There
is whole history behind our protest against yazeediat and our love for
Imam hussain a.s . we do matam because we love our Imam
Hussain (a.s.)
We do matam as a sign of remembrance for Imam Hussain (as). look at
these hadiths, if these holy people can do matam then we shia's can do
matam as well,
Here is a reference from the Quran related to matam:
In Surah adh-Dhaariyaat we read that 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)
Smote means to strike or hit.
Here is a reference from the Quran related to matam:
In Surah adh-Dhaariyaat we read that 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)
Smote means to strike or hit.
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 rumours of the martyrdom of the Holy Prophet (s) at Uhud came out of her house running and beating her head".
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, 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
Beating and mourning by the wives of the Prophet (s)
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".
Source(s):
Quran, Surah 51, Ayat 29
Madarij al Nubuwwh, Vol 2, page 163
Sawaiq al-Muhriqa, Page 192
Tareek al Tabari Volume 9 page 183
Al Bidayah wa al Nihayah Volume 5 page 420
Hitting one's body in grief
This is
one of the favourite areas of exploitation for the Nasibi and they enjoy
making fun and insisting that these practises are against the Shari'ah.
They serve as further evidence that the Shi'a are a deviated Sect.
Since they adhere to Umar ibn al Khattab's way famed for his words 'the
Qur'an is sufficient for us' lets turn the tables on them. They keep
asking us to prove our mourning rituals from the Qur'an such as crying,
chest beating etc.We ask them to cite us any verse containing the words
Matam, Latmiyah (blood letting) wherein Allah (swt) has declared such
practices to be Haraam. No where in the Holy Qur'an has Matam been
classified as Haraam. On the contrary, the stories of Prophets include
examples of their mourning. As such, the permissibility of Matam is
there in Qur'an but not its prohibition. Thus an act, for which there is
no restriction of any kind by Islamic Laws, becomes permissible. It is
Nasibi who have lied by stating that Matam is against patience and call
only for patience instead!
Mourning rituals 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.
This verse makes it clear
that the public's relaying of injustice is permissible. Relaying the
suffering of a victim is permissible.
Major efforts are
made to prove that the term mourning is proof that Matam is Haraam under
the Shari'ah. On the contrary breast-beating, bloods letting all come
within the term mourning and its purpose is to convey the pains
inflicted on the victim, something which the Quran has sanctioned. We
the Shi'a perform all these acts as Allah (swt) has permitted us to do
so, and the opposition of Nasibi 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 Ahl'ul Sunnah's authority work Ma'arij al Nubuwwah, Chapter 1 page 248:
"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 batil should look at the
bloodletting actions of Adam (as). If Adam (as) can do this why cannot
the Shi'a 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:
- Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 92, Number 446
- Sunan al Nasai, Volume 3 page 305
- Adaab al Mufarad, page 426
- Sahih Muslim Volume 1 page 291
- Musnad Abu Aawna, Volume 2 page 292
We read in Sahih Bukhari:
Narrated
'Ali bin Abi Talib: That Allah's Apostle came to him and
Fatima the daughter of Allah's Apostle at their house at night and said,
"Won't you pray?" 'Ali replied, "O Allah's Apostle! Our souls are in
the Hands of Allah and when he wants us to get up, He makes us get up."
When 'Ali said that to him, Allah's Apostle left without saying anything
to him. While the Prophet was leaving, 'Ali heard him striking his
thigh (with his hand) and saying, "But man is quarrelsome more than
anything else." (18.54)
Ibn Hajr Asqalani in the commentary of this tradition in Fatah al Bari, Volume 3 page 11 writes:
قوله يضرب فخذه فيه جواز ضرب الفخذ عند التأسف
"His statement 'striking his thigh' shows the permission of striking the thigh to express the grief"
If
hitting oneself is Haraam then what Fatwa do the Nawasib have for the
Prophet (s)? The Pillar of Shari'ah is himself hitting his chest, so if
the Shi'a do the same, why are their actions Batil?
Thigh beating is the Sunnah of Maula Ali (as)
We read in Tauhfa Ithna Ashari page 523 published in Karachi:
"When Ayesha was defeated and Ali saw the corpses on the ground he began to beat his thighs"
Tauhfa Ithna Ashari, page 523
These
Nasibi claim that hitting one's chest is Batil, if this were true what
view should we have of Rasulullah (s), Adam (as) and Maula 'Ali (as)?
Thigh beating is the Sunnah of Sahaba
- Musnad Abu Awana, Volume 2 page 141
- Sunan Nasai, Volume 3 page 12
- Sunan Abu Daud, Volume 1 page 244
"Mu'awyia
bin Hakam al-Sulami said: 'I was preforming prayers behind Allah's
messenger (pbuh) then a man sneezed, thus I said to him: 'May Allah's
mercy be upon you'. Thus the people looked at me, then I said to my
self: 'O my, why are you looking at me?' Then they started striking
their thighs, therefore I came to know that they want me to remain
silent'".
This Hadith has been recorded by Albaani in his 'Sahih Sunan Abu Daud' Volume 1 page 175 Hadith 823
Before
deeming self harm to be Haram, perhaps Nawasib should take a closer
look at the acts of the Sahaba. The Sahaba's hitting their thighs and
the silence of the Prophet (s) proves that such acts of distress are not
haraam. It's amusing that these Nasibi Mullah's never raise questions
on any action of the Sahaba whether good or bad but they find fault with
every act of the Shi'a. If the act of the Sahaba's beating themselves
is not Haram then the Shi'as act of beating themselves should not be
construed as Haram either.
Proof of head beating from the Qur'an
In Surah adh-Dhaariyaat we read that 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:
Abu
Hurraira reported that the Angel of Death was sent to Moses (peace be
upon him) to inform of his Lord's summons. When he came, he (Moses)
boxed him [Sakka] and his eye was knocked out. He (the Angel of Death)
came back to the Lord and said: You sent me to a servant who did not
want to die. Allah restored his eye to its proper place (and revived his
eyesight), and then said: Go back to him and tell him that if he wants
life he must place his hand on the back of an ox, and he would be
granted as many years of life as the number of hair covered by his hand.
He (Moses) said: My Lord what would happen then He said: Then you must
court death. He said: Let it be now. And he supplicated Allah to bring
him close to the sacred land. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) said: If I were there, I would have shown you his grave beside
the road at the red mound.
This has also been reported in Sahih Bukhari, Book 23 Volume 2, Book 23, Number 423, Book of Funerals.
We read in the Sunni work Maqamath ai Hareery,
"He beat his cheeks and tore his collar"
The
slapping of Prophet Ibraheem (as)'s wife Sara is proven from the
Qur'an. The Qur'an tells us to adhere to the ways of the people of
Ibraheem (as), so if the Shi'a beat themselves whilst mourning for Imam
Husayn (as) such acts are lawful.
Beating oneself at a time of distress is the Sunnah of Prophet Adam (as)
We read in Madarij al Nubuwah, 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 9 page 98:
قيل
إن جبريل عليه السلام دخل على يوسف عليه السلام حينما كان في السجن فقال
إن بصر أبيك ذهب من الحزن عليك فوضع يده على رأسه وقال : ليت أمي لم تلدني
ولم أك حزناً على أبي
"It has been said that when
Gebrail (pbuh) went to Yusuf (pbuh) in jail he (Gebrail) said to him:
'Your father has become blind due to the grief for you. Thus he (Yusuf)
put his hand on his head and said: 'I wish if my mother didn’t give
birth to me and there would not have been the reason for my father's
grief."
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.
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 Omar 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?
Beating and mourning by the wives of the Sahaba
Before we expand on this reality let us begin by citing words that we had previously cited from
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 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.
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.
The next tradition in effect negates any notion of the Prophet's (s) banning such acts…
Beating and mourning by the wives of the Prophet (s)
Curiously,
not a single wife of the Prophet (s) ever heard of this ban (as 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: <p> </p>"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?
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:
- 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 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.
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.
The mourning of Bilal (ra)
We read in Madarij al Nubuwah, 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'"
Why
did Bilal fail to adopt patience, an act that the Nasibi deem
compulsory? Was the Muazzin and loyal Servant of the Prophet (s)
ignorant of the verses on patience? Even in this case none of the
companions raised any objection at the action of Bilal. Moreover the
Holy Prophet (s) was yet alive and not dead. This is the extreme extent
of grief. Then how can similar action for Imam Husayn (as) be
prohibited?
The extreme mourning of Uways 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 Sunni Scholar Shiekh Farid al Din Attaar in 'Tazkira tul Awliya' pages 15-16 writes:
Hadhrat
Uways said: “If you are from amongst companions of the Prophet (s),
tell me which tooth of the Holy Prophet (s) was martyred? Also, why did
you not break your teeth in adhering to the Prophet (s)?” Upon saying
this, he evidenced the fact that his teeth had been broken, and said:
“When his (s) tooth was martyred, I broke my tooth, then I thought
perhaps it is another tooth, and my continuing to do so, I smashed all
of my teeth, and upon doing so I felt comfortable”. Upon witnessing
this, the companions proceeded to weep, and they realized that this
constituted respect, whilst he had not seen him, he fulfilled the
adhered to the obligation to follow the Prophet in its entirety, and
taught this lesson when he left this world.
Tazkira tul Awliya, pages 15-16 (Mumtaz Academy, Lahore)
1108The episode can also be found at a Sunni website:
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:
- The Bedouin being a Muslim was Sahabi (companion) of the Holy Prophet (s).
- 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.
- The action of the Bedouin was a result of spiritual pain he suffered as his fast was invalidated.
- Sunni traditionists have authentically recorded this incident.
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.
Imam Jafer (as) allowed the mourning of Imam Husayn (as)
We read a tradition from Wasail ai Shi'a as quoted in Jahaur aur Kalaam Volume 4 page 370:
"Imam
Jafar said 'the daughters of Fatima would slap their faces and shriek.
It is permissible to beat yourself and shriek for a pure soul such as
Husayn"
The mourning of Banu Hashim
We read in Tareekh Kamil Volume 4 page 42
Umar
ibn Sa'd appeared following the killing of Husayn, stayed for the night
in Kerbala and then headed in the direction of Kufa. He was accompanied
by Husayn (as)'s children and his sisters were also captives. When they
passed by the bodies of Husayn and his companions, the women cried and
slapped their faces. Zaynab said 'O Muhammad!'
Sayyida Zaynab (as) beat herself on three separate occasions
First Occasion
- Al Bidaya wa al Nihaya Volume 8 page 176
- Tareekh Kamil page 29
"When
the enemy planned to attack the camp of Husayn, Zaynab went to Husayn
and asked 'what is this noise outside our tents?' Husayn [ra] replied 'I
just saw a dream wherein the Apostle of Allah told me that he would
reach me by tomorrow. Upon hearing this Sayyida Zaynab became aggrieved
and slapped her face"
Second occasion
- Al Bidaya wa al Nihaya, Volume 8 page 177
- Tareekh Kamil Volume 4 page 30
- Tareekh Tabari Volume 7 Page 324.
"When
Sayyida Zaynab 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
- Al Bidaya wa al Nihaya Volume 8 page 93
- Tareekh Kamil Volume 4 page 42
- Tareekh Tabari Volume 7 Page 370.
Qurat bin Kas narrates that when the women of Bani Hashim passed by the battlefield they wept bitterly by beating their faces.
Dear
readers! You have seen that even the prejudiced Ibn Katheer has
accepted the mourning of Sayyida Zaynab (as) on the martyrdom of Imam
Husayn (as). Sayyida Zaynab (as) is the elder daughter of "Gate of
knowledge" and the leader of the believers Imam Ali (as) and Sayyida
Zahra (as) who is the daughter of Apostle of Allah (swt). The princess
brought up by the great teachers of religion and trained in an
atmosphere of learning and education cannot be ignorant of the Divine
laws of religion. On seeing the calamities of the grandson of the
Prophet (s), the mother of all calamities and woes, became impatient.
She mourned on three occasions in Karbala. 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, 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, page 411 Annotation no.7 (published
in 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."
If
Nawasib argue that such a notion is ridiculous then we suggest to him to
consult Riyadh al Nadira page 193 [printed in Baghdad]:
"The
narrator says that when Umar was murdered, the earth was covered with
darkness. A child asked his mother, 'O Mother is it the Day of Judgment?
The mother replied no son Umar has been murdered".
We
appeal to justice! The earth was covered with darkness when Umar died
and the Nasibi clergy have no objection to this narration since it
refers to the death of one of their own. If the skies grieve over the
barbaric massacre of the Ahl'ul bayt (as) then all manner of Fatwa is
issued against us.
Examples of self-beating in the Bible
The Bible, Isaiah 22:12 - shows that this type of mourning was ordained by God
"On that Day the Lords called for weeping and beating the breast, shaving the head and putting on sack cloth"
<p>"You
are now at ease, be anxious; tremble, you who have no cares. Strip
yourselves bare; put a cloth round your waists and beat
yourselves"</p>The Bible, Isaiah
32:11<p> </p><p>"Howl, Heshbon, for Ai is despoiled.
Cry aloud you villages round Rabbath Ammon, put on sack cloth and beat
your breast and score your body with gashes"</p>The Bible,
Jeremiah 49:3<p> </p>"The crowd that had assembled for the
spectacle, when they saw what had happened went home beating their
breasts" The Bible, Luke 23:48
We have
in this chapter set out a vast array of evidences proving the legitimacy
of hitting oneself and shedding blood, when mourning Imam Husayn (as).
Those Nasibi who are against mourning for Imam Husayn (as) and for any
of the martyrs of Karbala usually raise a question whether the Holy
Prophet (s) had ordered mourning for Imam Husayn (as). The answer to
this question is: 'did the Holy Prophet (s) order Owais Qarni (ra) to
remove all his teeth? Did he insist that the Bedouin beat his chest? Did
he order Bilal to beat his head? Similarly there was no order by the
Holy Prophet (s) for Fatima (as) to beat her head at the rumour of his
martyrdom in Uhud.
If there is absence of explicit
permission then there is absence of prohibition also The reason for
absence of such orders with regard to mourning is quite clear. These
acts were all done out of love and sorrow and the Holy Prophet (s) had
not forbidden them. According to the beliefs of Ahl e Sunnah, if the
Holy Prophet(s) saw someone doing an act and remained silent on it, it
meant that he approved of this act. This type of Sunnah, in their fiqh,
is calledSunnah Taqriri.
It is quite clear that
holding mourning of Imam Husayn (as) by means of Matam (chest beating)
or Zanjeer (blood letting) is to give physical expression of sympathy
for Imam Husayn (as). It expresses nothing but love and loyalty for the
Ahl'ul bayt (as).
