Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year. The holiest month is considered to be that of Ramadan. Muharram occupies the second position on the scale of holiness.
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. That is why the auspicious day moves about from year to year. This year, it has fallen on 21st September, a Friday. The tenth day of Muharram is known as the day of Ashura. It is a part of Mourning of Muharram for Shia Muslims and a fasting day for Sunni Muslims.
The practice of fasting during Muharram stems from the belief that Musa or Moses obtained victory over the Egyptian Pharaoh on the 10th day of Muharram. On this day, Muhammad asked all Muslims to fast in the honour of that victory.
Shia Muslims mourn the death of Imam Hussain and his family on this day. They respect the sacrifice of the martyrs by praying in abundance. They refrain from all joyous events. Shia Muslims don’t fast on the tenth day. But some don’t eat or drink until the tenth zawal or afternoon in order to show their sympathy towards Imam Hussain and his family. Also, a famous Ziyarat book is read on this day. The Ziyarat Ashura is about Hussain ibn Ali. The Shia sect read this important book on this day.
Once the new moon is sighted, the Islamic New Year ushers in. The four sacred months that Allah has mentioned in the Quran are Muharram, Rajab, Dhu al-Qi’dah and Dhu al-Hijjaj. What is quite interesting to know is that even before the advent of Islam, Quraish and Arabs as a whole followed the purity of these months and were forbidden to wage war on these months.
