Muharram

Dear Children,

Today I am going to tell you about 'Muharram'.

I have sent this mail earlier to a few knowledgeable people who confirmed that my information is correct.

According to the tenements of Islam and the Shariat, the Muharram is the beginning of the New Year of Muslims. It is a reminder of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. It teaches us to be fearless in the pursuit of justice. The martyrdom of the great soul also teaches us that we must grieve for the loss of wisdom, courage and truth embodied in Hazrat Imam Hussain. Muharram is therefore relevant today, as we are living a life full of hate, dishonesty and greed for power, Hazrat Imam Hussain was a noble soul and led a simple life. He faithfully followed the teachings of Prophet Mohammed. Yazeed was a wicked and power hungry man. If anyone so much as spoke against Yazeed, he would be put to death. Yazeed was responsible for the death of the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions. 

Yazeed sent an emissary to Hussain demanding that the latter submit to him. 

To protect the holy cities of  Medina to Mecca from bloodshed, Imam Hussain fled to a neighboring city of Kufa.
The  Kufans had promised to support Imam Hussain.

Word came that Yazeed had sent a new governor, with an army that  threatened to kill any one who did not submit. 

Sadly Kufans submitted.
Hussain, his family and his supporters, a mere seventy two men, along with
women and children finally pitched camp at Karbala, close to the city of
Kufa which is now Iraq.
Yazeed's governor, Ibn Ziyad,  sent an army of 30,000 men against Imam Hussain. They surrounded his camp and then once again, demanded submission from Imam Hussain. 

When Imam Hussain's refused to accept him as the ruler Umar Ibn was commanded to destroy Hussain or be killed himself.

On the 9th of Muharram, the camp had exhausted its water and could choose
only between surrender and death.
Hussain then told his men that he did not intend to surrender, but to fight.
He told them that if they wished to flee the camp in the middle of the night,
rather than face certain death, they were free to do so. 

But none of Hussain's men wished to leave him as they knew that he was on the right path.
The next day,  Hussain himself addressed the enemy troops. 
Inspired by the speech one of Yazeed's great and trusted generals, named Hurr, abandoned Yazeed's army and joined Hussain's small force.
Ibn Sa'ad feared that this might be the first of many defections, therefore
hurried to join battle. He shot an arrow towards Hussain. 
The women and children were huddled in the tents, waiting for the battle to
end. Husain's son Imam Ali ibn Husayn was there among the women, because he
was too ill to fight. Another son, Ali Asghar, was but six months old, and dying due to lack of water.
Hussain took the child in his arms and marched out to face Yazeed's army. He
asked for water for the child. But Hurmala ibn Kahil, on orders, shot an
arrow at the child. It pierced him in the neck and he died in the arms of
his father.
Hussain buried his son and again went out to face the army. Hussain was
surrounded and killed, as were all his men. 

Imam Hussain's greatest belief and saying was that one should never side with a
tyrant. One must be on the side of truth and deny  injustice.

The holy shrine of Karbala is a memory to the martyrdom of the great soul. Muharram teaches one to rise against wrong and to pursue the Quest for Justice against the Forces of Oppression.

With love,
Dadi Ma Nani Ma

Some more information (Aboobakar Thwahir)

1) Muslims begin their lunar Hijrah calender with the month of Muharram, one of the four months sanctified by Allah.

2) The Prophet has said that the best fast after the fast of Ramadan is during the month of Muharram.

3) Lamentations, breast-beating and mourning in memory of Husain's martyrdom are not sanctioned by Islam...

Even Husain, shortly before his demise, had advised his beloved sister Zainab, not to mourn over his death in this manner. He said, "My dear sister! I swear upon you that in case I die you shall not tear your clothes, nor scratch your face, nor curse anyone for me or pray for your death" (Al-Kamil, ibn Kathir, Vol 4, pg 2

Some more information

Especially Shias begin their month of mourning.

Hazrat Imam Husain, second son of Hazrat Ali and Fatimah, the prohet's daughter was killed at the battle of Karbala, Iraq, on the 10th day of Muharram. Procession of Tazias ornamented models of the tomb of Hazrat Imam Husain are taken out.

Shias and Sunnis constitute the two major branches of Islam in the world. The main difference between the two is on the question of who are the rightful successors of Prophet Mohammed as the spiritual head of the Islamic community...Sunnis recognize Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman also as the first Caliphs...According to the website shia.org Shias believe that the only people with a divine right to act as Imams (guides) are 12 people from the lineage of Prophet Mohammed...

Read: Islam