Mourning The Death of Hadhrat Husain Radhiyallahu Anhu

Q. Can we mourn the death of Hadhrat Husain Radhiyallahu Anhu on Aashura?

A. No. This is Haraam. Why do you want to mourn the shahaadat of specifically Hadhrat Husain Radhiyallahu Anhu? What about Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, the Khulafaa-e-Raashideen, the Azwaaj-e-Mutaharraat and the thousands of other Sahaabah Radhiayallahu Anhum Ajma’een??? Besides, shahaadat is not an Ibaadat to be “mourned” (Nauthubillah)!

Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam passed away on a Monday. Do you mourn every Monday? Even Hadhrat Abu Bakr Radhiyallahu Anhu passed away on a Monday. If mourning the deaths of pious people was permissible and meritorious, we would have to remain in mourning from birth until death.

Furthermore, Hadhrat Husain Radhiyallahu Anhu is a Shaheed. The virtues of a Shaheed are very great. They are ‘alive’ and not ’dead’ even though we are incapable of perceiving such a reality. Thus, it is also stupid to mourn the death of a Shaheed.

We should also not forget that this is a Shia custom. It is Waajib to abstain from this. Do not participate in such mourning customs and such Karbala shows. It is Haraam to watch such shows even with one’s naked eyes! It is important to understand that those who playfully join the Shias in their Karbala shows, or Karbala marches, or Karbala plays, will lose their Imaan. In our book on Halloween, an incident of a Buzrug spitting on a donkey during the Holi festival has been narrated.

In India there was an Aalim who was walking in the street on the day of the Hindu Holi festival when Hindus splash coloured water and perhaps coloured cow urine on every person who crosses their path.

This Aalim passed by a donkey and in an idle moment, not thinking seriously, the Aalim who was chewing paan (betel leaf) at the time, mockingly addressed the donkey:

“Everyone is happy and splashing coloured water on everyone, but no one is splashing anything on you. Come, I shall splash coloured water on you.” So saying, he spat on the donkey his saliva which was red as a result of chewing paan (betel leaf).

After this Aalim had died, a Buzrug saw him in Jahannam in a dream. When the Buzrug in surprise enquired why he was being punished in Jahannum, the Aalim narrated the episode of the donkey on the day of holi. Allah Ta’ala punished him for even this act of emulating the kuffaar despite there being no intention of imitating the kuffaar.

Those who participate in the festivals of the mushrikeen and the Shia Kuffaar should take lesson. It is haraam to even jocularly imitate practices of kufr, and to participate therein. The Qur’aan prohibits the slightest inclination towards the ways, styles and customs of the kuffaar and mushrikeen.

It is haraam to even jocularly imitate practices of kufr and shirk. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) would make dua: “O Allah! I seek refuge with You from an evil moment and an evil friend.” The Aalim was a victim of an ‘evil moment’.

It is Haraam to increase the crowd of deviates, least of all the crowds of the Shia Kuffaar! Guard your Imaan. Imaan is a treasure to be carefully looked after.

Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood (Radhiyallahu Anhu) was invited to a Walimah (marriage feast). When he arrived at the house, he heard singing. He halted at the door. He was asked: Why have you halted?’

He replied: “I heard Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) say: ‘He who increases the number of a crowd is of them. He who is pleased with an act of the people is a partner in its commission.”

(Al-Mataalibul Aaliyah as well as other kitaabs)