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Showing posts from November, 2014

Fasting on the Day of Ashura

By all standards, the day Imam Hussain, the grandson of the beloved Prophet Muhammad, was killed was a great tragedy. Indeed, it was the greatest tragedy. He was martyred, along with his family members, simply because he stood against injustice. The family of Yazeed (the Banu Umayyah) and the family of Ziyad rejoiced the day he was killed. Not only did they celebrate the day of Ashura, but they turned it into a tradition for subsequent years. They would gather their family and friends and rejoice at the martyrdom of Imam Hussain. While fasting is a great form of worship, we the Shia have valid reservations regarding the fast of Ashura. It is always recommended to fast, anytime throughout the year (except Eid), but the problem is that there is a history of politics behind the fast of Ashura. Killing the very grandson of the Prophet was a major crime, so Banu Umayya attempted to shift the focus of the people for the day of Ashura. Possessing power and money, they spread to the M

Do Shias exaggerate the reward for Ziyarah of Imam Husain (a.s.)?

Some Muslims accuse the Shias of fabricating traditions regarding the ziyaarah of Imam Husain (a.s.), the Chief of Martyrs. They claim traditions that consider ziyaarah of Imam Husain (a.s.) equal to visiting Allah on His Throne (Arsh) and equal to hundreds of Hajj and Umrah are an exaggeration and are not supported by the Holy Quran or the intellect. Reply Such objections only show the dissenting party’s poor knowledge of Allah’s Book and the correct Sunnah. Let alone Imam Husain’s (a.s.) ziyarah, even simple acts of goodness can earn the reward of meeting Allah. In Surah Kahf (18): Verse 110, Allah the Almighty declares: فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا “…therefore whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds, and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.” Performing good deeds is rewarded with meeting the Lord  (لِقَاء رَبِّهِ ).  The good deed can be any one of the hundreds of

Was Imam Husain (a.s.) killed by Yazid or his Shias?

Doubt A section of the Muslims who find themselves in a spot while defending Yazid’s role in killing Imam Husain (a.s.) make lame excuses and indulge in Shia-bashing as if maligning Shias is the answer to all their woes. Among their most ludicrous claims is that the Shias themselves killed Imam Husain (a.s.) and are now repenting for the same. Reply 1. Who killed Hamzah? 2. Role of companions 3. Yazid’s role 4. Who are the Shias? 5. Yazid’s forces were not Shias Who killed Hamzah (a.s.)? Who killed Ammar? This lame excuse reminds one of the argument advanced by Yazid’s father nearly 1,400 years ago when he found himself similarly cornered in Siffeen on the count of being responsible for Ammar’s (r.a.) death, a fact prophesied by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). To deflect blame for killing Ammar b. Yasir (r.a.), one of the greatest companions for whom Paradise was assured, Muawiyah conveniently shifted the blame for the crime of murdering Ammar to Ameerul M