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Day of Ashurah

The Day of Āshūrāh, sometimes spelled Aashurah, ‘Ashurah, Ashoura or Aashoorah (Arabic: عاشوراء, ʿĀšūrāʾ), is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Festival of Muharram but not the Islamic month. It commemorates the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). It is a day for mourning.

Ashurah is also commemorated by Muslims as the traditional date on which Noah's ark came to rest, the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was born and the Ka'ba was built in Mecca. Ashurah corresponds to the Jewish Yom Kippur, which was held by the Jews of Medina. It was adopted by Muslims as a recommended fast in respect to the tribulations of Musa (Moses).

The word ashurah means simply tenth in Arabic; hence the festival's name, literally translated, means "the tenth day".

Shi'a commemoration

Shi'ite Muslims process through downtown Montreal in commemoration of Ashurah.

This day is of particular significance to Shi'a Muslims, who consider Hussein the third Imam and a rightful successor of Muhammad. Many Shi'a make pilgrimages on Ashurah to the Mashhad al-Hussein, the shrine in Karbala, Iraq that is traditionally held to be Husayn's tomb. Shi'as also express mourning by thumping their chests. This is intended to connect them with Hussein's suffering and death. Hussein's martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi'a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression. The regime of Saddam Hussein saw this as a potential threat and banned Ashurah commemorations for many years. In neighboring Iran, the festival became a major political symbol during the Islamic Revolution, as also occurred in the Lebanese Civil War, and in Bahrain during the History of Bahrain. The Iranian Revolution and social and political change and the anti-government uprising of the 1990s.

Shi'ite Muslims in Bahrain strike their chests during the Festival of Muharram.

Some Shia celebrate Ashurah with a traditional flagellation ritual called zanjeer zani or zanjeer matam, involving the use of a zanjeer (a chain with a set of curved knives at the end). [1] The practice is not universal - many Shia enact the ritual by beating their chests symbolically. [2]

Many of the events associated with Ashurah are held in special congregation halls known as "Hussainia".

Sunni commemoration

Sunnis also commemorate Ashurah, but for different reasons. According to Sunni tradition, when the Prophet led his followers to Medina, he found the Jews of that area fasting on the day of Ashurah in rememberance of Moses. They remember the day when Children of Israel were liberated from the slavery of Egyptians. Today,Sunnis regard fasting on the 10th of Muharram as a recommended, though not obligatory, act. The day carries considerably less significance for Sunnis than it does for Shi'as.

While Sunnis generally consider the martyrdom of Hussein to be an unfortunate event and one of great historical importance, they do not ascribe religious significance to it as the Shi'a do. Hence, Sunni practices commemorating Ashurah generally do not involve Hussein or his death and consist mainly of fasting and prayers.

Violence during Ashura

The Sunni and Shi'a schism is highlighted by the difference in celebrations by Sunni and Shia Muslims. In countries that have significant populations of both sects, there is often violence during the holiday. Recently, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan have all seen suicide Sunni bombers killing Shiite mourners. [3]

The 2004 (1425 AH) Shi'a pilgrimage to Karbala, the first since Saddam Hussein was removed from power in Iraq, was marred by bomb attacks, which killed and wounded hundreds despite tight security.

Etymology of Ashurah

The word Ashurah is Arabic for tenth. In his book Ghuniyatut Talibin, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani writes that the Islamic scholars have a difference of opinion as to why this day is known as Ashurah. The general consensus is that the day is the tenth day of the month of Muharram. Some scholars, however, suggest that this day is the tenth most important day that God has blessed Muslims with; hence the name Ashurah.

Ashurah in the western calendar

While Ashurah is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Western calendar (the Gregorian calendar) varies from year to year due to differences between the two calendars, since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. Furthermore, the method used to determine when each Islamic month begins varies from country to country. (For details, please see Islamic calendar.) All future dates listed below are only estimates:

  • 2003: March 13
  • 2004: March 2
  • 2005: February 19
  • 2006: February 9
  • 2007: January 29
  • 2008: January 19
  • 2009: January 7, then December 27
  • 2010: December 16

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(For details, please see Islamic calendar.) All future dates listed below are only estimates:. Epicharmus of Kos and Phormis have been reported as having been among the first to invent comic fables.¹. Furthermore, the method used to determine when each Islamic month begins varies from country to country. . While Ashurah is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Western calendar (the Gregorian calendar) varies from year to year due to differences between the two calendars, since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. An author of fables is called a fabulist. Some scholars, however, suggest that this day is the tenth most important day that God has blessed Muslims with; hence the name Ashurah. The word fabulous strictly means "pertaining to fables", although in recent decades its metaphorical meanings have been taken to be literal meanings.

The general consensus is that the day is the tenth day of the month of Muharram. In some usage, "fable" has been extended to include stories with mythical or legendary elements. In his book Ghuniyatut Talibin, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani writes that the Islamic scholars have a difference of opinion as to why this day is known as Ashurah. A familiar theme in Slavic fables is an encounter between a wily peasant and the Devil. The word Ashurah is Arabic for tenth. Medieval French fabliaux might feature Reynard the fox, a trickster figure, and offer a subtext that was mildly subversive of the feudal order of society. The 2004 (1425 AH) Shi'a pilgrimage to Karbala, the first since Saddam Hussein was removed from power in Iraq, was marred by bomb attacks, which killed and wounded hundreds despite tight security. A fable often, but not necessarily, makes metaphorical use of an animal as its central character.

[3]. In its pejorative sense, a fable is a deliberately invented or falsified account. Recently, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan have all seen suicide Sunni bombers killing Shiite mourners. A fable may be set in verse, though it is usually prose. In countries that have significant populations of both sects, there is often violence during the holiday. "Fable" comes from Latin fabula and shares a root with faber, "maker, artificer." Thus, though a fable may be conversational in tone, the understanding from the outset is that it is an invention, a fiction. The Sunni and Shi'a schism is highlighted by the difference in celebrations by Sunni and Shia Muslims. In its strict sense a fable is a short story or folk tale embodying a moral, which may be expressed explicitly at the end as a maxim.

Hence, Sunni practices commemorating Ashurah generally do not involve Hussein or his death and consist mainly of fasting and prayers. "Forrest Gump". While Sunnis generally consider the martyrdom of Hussein to be an unfortunate event and one of great historical importance, they do not ascribe religious significance to it as the Shi'a do. Fables and Parables by Ignacy Krasicki. The day carries considerably less significance for Sunnis than it does for Shi'as. Emperor's New Clothes (fable). Today,Sunnis regard fasting on the 10th of Muharram as a recommended, though not obligatory, act. The Lion King.

They remember the day when Children of Israel were liberated from the slavery of Egyptians. Watership Down. According to Sunni tradition, when the Prophet led his followers to Medina, he found the Jews of that area fasting on the day of Ashurah in rememberance of Moses. Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Sunnis also commemorate Ashurah, but for different reasons. The Little Engine that Could. Many of the events associated with Ashurah are held in special congregation halls known as "Hussainia". Stone Soup.

[2]. Sholem Aleichem. [1] The practice is not universal - many Shia enact the ritual by beating their chests symbolically. Damon Runyon. Some Shia celebrate Ashurah with a traditional flagellation ritual called zanjeer zani or zanjeer matam, involving the use of a zanjeer (a chain with a set of curved knives at the end). James Thurber (1894-1961), Fables For Our Time. The Iranian Revolution and social and political change and the anti-government uprising of the 1990s. George Ade.

In neighboring Iran, the festival became a major political symbol during the Islamic Revolution, as also occurred in the Lebanese Civil War, and in Bahrain during the History of Bahrain. "Uncle Remus" (Joel Chandler Harris). The regime of Saddam Hussein saw this as a potential threat and banned Ashurah commemorations for many years. Ivan Krylov. Hussein's martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shi'a as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression. Hans Christian Andersen. This is intended to connect them with Hussein's suffering and death. Ignacy Krasicki (Polish, 1735 – 1801).

Shi'as also express mourning by thumping their chests. Jean de La Fontaine. Many Shi'a make pilgrimages on Ashurah to the Mashhad al-Hussein, the shrine in Karbala, Iraq that is traditionally held to be Husayn's tomb. Biernat of Lublin (Polish, 1465? – after 1529). This day is of particular significance to Shi'a Muslims, who consider Hussein the third Imam and a rightful successor of Muhammad. Marie de France. . Berechiah ha-Nakdan (Berechiah the Punctuator, Jewish author, 1200s).

The word ashurah means simply tenth in Arabic; hence the festival's name, literally translated, means "the tenth day". Hyginus, author of Fabulae. It was adopted by Muslims as a recommended fast in respect to the tribulations of Musa (Moses). Phaedrus. Ashurah corresponds to the Jewish Yom Kippur, which was held by the Jews of Medina. Vishnu Sarma. Ashurah is also commemorated by Muslims as the traditional date on which Noah's ark came to rest, the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was born and the Ka'ba was built in Mecca. Aesop.

It is a day for mourning. It commemorates the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala in the year 61 AH (AD 680). The Day of Āshūrāh, sometimes spelled Aashurah, ‘Ashurah, Ashoura or Aashoorah (Arabic: عاشوراء, ʿĀšūrāʾ), is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Festival of Muharram but not the Islamic month. 2010: December 16.

2009: January 7, then December 27. 2008: January 19. 2007: January 29. 2006: February 9.

2005: February 19. 2004: March 2. 2003: March 13.