was defeated and Ali(a.s) saw the corpses on the ground he began to beat his thighs"
Tauhfa Ithna Ashari, page 523
Proof of head beating from the Qur'an
In Surah adh-Dhaariyaat we read that Hadrath Sara (as) struck her face when she was told that she would conceive a baby.
"Then came forward his wife in grief, she smote her face and said (what! I) An old barren woman?"
Quran 51:29
"Faskath" does not just mean rub or touch, it means slap and this is evidenced from Saheeh Muslim Book 030, Number 5851, Bab Fadail Musa:
Beating oneself at a time of distress is the Sunnah of Prophet Adam (as)
We read in Mudharij al Nubuwwa page 221:
"When life was breathed into the spirit of Adam he hit his hand on his head and cried. He made this tradition of beating one’s head with one's hand and crying in times of trouble for his descendants."
Hitting one's head in times of trouble is the Sunnah of Prophet Yusuf (as)
We read in Tafseer Kabeer Volume 5 page 158:
"On one occasion Gibrael approached Prophet Yusuf (as) in Zundh and conveyed the news that his father had become blind on account of his weeping for him. Yusuf hit his hand on his head and said 'O I wish my mother did not give birth to me, so that I would have not become the cause of such sadness to my father '".
We have proven that the acts of hitting one's head are not Jahiliyya or Un-Islamic.
In fact it is the Sunnah of Prophets Adam (as) and Yusuf (as).
The Shi'a mourn Imam Husayn (as) as a form of remembrance. We seek to remember and share his suffering and pain, since assisting one in trouble is a recommended (Mustahab) act and a kind of worship. We also deem mourning and presenting our sincerity to Imam Husayn (as) to be a form of worship.
Let us refute this Nasibi by citing Allamah Shibli Numani al Hanafi is a renowned Sunni scholar from the Indian subcontinent. In his Sirat-un Nabi (Eng translation Volume 2 pg 74) quoting Sirat Ibn Hisham we read the following about Hamzah (as) martyrdom:
"The Holy Prophet (P) returned to Madina and found the whole city gone into mourning. Whenever he went, he heard wailing and lamentation in every house. He was grieved to find that all who were martyred in the battle had their mourners doing their duty to the memory of their dear ones. But there was none to mourn the death of Hamzah (ra). Overwhelmed with grief, the words that there was no one to mourn the loss of Hamzah escaped his lips. The Ansâris were touched to the core when they heard this remark from the Prophet(s). They asked their women to go to the house of the Prophet (S) and mourn for Hamzah. The Prophet (p) thanked them for their sympathy, prayed for their well-being, but added that it was not permissible to lament in memory of the dead. (Women in Arabia were used to wailing and lamenting aloud, they would tear off their garments, dig their nails into their cheeks, slap themselves on the face and put up loud screams. This undesirable practice was from that day stopped for future)"
Nawasib such as Ibn al-Hashimi will no doubt take heart from the last few lines so let us pass a comment on them:
Whilst these words are not acceptable for being contradictory to previous lines of the narration, our readers should also know that the words 'it is not permissible to lament in memory of the dead' is an addition that cannot be found in other history books.
We read in the History of Tabari Volume 7 page 137:
“The Messenger of God passed by a settlement of the Ansar of the Banu Abdal al-Ashhal and Zafat and heard sounds of lamentation and women weeping. The Messenger of God’s eyes filled with tears and he wept, but then he said “Yet Hamzah has no women weeping for him”. When Saad bin Muadh and Usayd b. Hudayr came back to the settlement of the Banu Abdal al-Ashhal, they told the women to gird themselves up and go and weep for the Messenger of God’s uncle”.
[ref= tarikh_tabari_v7_p137.jpg]History of Tabari Volume 7 page 137 [/ref]
Al Muhaddith Shah Abdul Haqq Dehlavi in 'Madarij un Nabuwat' records the event as follows:
"When Holy Prophet (s) reached Madina, he saw that cries could be heard from most of the houses of Ansaar (the helpers) but not from Hamza's house. Holy Prophet (s) said that wasn't there anyone to cry over Hamza? The helpers (Ansaar) asked their women to mourn over Hamza first and then they may go and cry over their own martyr. The women went to Hamza's house in the evening and kept crying till midnight. When Holy Prophet(s) woke up and asked about it, he was told the whole thing. Holy Prophet(s) blessed them by saying" May Allah be pleased with you and your children."
Madarij un Nabuwat, volume 2 page 179
It has been similarly recorded in Al-Isti'ab that after Holy Prophet's query,"none of the wives of the helpers cried over their own dead but cried for Hamza",
Therefore through no tradition, reference or logic can it be proved that Holy Prophet (s) stopped Ummah from crying over the death of their dear ones.
Our assertion that the words "It is not permissible to mourn over the dead" is a later addition is confirmed when we observe the first edition of Shibli Numani's work. We relied on the Urdu to English translation of Numani's work. Of interest is the fact that the part in brackets wherein the practice of mourning is condemned was added in later editions. The original statement as narrated in the first edition is mentioned above. Look at this report from "Seerat Un Nabi" part 1, page 361, published in 1975 by "Deeni Kutb Khana Islami, Lahore."
"Holy Prophet (s) reached Madina, the whole of Madina had turned into a mourning place, his Excellency could hear voices of people mourning from every house, and Holy Prophet (s) felt grieved that all martyrs were being cried upon by their relatives but there was no one to mourn over Hamza. In severe grief he said: "Isn't there anyone to cry over Hamza?" The Helpers (Ansaar) palpitated when they heard this and therefore all of them asked their wives to go and mourn over Hamza's martyrdom. When Holy Prophet(s) saw that the females of Ansaar (the helpers) were mourning for Hamza, he blessed them and thanked them for their sympathy but he further said "It is not permissible to cry over dead."
After this a whole paragraph from "This was a tradition in Arabia" till "intense love for Hamza" has been removed from the frst edition and further replaced by this new statement. This is the ingenuity of Syed Salman Nadvi who completed this book of his teacher (Shabli Naumani) after his death. This new paragraph is not present in the first edition.
"Women in Arabia were used to wailing and lamenting aloud, they would tear off their garments, dig their nails into their cheeks, slap themselves on the face and put up loud screams. This undesirable practice was from that day stopped for future".
The Urdu/Arabic alphabet "seen" in the text denotes that this statement was not present in the earlier edition and Syed Suleman Nadvi added itafterwards. Later editions simply removed th 'Seen' so as to imply that these words were those of Numani!
Whilst this shows how dishonest these Nasibi are, let us also address the comments of Nadvi:
Even if it is believed that Holy Prophet (s) did say 'It is not permissible to cry over the dead' such a statement would not effect our mourning because Imam Husayn (as) is a martyr and it is forbidden to call them dead. Such restrictions are for those who die a natural death not those who are slain in the way of Allah (swt).
The reference makes it clear that our Holy Prophet (s) paid gratitude to those who consoled and mourned over Hamza's martyrdom. He approved of this act and blessed them with his prayers. Had it been a prohibited act the Prophet (s) would never have shown gratitude. This gratitude strengthens our point that the words 'It is not permissible to cry over the dead' has no correlation with the incident. Rather Syed Suleman Nadvi amended the statements in order to cover up Allamah Shibli Numani's blunder.
The mourning of Hamza did not just end there; we have already cited the fact that the Holy Prophet (s) and the three Caliphs' would visit the graves of the martyrs every year.
Curiously, not a single wife of the Prophet (s) ever heard of this ban (a claimed by Nadvi in the previous reference). On the contrary Ayesha regarded by Ahl'ul Sunnah as the most knowledgeable women on Qur'an and Sunnah performed the following act when the Prophet (s) left this earth.
As narrated by al Tabari in History Volume 9 page 183 (English translation by Ismail Poonawala):
Abbas narrates:
"I heard Ayesha saying "The Messenger of God died on my bosom during my turn, I did not wrong anyone in regard to him. It was because of my ignorance and youthfulness that the Messenger of God died while he was in my lap. Then I laid his head on a pillow and got up beating my chest and slapping my face along with the women".
Ibn Katheer al Nasibi in al Bidayah wa al Nihayah Volume 5 page 420 published by Nafees Academy Karachi records the event as follows:
"Rasulullah (s) died while he was in my lap. Then I laid his head on a pillow and got up beating my face along with other women".
Bidayah wa al Nihayah, Volume 5, page 420
Sirah Ibn Ishaq, page 713 (declared 'Hasan')
Sirah Ibn Hisham, Volume 4 page 655
Do we need to say anymore? Would the wives of the Prophet (s) indulge in a Haraam activity? Look at the beating ritual by the women of Madina. Ibn Katheer mentions how extreme that beating was that their faces reddened with slapping. What do the Nasibi say about these women? Were they evil Rafidi innovators lead by Ayesha?
Other references are given as well
like tareekh tibri, and masnad abu yala
The Shi'a mourn Imam Husayn (as) as a form of remembrance. We seek to remember and share his suffering and pain, since assisting one in trouble is a recommended (Mustahab) act and a kind of worship. We also deem mourning and presenting our sincerity to Imam Husayn (as) to be a form of worship.
Before we expand on this reality let us begin by citing words that we had previously cited
Ibn al Hashimi who claims:
Additionally–and this point cannot be stressed enough–there were many Sahabah who were killed in the Path of Allah, but the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) never mourned their deaths in the manner in which the Shia mourn Hussain (رضّى الله عنه). The Prophet lost his own dear uncle, his own wife, and many of his dearest companions, but do we see that the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) ever resorted to self-flagellation or excessive mourning? The Shia can never provide such an example from the life of the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم), probably not even from Shia sources. Therefore, we find that it is not part of the Sunnah to mourn in such an uncivilized manner and we shall never take part in it because of this.
Let us refute this Nasibi by citing Allamah Shibli Numani al Hanafi is a renowned Sunni scholar from the Indian subcontinent. In his Sirat-un Nabi (Eng translation Volume 2 pg 74) quoting Sirat Ibn Hisham we read the following about Hamzah (as) martyrdom:
"The Holy Prophet (P) returned to Madina and found the whole city gone into mourning. Whenever he went, he heard wailing and lamentation in every house. He was grieved to find that all who were martyred in the battle had their mourners doing their duty to the memory of their dear ones. But there was none to mourn the death of Hamzah (ra). Overwhelmed with grief, the words that there was no one to mourn the loss of Hamzah escaped his lips. The Ansâris were touched to the core when they heard this remark from the Prophet(s). They asked their women to go to the house of the Prophet (S) and mourn for Hamzah. The Prophet (p) thanked them for their sympathy, prayed for their well-being, but added that it was not permissible to lament in memory of the dead. (Women in Arabia were used to wailing and lamenting aloud, they would tear off their garments, dig their nails into their cheeks, slap themselves on the face and put up loud screams. This undesirable practice was from that day stopped for future)"
Nawasib such as Ibn al-Hashimi will no doubt take heart from the last few lines so let us pass a comment on them:
Observation One
Whilst these words are not acceptable for being contradictory to previous lines of the narration, our readers should also know that the words 'it is not permissible to lament in memory of the dead' is an addition that cannot be found in other history books.
We read in the History of Tabari Volume 7 page 137:
“The Messenger of God passed by a settlement of the Ansar of the Banu Abdal al-Ashhal and Zafat and heard sounds of lamentation and women weeping. The Messenger of God’s eyes filled with tears and he wept, but then he said “Yet Hamzah has no women weeping for him”. When Saad bin Muadh and Usayd b. Hudayr came back to the settlement of the Banu Abdal al-Ashhal, they told the women to gird themselves up and go and weep for the Messenger of God’s uncle”.
[ref= tarikh_tabari_v7_p137.jpg]History of Tabari Volume 7 page 137 [/ref]
Al Muhaddith Shah Abdul Haqq Dehlavi in 'Madarij un Nabuwat' records the event as follows:
"When Holy Prophet (s) reached Madina, he saw that cries could be heard from most of the houses of Ansaar (the helpers) but not from Hamza's house. Holy Prophet (s) said that wasn't there anyone to cry over Hamza? The helpers (Ansaar) asked their women to mourn over Hamza first and then they may go and cry over their own martyr. The women went to Hamza's house in the evening and kept crying till midnight. When Holy Prophet(s) woke up and asked about it, he was told the whole thing. Holy Prophet(s) blessed them by saying" May Allah be pleased with you and your children."
Madarij un Nabuwat, volume 2 page 179It has been similarly recorded in Al-Isti'ab that after Holy Prophet's query,"none of the wives of the helpers cried over their own dead but cried for Hamza",
Therefore through no tradition, reference or logic can it be proved that Holy Prophet (s) stopped Ummah from crying over the death of their dear ones.
Observation Two
Our assertion that the words "It is not permissible to mourn over the dead" is a later addition is confirmed when we observe the first edition of Shibli Numani's work. We relied on the Urdu to English translation of Numani's work. Of interest is the fact that the part in brackets wherein the practice of mourning is condemned was added in later editions. The original statement as narrated in the first edition is mentioned above. Look at this report from "Seerat Un Nabi" part 1, page 361, published in 1975 by "Deeni Kutb Khana Islami, Lahore."
"Holy Prophet (s) reached Madina, the whole of Madina had turned into a mourning place, his Excellency could hear voices of people mourning from every house, and Holy Prophet (s) felt grieved that all martyrs were being cried upon by their relatives but there was no one to mourn over Hamza. In severe grief he said: "Isn't there anyone to cry over Hamza?" The Helpers (Ansaar) palpitated when they heard this and therefore all of them asked their wives to go and mourn over Hamza's martyrdom. When Holy Prophet(s) saw that the females of Ansaar (the helpers) were mourning for Hamza, he blessed them and thanked them for their sympathy but he further said "It is not permissible to cry over dead."
After this a whole paragraph from "This was a tradition in Arabia" till "intense love for Hamza" has been removed from the frst edition and further replaced by this new statement. This is the ingenuity of Syed Salman Nadvi who completed this book of his teacher (Shabli Naumani) after his death. This new paragraph is not present in the first edition.
"Women in Arabia were used to wailing and lamenting aloud, they would tear off their garments, dig their nails into their cheeks, slap themselves on the face and put up loud screams. This undesirable practice was from that day stopped for future".
The Urdu/Arabic alphabet "seen" in the text denotes that this statement was not present in the earlier edition and Syed Suleman Nadvi added itafterwards. Later editions simply removed th 'Seen' so as to imply that these words were those of Numani!
Observation Three
Whilst this shows how dishonest these Nasibi are, let us also address the comments of Nadvi:
- If Lamenting were Haraam why would the Prophet (s) be sad on the fact that no one was mourning his slain Uncle?
- Why would the Prophet (s) allow the women to do something that is Haraam? (i,e mourning for their own dead ones)
- If as Numani tells that this was a common practice amongst Arab women and the Prophet banned it, this prohibition would have definitely received maximum publicity.
Observation Four
Even if it is believed that Holy Prophet (s) did say 'It is not permissible to cry over the dead' such a statement would not effect our mourning because Imam Husayn (as) is a martyr and it is forbidden to call them dead. Such restrictions are for those who die a natural death not those who are slain in the way of Allah (swt).
Observation Five
The reference makes it clear that our Holy Prophet (s) paid gratitude to those who consoled and mourned over Hamza's martyrdom. He approved of this act and blessed them with his prayers. Had it been a prohibited act the Prophet (s) would never have shown gratitude. This gratitude strengthens our point that the words 'It is not permissible to cry over the dead' has no correlation with the incident. Rather Syed Suleman Nadvi amended the statements in order to cover up Allamah Shibli Numani's blunder.
The mourning of Hamza did not just end there; we have already cited the fact that the Holy Prophet (s) and the three Caliphs' would visit the graves of the martyrs every year.
Beating and mourning by the wives of the Prophet (s)
Curiously, not a single wife of the Prophet (s) ever heard of this ban (a claimed by Nadvi in the previous reference). On the contrary Ayesha regarded by Ahl'ul Sunnah as the most knowledgeable women on Qur'an and Sunnah performed the following act when the Prophet (s) left this earth.
As narrated by al Tabari in History Volume 9 page 183 (English translation by Ismail Poonawala):
Abbas narrates:
"I heard Ayesha saying "The Messenger of God died on my bosom during my turn, I did not wrong anyone in regard to him. It was because of my ignorance and youthfulness that the Messenger of God died while he was in my lap. Then I laid his head on a pillow and got up beating my chest and slapping my face along with the women".
Ibn Katheer al Nasibi in al Bidayah wa al Nihayah Volume 5 page 420 published by Nafees Academy Karachi records the event as follows:
"Rasulullah (s) died while he was in my lap. Then I laid his head on a pillow and got up beating my face along with other women".
Bidayah wa al Nihayah, Volume 5, page 420
Sirah Ibn Ishaq, page 713 (declared 'Hasan')
Sirah Ibn Hisham, Volume 4 page 655Do we need to say anymore? Would the wives of the Prophet (s) indulge in a Haraam activity? Look at the beating ritual by the women of Madina. Ibn Katheer mentions how extreme that beating was that their faces reddened with slapping. What do the Nasibi say about these women? Were they evil Rafidi innovators lead by Ayesha?
Ayesha did matam for Holy prophet(sawa); from sunni books.
“I heard Ayesha saying
“The Messenger of God died on my bosom during my turn, I did not wrong
anyone in regard to him. It was because of my ignorance and youthfulness
that the Messenger of God died while he was in my lap. Then I laid his
head on a pillow and got up beating my chest and slapping my face along
with the women”
if you see it is graded as HASSAN.
also, we find this in as seerat un nabawia, ibn hisham
like tareekh tibri, and masnad abu yala
Beating and mourning by Uthman's wives and daughter
We read in Tareekh Kamil Volume 3 page 89:
"When Uthman was killed his killers intended to sever his head. His wives Naila and Umm'ul Baneen lay over him screamed and began to beat their faces"
Narrations also record that Uthman's daughter also acted likewise. As evidence we shall rely on the following Sunni works:
"Ibn Jareer narrates that when the killer intended to sever Uthman's head, the women began to scream and strike their faces. This included Uthman's wives Naila, Ummul Baneen and daughter".
Al Bidayah wa al Nihaya, Volume 7, page 371
If the wives of Uthman can mourn Uthman's killing in this way then the Shi'a of Maula 'Ali (as) can likewise mourn the slaying of Imam Husayn (as) in this way.
In Madarij al Nubuwwh, Vol 2, page 163, the high ranking Sunni Scholar, Sheikh Abdul Haq Mohaddith Dehlavi recorded that:
"Fatima Zahra (as) hearing the rumour of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (s) at Uhud came out of her house running and beating her head".
Does it not transpire from the above that beating of head during the act of mourning for a martyr is allowed by the religion as Sayyida (as) was well aware of the religious code and was also infallible according to Ayah Tatheer (33:33). In addition an action of any member of Ahl'ul bayt is a Sunnah for the Ithna Ashari Shi'as. Thus mourning is not bidah but is a Sunnah of Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (as).
We shall rely on the following Sunni works:
The narrator says that he saw Abu Hurrayra hitting his forehead and said 'o people of Iraq could you even imagine that I would lie about the Prophet?'
Abu Huraryra's act here was out of shock and distress. If this Sahabi can act in such a manner then no fault should be found with the Shi'a when they mourn the loss of Imam Husayn (as) by hitting themselves.
"When Uthman was killed his killers intended to sever his head. His wives Naila and Umm'ul Baneen lay over him screamed and began to beat their faces"
Narrations also record that Uthman's daughter also acted likewise. As evidence we shall rely on the following Sunni works:
- Al Bidayah wa al Nihaya, Volume 7 page 371
- Tareekh Tabari, Volume 6 page 302
- Tareekh Aathim Kufi, page 159
"Ibn Jareer narrates that when the killer intended to sever Uthman's head, the women began to scream and strike their faces. This included Uthman's wives Naila, Ummul Baneen and daughter".
Al Bidayah wa al Nihaya, Volume 7, page 371If the wives of Uthman can mourn Uthman's killing in this way then the Shi'a of Maula 'Ali (as) can likewise mourn the slaying of Imam Husayn (as) in this way.
The mourning of Fatima al-Zahra (as)
In Madarij al Nubuwwh, Vol 2, page 163, the high ranking Sunni Scholar, Sheikh Abdul Haq Mohaddith Dehlavi recorded that:
"Fatima Zahra (as) hearing the rumour of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (s) at Uhud came out of her house running and beating her head".
Does it not transpire from the above that beating of head during the act of mourning for a martyr is allowed by the religion as Sayyida (as) was well aware of the religious code and was also infallible according to Ayah Tatheer (33:33). In addition an action of any member of Ahl'ul bayt is a Sunnah for the Ithna Ashari Shi'as. Thus mourning is not bidah but is a Sunnah of Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (as).
The mourning of Abu Hurraira
We shall rely on the following Sunni works:
- Adaab al Mufarad, page 426
- Sunan Ibn Majah, page 30
The narrator says that he saw Abu Hurrayra hitting his forehead and said 'o people of Iraq could you even imagine that I would lie about the Prophet?'
Abu Huraryra's act here was out of shock and distress. If this Sahabi can act in such a manner then no fault should be found with the Shi'a when they mourn the loss of Imam Husayn (as) by hitting themselves.
Beating and mourning by the wives of the Sahaba
Allamah Shibli Numani al Hanafi is a renowned Sunni scholar from the Indian subcontinent. In his Sirat-un Nabi (Eng translation Volume 2 pg 74) quoting Sirat Ibn Hisham we read the following about Hadhrath Hamzah (as) martyrdom:
"The Holy Prophet (P) returned to Madina and found the whole city gone into mourning. Whenever he went, he heard wailing and lamentation in every house. He was grieved to find that all who were martyred in the battle had their mourners doing their duty to the memory of their dear ones. But there was none to mourn the death of Hamzah (ra). Overwhelmed with grief, the words that there was no one to mourn the loss of Hamzah escaped his lips. The Ansâris were touched to the core when they heard this remark from the Prophet(s). They asked their women to go to the house of the Prophet (S) and mourn for Hamzah. The Prophet (p) thanked them for their sympathy, prayed for their well-being, but added that it was not permissible to lament in memory of the dead. (Women in Arabia were used to wailing and lamenting aloud, they would tear off their garments, dig their nails into their cheeks, slap themselves on the face and put up loud screams. This undesirable practice was from that day stopped for future)"
The mourning of Bilal (ra)
We read in Madharij al Nubuwwa Volume 2 page 441, whilst discussing the death of the Prophet (s):
"When the situation of the Prophet worsened, Bilal emerged beating his head and loudly wailing,'I wish my mother had not given birth to me, and that if she had I wish that I had died before this day"
The extreme mourning of Hadrath Uwais al-Qarni (ra)
The most explicit proof of self-inflicted injury comes from Owais al-Qarni the great Muslim Sahabi, praised by both Shi'a and Sunni erudite. He had an immense love for the Holy Prophet (s). When the news reached him in Yemen that two teeth of the Holy Prophet (s) were broken in the battle of Ohad, he extracted all his teeth. When the Holy Prophet (s) got the news in Medina that Owais had struck down all his teeth, he (s) exclaimed, "Indeed Owais is our devoted friend". This event can be found written in Seerate Halbia' vol II, page 295.
The renowned Scholar Shiekh Farid al Din Attaar in \'Tadhkhirathul Awliya\' Urdu translation page 17 and 18 writes:
"Hadhrath Uways Qarni (ra) said to Umar: 'If you were true in friendship than why on the day when the holy teeth of the Prophet (s) were broken didn't you break your teeth in companionship? Because, it is a condition of companionship.' Then he showed his teeth all of which were broken and said 'I broke all of my teeth without seeing you (O Prophet) and in the state of Ghaybah in your companionship. I had broken one tooth but couldn’t get satisfaction so kept on breaking them one by one until I had broken them all ".
Had the breaking of teeth by Uways Qarni (ra) been in opposition to Shariah, Umar would certainly have pointed it out at the time or at least commented and answered the accusation by Uways Qarni (ra) of his less than perfect companionship. The silence of Umar proves that he didn't deem the act of breaking one's teeth as done by Uways Qarni (ra) as opposed to Shariah but considered it an act of sincerity and also a proof of friendship.
It is interesting that
Tell us, would Uways Qarni’ss destruction of his teeth with a blunt instrument not fall within your definition of ‘barbaric practises of self-flagellation, violence, and paganism’? If so, did the Prophet (s) agree with your view and condemn this extreme form of self harm?
We should point out that breaking one's teeth is a thousand times more painful than the beating of one's chest for a few hours. It is more extreme than chest beating with chains or knives (Zanjeer) because those who have suffered from tooth ache will understand the immense pain that circulates in the mouth and head. Compare the removal of a tooth to the forced removal of a full set of teeth without the benefit of modern day anaesthetics and instruments. The pain must have been unbearable. This was clearly an act of great courage.
We shall rely on the following esteemed Sunni works:
'He (Abu Bakr al-Makki) said: 'I heard al-Warkani saying: 'The day on which Ahmad bin Hanbal died, in it 'Matam' and lamentation took place among four types of people, the Muslims, the Jews, the Christians and the Zoroastrians''.
The Muslims killed Ibn Hanbal and also mourned him. The same people accuse the Shi'a of killing Imam Husayn (as) and mourning him for atonement. They acuse Shias for what has been their own practice.
If Matam is such an extreme sin, then why was such sin committed for this Sunni Imam?
We read in Riyadh al Nadira page 187:
"When Umar died the Djinns recited a elegy 'Umar female Djinns are mourning you in a loud voice and they are beating their faces'
If mourning in such a manner is Bidah then why was it necessary for the women of Paradise to mourn in this manner? If it was Bidah why do you think the Sunni scholars coined such a fabricated tale? When Umar died the women of Paradise beat their faces but if Shi'a women mourn the slaying of Imam Husayn (as) and his supporters, mutilation of their bodies and the imprisonment of their women folk they are deemed evil innovators.
We read in Kanz al Ummal Volume Six page 118:
"The narrator said people had attributed the prohibition of elegies to Umar, but the fact is that when Khalid bin Waleed died the women of Banu Mugheer indulged in seven days of mourning. They reddened their chests, wailed, food was distributed and elegies were recited. Umar did not place any prohibition on this mourning".
When Ahl'ul Sunnah's great hero dies elegies and self beating occurs under the watchful eye of Umar and he takes no remedial steps to quash this alleged Bidah. However when the Shi'a do the same in memory of Imam Husayn (as) the Nasibi' come out in force to oppose them.
An Arabs mourning before the Prophet (s)
Malik's Muwatta
Book 18, Number 18.9.29:
Yahya related to me from Malik from Ata ibn Abdullah al-Khurasani that Said ibn al-Musayyab said, "A Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) beating his breast and tearing out his hair and saying, 'I am destroyed.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Why is that?', and he said, 'I had intercourse with my wife while fasting in Ramadan.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked him, 'Are you able to free a slave?', and the man said, 'No.' Then he asked him, 'Are you able to give away a camel?', and the man replied, 'No.' He said, 'Sit down,' and someone brought a large basket of dates to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said to the man, 'Take this and give it away as Sadaqa.' The man said, 'There is no one more needy than me,' and (the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace), said, 'Eat them, and fast one day for the day when you had intercourse.' "
Worthy of note is the fact that Darr Qathani in his Sharh of Muwatta Volume 2 (this tradition) adds that that 'he was placing mud in his hair'.
The incident should be considered in the light of the following facts:
1) He was beating his chest and tearing his hair in presence of Holy Prophet (s) who neither objected to it nor reprimanded him for the same.
2) The action of the Bedouin was a result of spiritual pain he suffered as his fast was invalidated.
3) Sunni traditionists have authentically recorded this incident.
4) The Bedouin's actions were a direct result of the agony he was going through. It led him to beat, his chest, tear his hair and place dirt in his hair.
We suggest to those who deem mourning for Imam Husayn (as) Bidah to look at these Rafidi acts that were performed in the presence of the Prophet (s). If it was Haraam why did not the Prophet (s) tell him to refrain from such actions?
In the Sunni Magazine Khadim al Deen, published Lahore on the 18th of October 1976 page 20, in the topic of Ayesha we read:
"People were saddened by the death of Ayesha; Masrooq said if certain situations had not arisen then I would have performed Matam for her.
Look at the preparations for mourning Ayesha's death. If mourning is a gate to hell why were the Sahaba making this road for themselves by desiring to mourn her loss in such a manner?Islamic Law
When the Imam of a Fiqh permits an act, then it is not permissible for those of other Madhabs to raise their objections. We deem Ahl'ul bayt (as) our Imams and uphold their words. If they ruled on the permissibility of Azadari, then we care little what the Imams from Mu'awiyah and Yazeed's lineage have to say against it.
Sayyida Zaynab (s.a)-the sister of Imam Hussain (as) beat herself on three separate occasions
First Occasion
"When the enemy planned to attack the camp of Husayn(a.s), Zaynab(s.a) went to Husayn(a.s) and asked 'what is this noise outside our tents?' Imam Husayn [a.s] replied 'I just saw a dream wherein the Apostle of Allah(s.a) told me that he would reach me by tomorrow. Upon hearing this Sayyida Zaynab(s.a) became aggrieved and slapped her face"
"When Sayyida Zaynab(s.a) listened to the verses from her brother that indicated his death, she mourned by beating her face, tearing her clothes and losing her senses by falling to the ground"
Third occasion
Qurat bin Kas narrates that when the women of Bani Hashim(a.s) passed by the battlefield they wept bitterly by beating their faces.
When the grand daughter of the Prophet (s) was brought into the city of Kufa as prisoner her calamity became more severe. When she saw the head of Imam (as) on the pointed end of lance, she stroke her head on the wooden part of the saddle in extreme grief and blood started flowing from her head.
Baba Fareed Ganj Shakar of Pak Patan is a major Sunni Sufi Saint. He commands thousands of adherents from the Indian Subcontinent. We read in the Sunni text From Uswa - e - Sufia Uzzaam, Page 8:
He used to lament and cry for Imam Husayn (as) on the day of Ashura so much so that he would fall unconscious. It is narrated from him that there was a saintly man in Baghdad and when the tragedy of Karbala was described to him, he cried so piteously and profusely and smashed his head so hard on the ground out of grief that he died! The same night, people saw him in their dream and enquired of his condition to which he replied: I gave up my life for the love of Ahl - e - Bait (as) hence Allah has pardoned me and I now live with Imam Husayn (as).
Is not the status of an Azadaar equivalent to that of a Martyr? This shows that self - flagellate with knives and swords, doing Matam and giving up one's life for the love of these Infallibles is a cause of redemption and pardon from Allah (swt).
Allamah Shibli Numani al Hanafi is a renowned Sunni scholar from the Indian subcontinent. In his Sirat-un Nabi (Eng translation Volume 2 pg 74) quoting Sirat Ibn Hisham we read the following about Hadhrath Hamzah (as) martyrdom:
"The Holy Prophet (P) returned to Madina and found the whole city gone into mourning. Whenever he went, he heard wailing and lamentation in every house. He was grieved to find that all who were martyred in the battle had their mourners doing their duty to the memory of their dear ones. But there was none to mourn the death of Hamzah (ra). Overwhelmed with grief, the words that there was no one to mourn the loss of Hamzah escaped his lips. The Ansâris were touched to the core when they heard this remark from the Prophet(s). They asked their women to go to the house of the Prophet (S) and mourn for Hamzah. The Prophet (p) thanked them for their sympathy, prayed for their well-being, but added that it was not permissible to lament in memory of the dead. (Women in Arabia were used to wailing and lamenting aloud, they would tear off their garments, dig their nails into their cheeks, slap themselves on the face and put up loud screams. This undesirable practice was from that day stopped for future)"
The mourning of Bilal (ra)
We read in Madharij al Nubuwwa Volume 2 page 441, whilst discussing the death of the Prophet (s):
"When the situation of the Prophet worsened, Bilal emerged beating his head and loudly wailing,'I wish my mother had not given birth to me, and that if she had I wish that I had died before this day"
The extreme mourning of Hadrath Uwais al-Qarni (ra)
The most explicit proof of self-inflicted injury comes from Owais al-Qarni the great Muslim Sahabi, praised by both Shi'a and Sunni erudite. He had an immense love for the Holy Prophet (s). When the news reached him in Yemen that two teeth of the Holy Prophet (s) were broken in the battle of Ohad, he extracted all his teeth. When the Holy Prophet (s) got the news in Medina that Owais had struck down all his teeth, he (s) exclaimed, "Indeed Owais is our devoted friend". This event can be found written in Seerate Halbia' vol II, page 295.
The renowned Scholar Shiekh Farid al Din Attaar in \'Tadhkhirathul Awliya\' Urdu translation page 17 and 18 writes:
"Hadhrath Uways Qarni (ra) said to Umar: 'If you were true in friendship than why on the day when the holy teeth of the Prophet (s) were broken didn't you break your teeth in companionship? Because, it is a condition of companionship.' Then he showed his teeth all of which were broken and said 'I broke all of my teeth without seeing you (O Prophet) and in the state of Ghaybah in your companionship. I had broken one tooth but couldn’t get satisfaction so kept on breaking them one by one until I had broken them all ".
Comment
Had the breaking of teeth by Uways Qarni (ra) been in opposition to Shariah, Umar would certainly have pointed it out at the time or at least commented and answered the accusation by Uways Qarni (ra) of his less than perfect companionship. The silence of Umar proves that he didn't deem the act of breaking one's teeth as done by Uways Qarni (ra) as opposed to Shariah but considered it an act of sincerity and also a proof of friendship.
It is interesting that
| Ibn al Hashimi argues: |
| In regards to the actual rituals of the Shia, these are barbaric practises of self-flagellation, violence, and paganism |
Tell us, would Uways Qarni’ss destruction of his teeth with a blunt instrument not fall within your definition of ‘barbaric practises of self-flagellation, violence, and paganism’? If so, did the Prophet (s) agree with your view and condemn this extreme form of self harm?
We should point out that breaking one's teeth is a thousand times more painful than the beating of one's chest for a few hours. It is more extreme than chest beating with chains or knives (Zanjeer) because those who have suffered from tooth ache will understand the immense pain that circulates in the mouth and head. Compare the removal of a tooth to the forced removal of a full set of teeth without the benefit of modern day anaesthetics and instruments. The pain must have been unbearable. This was clearly an act of great courage.
Mourning following the death of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
We shall rely on the following esteemed Sunni works:
- Tareekh Baghdad, Volume 4 page 422
- Hayaat al Haywaan, page 101
قال وسمعت الوركاني يقول يوم مات احمد بن حنبل وقع الماتم والنوح في أربعة أصناف من الناس المسلمين واليهود والنصارى والمجوس
'He (Abu Bakr al-Makki) said: 'I heard al-Warkani saying: 'The day on which Ahmad bin Hanbal died, in it 'Matam' and lamentation took place among four types of people, the Muslims, the Jews, the Christians and the Zoroastrians''.
The Muslims killed Ibn Hanbal and also mourned him. The same people accuse the Shi'a of killing Imam Husayn (as) and mourning him for atonement. They acuse Shias for what has been their own practice.
If Matam is such an extreme sin, then why was such sin committed for this Sunni Imam?
Heavens mourning at the death of Umar!
We read in Riyadh al Nadira page 187:
"When Umar died the Djinns recited a elegy 'Umar female Djinns are mourning you in a loud voice and they are beating their faces'
If mourning in such a manner is Bidah then why was it necessary for the women of Paradise to mourn in this manner? If it was Bidah why do you think the Sunni scholars coined such a fabricated tale? When Umar died the women of Paradise beat their faces but if Shi'a women mourn the slaying of Imam Husayn (as) and his supporters, mutilation of their bodies and the imprisonment of their women folk they are deemed evil innovators.
Seven days of mourning of Khalid bin Waleed
We read in Kanz al Ummal Volume Six page 118:
"The narrator said people had attributed the prohibition of elegies to Umar, but the fact is that when Khalid bin Waleed died the women of Banu Mugheer indulged in seven days of mourning. They reddened their chests, wailed, food was distributed and elegies were recited. Umar did not place any prohibition on this mourning".
When Ahl'ul Sunnah's great hero dies elegies and self beating occurs under the watchful eye of Umar and he takes no remedial steps to quash this alleged Bidah. However when the Shi'a do the same in memory of Imam Husayn (as) the Nasibi' come out in force to oppose them.
An Arabs mourning before the Prophet (s)
Malik's Muwatta
Book 18, Number 18.9.29:
Yahya related to me from Malik from Ata ibn Abdullah al-Khurasani that Said ibn al-Musayyab said, "A Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) beating his breast and tearing out his hair and saying, 'I am destroyed.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Why is that?', and he said, 'I had intercourse with my wife while fasting in Ramadan.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked him, 'Are you able to free a slave?', and the man said, 'No.' Then he asked him, 'Are you able to give away a camel?', and the man replied, 'No.' He said, 'Sit down,' and someone brought a large basket of dates to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said to the man, 'Take this and give it away as Sadaqa.' The man said, 'There is no one more needy than me,' and (the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace), said, 'Eat them, and fast one day for the day when you had intercourse.' "
Worthy of note is the fact that Darr Qathani in his Sharh of Muwatta Volume 2 (this tradition) adds that that 'he was placing mud in his hair'.
The incident should be considered in the light of the following facts:
1) He was beating his chest and tearing his hair in presence of Holy Prophet (s) who neither objected to it nor reprimanded him for the same.
2) The action of the Bedouin was a result of spiritual pain he suffered as his fast was invalidated.
3) Sunni traditionists have authentically recorded this incident.
4) The Bedouin's actions were a direct result of the agony he was going through. It led him to beat, his chest, tear his hair and place dirt in his hair.
We suggest to those who deem mourning for Imam Husayn (as) Bidah to look at these Rafidi acts that were performed in the presence of the Prophet (s). If it was Haraam why did not the Prophet (s) tell him to refrain from such actions?
Mourning at the time of Ayesha's death
In the Sunni Magazine Khadim al Deen, published Lahore on the 18th of October 1976 page 20, in the topic of Ayesha we read:
"People were saddened by the death of Ayesha; Masrooq said if certain situations had not arisen then I would have performed Matam for her.
Look at the preparations for mourning Ayesha's death. If mourning is a gate to hell why were the Sahaba making this road for themselves by desiring to mourn her loss in such a manner?Islamic Law
When the Imam of a Fiqh permits an act, then it is not permissible for those of other Madhabs to raise their objections. We deem Ahl'ul bayt (as) our Imams and uphold their words. If they ruled on the permissibility of Azadari, then we care little what the Imams from Mu'awiyah and Yazeed's lineage have to say against it.
Sayyida Zaynab (s.a)-the sister of Imam Hussain (as) beat herself on three separate occasions
First Occasion
"When the enemy planned to attack the camp of Husayn(a.s), Zaynab(s.a) went to Husayn(a.s) and asked 'what is this noise outside our tents?' Imam Husayn [a.s] replied 'I just saw a dream wherein the Apostle of Allah(s.a) told me that he would reach me by tomorrow. Upon hearing this Sayyida Zaynab(s.a) became aggrieved and slapped her face"
Al Bidaya wa al Nihaya Volume 8 page 176Second occasion
"When Sayyida Zaynab(s.a) listened to the verses from her brother that indicated his death, she mourned by beating her face, tearing her clothes and losing her senses by falling to the ground"
Al Bidaya wa al Nihaya, Volume 8 page 177
Tareekh Kamil Volume 4 page 30
Tareekh Tabari Volume 7 Page 324.
Third occasion
Qurat bin Kas narrates that when the women of Bani Hashim(a.s) passed by the battlefield they wept bitterly by beating their faces.
Al Bidaya wa al Nihaya Volume 8 page 93
Tareekh Kamil Volume 4 page 42
Tareekh Tabari Volume 7 Page 370.
When the grand daughter of the Prophet (s) was brought into the city of Kufa as prisoner her calamity became more severe. When she saw the head of Imam (as) on the pointed end of lance, she stroke her head on the wooden part of the saddle in extreme grief and blood started flowing from her head.
Baba Fareed Ganj Shakar's self harm mourning for Imam Husayn (as)
Baba Fareed Ganj Shakar of Pak Patan is a major Sunni Sufi Saint. He commands thousands of adherents from the Indian Subcontinent. We read in the Sunni text From Uswa - e - Sufia Uzzaam, Page 8:
He used to lament and cry for Imam Husayn (as) on the day of Ashura so much so that he would fall unconscious. It is narrated from him that there was a saintly man in Baghdad and when the tragedy of Karbala was described to him, he cried so piteously and profusely and smashed his head so hard on the ground out of grief that he died! The same night, people saw him in their dream and enquired of his condition to which he replied: I gave up my life for the love of Ahl - e - Bait (as) hence Allah has pardoned me and I now live with Imam Husayn (as).
Comment
Is not the status of an Azadaar equivalent to that of a Martyr? This shows that self - flagellate with knives and swords, doing Matam and giving up one's life for the love of these Infallibles is a cause of redemption and pardon from Allah (swt).
The skies shed blood in grief of Imam Husayn (as)
Allamah Ibn Hajar Makki writes:
"Abu Said says that on the day of the martyrdom of Husayn(a.s), there was fresh blood found under every stone lifted; and the sky also rained blood whose result was evident on clothes for ages. Abu Naim says that on the day of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (as) our containers (of water) were full of blood."
Sawaiq al-Muhriqa, Page 192
It is written in Tafseer al-Jalalayn, on page 411, Annotation no.7 (Print. Karachi): Under "Fama Bakta Alaihim Sama" Sa`di has been quoted as saying:
"When the oppressed Imam was martyred, the sky wept on his martyrdom; the weeping of the sky is its being red and anger is the reason behind the bloody tears."
Note : All the references quoted above are from renowned sunni sources
Conclusion :
Shias would never kill themself. and they do not beat themselves in a sense that it will kill them.
Matam is a way that we can show the Imam that we are here for him and that we curse the ones who deceived him and and killed him and his family.
Shia Views and The Message
Over one thousand three hundred and fifty years ago, on the 10th of Muharram, just before 'asr, a man stood on a sand-dune at Kerbala. He was bleeding from several wounds on his body. He had lost everything. Since early morning he had carried several dead bodies into his camp. He had even buried his infant child.
Of course that call was a call to Muslims of every generation in every land. It was a call to us where ever we may be. It was a call for help. Help against Yezeedism which in every age rears its ugly head to oppress justice, truth and morality. Our Imam was calling out to every Muslim of every age and time to combat Yezeedism, both within himself and as an external force. This was his battle cry for jihad-ul-akbar. He had already demonstrated that his objective had always been to create a spiritual awakening through amr bil ma'ruf and nahyi anal munkar. Now he was calling out for the continuation of this jihad at the individual, social and political levels.
Evolution of Aza
Muslims, and more particularly the Shias, have answered this call with the unique institution of aza-e-Hussain. With every tear that we shed for him we pledge to resist the oppression of injustice, immorality, inequity and falsehood. Every time we raise our hand and bring it down on our chest in matam, we are saying: "Labbaik, Labbaik Ya Mawla!" to our Imam, Hussain Ibne Ali, the grandson of the Holy Prophet (SAWA).
For long the word aza-e-Hussain has been exclusively used in connection with the remembrance ceremonies for the martyrdom of Imam Hussain. Aza-e-Hussain includes mourning congregations, lamentations, matam and all such actions which express the emotions of grief, anger and, above all, repulsion against what Yezid stood for. These emotions, however, remain futile and hypocritical unless accompanied by a will to reform both at the individual level and the community level.
Aza-e-Hussain was a phenomenon which gripped Muslim conscience immediately after the tragedy of Kerbala.
The first majlis-e-Hussain was recited in the market-place of Kufa by a lady from whose head her veil had been ripped off, whose hopes and aspirations had been destroyed on the blood-drenched sands of Kerbala but whose indomitable spirit stepped forward to free the Islamic values from the yoke of tyranny and oppression. She was the first one to answer the call of Imam Hussain. Standing on her unsaddled camel, she looked at the multitude rejoicing the victory of Yezid. As soon as people saw her, they were quiet. They knew that a historic moment for Kufa had arrived. Looking straight at them, the daughter of Ali said:
Sermon of Janab Zainab Bint Ali in Market-place of Kufa & Matam
"Woe upon you O people of Kufa. Do you realise which piece of Muhammad's heart you have severed! Which pledge you have broken! Whose blood you have shed! Whose honour you have desecrated!. It is not just Hussain whose headless body lies unburied on the sands of Kerbala. It is the heart of the Holy Prophet. It is the very soul of Islam !"
When the prisoners were finally freed by Yezid, Bibi Zainab asked for an opportunity to have rites of remembrance in Damascus. A house was made available to them and aza-e-Hussain went on for over a week. Bibi Zainab (A.S.) laid the foundation of aza-e-Hussain in the very capital of his murderer!
The first majlis touched and moved the people of Kufa so deeply as to give rise to both the Tawwabun movement and al-Mukhtar’s quest for vengeance.
One year after the event of Kerbala, 3000 faithful Shias started their movement as a revenge for Imam Hussain (AS).
After the Tawabbun movement, 3 years after the event of Kerbala, Al-Mukhtar ibn Abi Ubayd al Thaqafi led another Shia rebellion against the Ummayads, more political in nature. Mukhtar however, was martyred a year later.
This is also one of the reasons why we can see the graves of the Ahlulbayt, and the followers of Ali (AS), spread throughout Iran, Iraq, Saudia and Syria. This might be proof enough of the exile and execution, the Ahlulbayt and their Shias went through during the tyrant era of Ummayads and Abbasids.
Self Injury and Shia Views
The most explicit proof of self inflicted injury comes Owais Qarni, the great Muslim Sahaba, praised by both Shia as well as Sunni erudites, had an immense love for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w). When the news reached him in Yemen that two teeth of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) were broken in the battle of Ohad, he extracted all his teeth. When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) got the news in Medina that Owais had struck down all his teeth, he (s.a.w) exclaimed, "Indeed Owais is our devoted friend."
This event can be found written in 'Tazkeratul Aulia' by Sheikh Fariddun Attar, also 'Ihsanul Uyun' commonly known as 'Seerate Halbia' vol II, page 295.295.
We should point out that breaking one's teeth is a thousand times more painful than the beating of one's chest for a few hours. It is even more extreme than breast beating with chains or knives (Zanjir) because those who have suffered from tooth ache will understand the immense pain that circulates in the mouth and head. Compare the removal of a tooth to the forced removal of a full set of teeth without the benefit of modern day anaesthetic and instruments the pain must have been unbearable. This was clearly an act of great courage
Hadrath Zaynab[sa] was the first person who hit her forehead to a bar inside the carriage she was in, causing considerable bleeding, when the head of al-Hussain was being paraded in Kufa. This is one evidence that the shedding of blood is permissible; whether from the head or from the back etc. The infallible Imam Zayn-el-'Aabidin used to address Lady Zaynab al-Kubra by saying to her "You are al-Hamdu-Lillah an untaught scholar" - "Anti al-Hamdu-Lillah 'Alimah Ghayr Mu'allimah"
Shia References :
Bihaar al-Anwaar; volume 45, page 114, Jalaa al-Oyun; volume 2, page 238, Zaynab al-Kubra; page 112, Asraar al-Shahadah; page 474, Al-Muntakhab; volume 2, page 478, Nusrat-ul-Madhlum; page 18.
For more detail Read : Refuting common nasibi objections to Azadari
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