Tenth, eleventh of Muharram

1-1-2001 | IslamWeb

Question:

Every 10th and 11th of Muharram there is a celebration in my country where people will dance in the street holding swords and act as if they are fighting.[NOTE.As if they are reviving the tragedies at KARBALA]. Your comment please.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

The tenth of the month of Muharram was the day on which Allah saved Moosa (Moses) and the children of Israel (sons of Israel) from Pharaoh and his followers.

The Prophet Muhammad fasted this day and ordered the Muslims to fast it. His companions also fasted it. However, it was not reported from the Prophet or any of his Companions or those who followed them in righteousness to have done any kind of celebrations on this day or to have observed it by any kind of worship except fasting.

The religion of Islam is what the Prophet had legislated, anything other than this is innovation which one should completely avoid as the Prophet said: "Whoever introduces into this matter of ours (Islam) that which is not a part of it; it will be rejected.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

It was not reported from any of those who came after the Companions of the Prophet or from any of the Prophet's family or others to have celebrated this day or the day of the death of Al- Hussein.

The best is to follow the Muslim predecessors and the worst is to follow the innovations of the successors.

In addition to this, such acts contribute to deform the image of Islam and Muslims in the eyes of many people. Slapping ones' face and tearing out ones' clothes, let alone using swords to cause bloodshed and terrorize children, have nothing to do with the true religion.

May Allah protect us all from all kinds of innovations.

Allah knows best.