Ashurah Day is an Islamic holiday that occurs on the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year. Shia Muslims mourn the death of Husayn Ibn Ali and make pilgrimages to his tomb in Karbala, Iraq. Sunni Muslims fast on this day, which has political significance and has historically caused bloodshed. Despite this, Ashurah Day continues to be commemorated and is believed to have healing powers.
Ashurah day, also known as Muharram 10, is a day to remember Muhammad’s martyred nephew Husayn (also spelled Hussein) Ibn Ali, the day Abraham was born, the day Noah’s ark touched the earth and the day the Kaaba (holiest place) was built in Mecca. Ashurah, sometimes spelled Ashura, always occurs on the same day in the Islamic calendar, the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year. This generally places this Islamic holiday close to the Jewish Yom Kippur.
Shia and Sunni Muslims, two different sects within Islam, interpret this day differently. For the former, the Day of Ashurah has great religious significance due to the death of Husayn Ibn Ali. Shia Muslims consider Ashurah a day to fight against injustice, oppression and tyranny as Husayn fought and died for just rule. To mourn Hysayn’s death, Shia Muslims make pilgrimages to Husayn’s tomb, located in Karbala, Iraq. Mourning rituals are known to include beating the chest and cutting oneself with razors and knives to commemorate the blood shed in the battle of Karbala. Several fatwas have been issued banning the practice of this custom. Many donate blood instead.
Sunnis believe that Prophet Muhammed declared Ashurah as a day of fasting along with the Jews. Later, due to fasting taking place during Ramadan, fasting on the Day of Ashurah was no longer required, although recommended.
With the growing religious and political differences between Shia and Sunni sects, Ashurah Day often results in bloodshed in countries like Pakistan, Iran and Iraq. Due to the strong political significance that this day has, Saddam Hussein has banned the commemoration of him in Iraq. In 2004, the first time Shiites were able to commemorate this day since Saddam Hussein fell from power, shelling killed and injured several.
Historically, the Day of Asurah has often caused bloodshed around the world. In 1884 in Trinidad and Tobago, British colonialists killed 22 people attempting to perform the Ashurah rituals known as Hosay. In Iran, Ashurah rituals had great political significance during the Lebanese Civil War and the Bahrain uprising that occurred in the 1990s.
The word Ashurah itself means “tenth”, as the day of Ashurah occurs on the tenth day of the month Muharram of the Islamic calendar. While in modern times this day has come to mean violence and bloodshed, according to Islam, this day has the power to heal. One belief is that, if one remains awake throughout the ninth period of Muharram, great blessings are obtained. Further rituals are said to cure physical ailments.
The Day of Ashurah, with its various interpretations and meanings, including its original noble beliefs and values, continues to be commemorated. The largest gathering of Shia Muslims in the United States for Ashurah Day takes place in New York City.
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