I was wondering if you could provide historical evidence of the following acts that we the Shia perform during the 10 days of Ashura.
1. Which Imam (as) or his companion was the first to practice Zanjeer Matam?
2. Which Imam (as) or his companion was the first to produce an Allam as a sign of the events of Karbala? Such that they would kiss it, bless food underneath it or to pray Salaat under its shade.
3. Which Imam (as) or his companion was the first to produce Taboots and carry it among the believers during the mataam so they pay their respect?
Members of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) always encouraged their followers to commemorate the memory and the tragedy of Imam Hussain (AS) and they themselves (AS) set examples in different ways for us to follow. Commemoration of Ashura is on the same basis as the commemoration of the birthday of Rasulollah (PBUH) which are referred to as Shaaer or symbol, just as the Hajj is an example of Allahs Shaaer:
Behold! Safa and Marwa are among the Symbols (Shaaer) of Allah . . . (2:158)
. . . and whoever holds in honour the Symbols of Allah, such (honour) are truly from the piety of heart. (22:32)
The shedding of blood during Muharram for Imam Hussain, peace be upon him, is not only Halal, but it is also very Mustahab indeed, and all PROMINENT scholars and religious authorities - Maraje' - always encouraged it throughout the history of Islam. This included the Tatbir or Qamah Zani - which is the hitting of the head with swords.
The people who practice
Tatbir take lead, amongst the teachings of other infallibles, from Zaynab
al-Kubra, heroin of Karbala and sister of Imam Hussain peace be upon them.
Zaynab peace be upon her was the first person who hit her forehead to a bar in
the carriage she was in, causing considerable bleeding, when the head of
al-Hussain (AS) was being paraded in Kufa. This is one evidence that the
shedding of blood is permissible; whether from the head or from the back etc.
The infallible Imam Zayn-el-Aabidin (AS) used to address Lady Zaynab al-Kubra
(AS) by saying to her You are al-Hamdu-Lillah an untaught scholar
Anti al-Hamdu-Lillah Alimah Ghayr Muallimah This
statement is seen by scholars as indicating a degree of infallibility for Lady
Zaynab (AS).
There are also reports that Imam al-Saadiq (AS) arranged for SHABEEH or enactment about Ali the Junior (Ali al-Asghar the son of Imam Hussain (AS)) to recreate the scene of Karbala for the people, and the Imam (AS) does not hold this enactment solely for the Ali al-Asghar but for all the martyrs of Karbala.
On another occasion a poet comes to the Imam (AS) and asks permission to recite a poem about al-Hussain (AS). The Imam (AS) said to the poet to wait so that he could set up a Hijaab to that the women could come to the Majlis and listen to the lamentation. When the Hijaab was set up the imam invited the women to come to the Majlis and asked the poet to start reciting, which he did. The imam (AS) stopped him asked him to recite the lamentation in way and dialect, which he does it in their hometown (in Iraq for example).
All these indicate that the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) used to teach and proactively encourage their followers to uphold the memory, torment, and the teachings of Imam Hussain by words and poetry, by enactment - SHABEEH - to recreate the scenery of the day of Ashura in Karbala, and by show devotion to Imam Hussain in Tatbir as shown by Zaynab al-Kubra (AS).
Last, but not least, al-Imam
al-Mahdi (AS) states in his Zeyarat al-Naheya, addressing Imam Hussain (AS): .
. . . now that I could not help you when needed most help . . . I SHALL CRY BLOOD FOR YOU INSTEAD OF TEARS.
As for
the practice of Allam etc. this was a practice before as well as after Islam,
and the prayers in the shadow of Alam is nothing other than show of respect. The
carrying of Taboot falls in the category of the SHABEEH mentioned
above.
In general if today some people engage in practices that does not contradict the teachings of Islam and at the same time those practices depict the tragedy of Karbala in different ways then this is acceptable.
I am grateful for you prompt reply to my question above. I was wondering if you provide me with some more information regarding something that was mentioned in your reply: "Zaynab peace be upon her was the first person who hit her forehead to a bar in the carriage she was in, causing considerable bleeding, when the head of al-Hussain (AS) was being paraded in Kufa"
1.) Did she (as) hit her head on the bar by mistake, or did she do it on purpose? What was her niyat (intention) when she did the act? Was it an act of mubah or mandoub act?
2.) Was our 4th Imam (as) present when it happened, or was he (as) later informed about it and he (as) consented to the action?
3.) Did any of the Shia present at that time follow her (as) example?
4.) Did she (as) recommend her followers to do the same?
5.) Which of our Aimmah (as) use to draw blood during the days of Moharram?
Answer
Please find the answers to your question as follows:
ANSWER1. There is no doubt that Lady Zaynab (AS) hit her head to the bar on purpose, and most certainly this was NOT done by mistake. And her ladyship (AS) did that to show her grief and anger for the catastrophe that had been brought about upon the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) and Islam, and in particular to Imam Hussain (AS) who was the head of the Ahl-ul-Bayt and the leader of Islam, and to declare her stance about the awesome events of Karbala. The evidence that would suggest that Lady Zaynab (AS) did what she did with the intention of a MANDUB act is that with her action she wanted to defend the reputation of Imam Hussain (AS) and to defend the stance he took against the tyrant of the time. She did that to show how oppressed Imam Hussain (AS) was, and to declare and defend his cause which is the TRUTH and the HAQQ, and furthermore she did that to declare the BATIL or FALSE nature of the front opposing Imam Hussain, who are the enemies of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) and Islam. Her action was very much MANDUB, if not most obligatory and so too for anyone else for that matter in order to defend the stance of Imam Hussain (AS) and his cause, which is the HAQQ, and to expose the opponents of Imam Hussain (AS) who are the proponents of the BATIL or FALSEHOOD.
If it were not for the actions of Lady Zaynab (AS) - and every single action of hers for that matter - and those of Imam Zayn-ul-Abidin (AS), the message of Imam Hussain (AS) and his action and effort would probably have been lost.
ANSWER2. Most probably Imam Zayn-ul-Aabidin (AS) was present when Lady Zaynab (AS) hit her head to the bar, since when she did so, the captives were being paraded in one single caravan through the Kufan streets, and she did so at the moment when the army displayed the head of Imam Hussain (AS) and those of his followers.
Even if we were to suppose that the Imam (AS) was not present in the vicinity of Lady Zaynab (AS) at that moment, history does not record that the Imam Zayn-ul-Aabidin (AS) protested against that action! Normally the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) used to advice the people in general not to show (too much) grief for their dead! But on the contrary, the history of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) is full of examples of the Imams supporting and encouraging grief AZADARI for Imam Hussain (AS) and the show and enactment of the scenes of Karbala.
Nonetheless, today the scholars and the FUQAHA' of Islam DERIVE the laws of Islam for the Halal, Haram, Mandub, and Makruh, and while there is no particular hadith about the scientific, scholarly, etc. status or merits of any particular scholar, we follow their Fatwa and their Decisions in the halals and haraams. Whereas in the case of Lady Zaynab (AS) there is a specific hadith from the infallible Imam (AS) about her status as was given in our previous reply. The hadith is reproduce here for your convenience.
The infallible Imam Zayn-el-Aabidin (AS) used to address Lady Zaynab al-Kubra (AS) by saying to her You are al-Hamdu-Lillah an untaught scholar Anti al-Hamdu-Lillah Alimah Ghayr Muallimah This statement is seen by scholars as indicating a degree of infallibility for Lady Zaynab (AS).
And in this case Lady Zaynab (AS) is better able to derive if she needs to do so the laws of Islam than any of the scholars we follow!
In arguing against the practice of Tatbir/Qama-Zani, some might argue that Lady Zaynab (AS) was overwhelmed by emotion, and therefore she hit her head to the bar causing substantial bleeding, i.e. it was a natural, spontaneous, and emotional reaction and nothing more than that. The reply to this argument is two fold. First, the statement of Imam Zayn-ul-Abidin (AS) about her would counter such arguments, an untaught scholar. Second, if she were to be overcome by grief and emotion, she would have done so in Karbala, where the carnage and the unbearably horrific scene there on the Day of Ashura were overwhelming to the utmost degree . . . but in fact her Ladyship (AS) did not do such a thing there . . . lets not forget that at the Karbala scene she sees her loved ones are slaughtered and decapitated one after the other . . . before her eyes . . . the young and the old . . . and even the infants . . . no one is spared, no matter what their age is . . . and ultimately she sees the leader of Islam and the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS), her most beloved one is slaughtered, beheaded and then his body is mutilated before her eyes . . .given this most horrific scene, with blood flooding the battle ground and mutilated bodies everywhere, Lady Zaynab (AS) could have taken one of the hundreds of swords there and hit her head with it, but Zaynab does not do that. On the contrary she keeps her composure - which is impossible for many men and women to do under those circumstances- and takes care of the petrified orphans and bereaved women whose tents have been burnt and possessions looted by the army of yazid.
Lady Zaynab (AS) does not hit herself in the highly charged atmosphere at the scene of Karbala, but she does so in the relatively calmer environment of Kufa, and on the first public gathering following the Karbala massacre. Therefore it cannot be said that she was overcome by grief and emotion and she did not know what she was doing, but in fact her actions were calculated . . . she did that in Kufa to make a public statement . . . about the events of Ashura, Imam Hussain (AS), his cause, and what he stood for.
ANSWER3-4. Knowing whether any of the Shia followed her example or not, does not change the legality of this act or reduce or diminish from its desirability. Without researching more into this aspect, we cannot tell whether the people followed the practice of Zaynab (AS) or not, especially the times when people were arrested on mere suspicions, and executed on the basis of accusation of being followers of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS).
ANSWER5. There have been many books written about the biography of the Imams of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) but were brunt or destroyed. So we do not know if any of the Imams (AS) did draw blood from their heads on the Day of Ashura, but this does not change any of the legality of this action, as can be seen from the following hadith, which is one of many clear instructions from the infallible Imams to the Shi'a, and as it can be seen, the enormity of the orders given to the Shi'a goes far beyond what the Shi'a do today, and which they would have to do if it comes to that . . . read on:
Imam al-Saadiq (AS) used to encourage the Shia people to go and visit the tomb of Imam Hussain (AS) at all costs and under any circumstances, at a time when the ruling authorities used to threaten the visitors of the tomb with the amputation of the limbs. Despite that the Imam (AS) used to encourage them to visit the tomb, and used to detail the Thawab for such visits even if one lost an arm and a leg in the process and even if such a visit led to the killing of the person visiting the tomb of Imam Hussain (AS).
This is an irrefutable evidence on how far the Imams of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) used to go to keep the cause of Imam Hussain (AS) alive, even to the extent of arms and legs being amputated and lives lost, let alone the shedding of a few drops of blood, which we do these days!
Are the practices of Alam, Taboot, Zuljanah, Zanjeer-Zani allowed in Azadari? Can you please elaborate? Under the current circumstances are these things in Azadari allowed or not, when others are getting the wrong impression about Islam?
Thanking you in anticipation.
Answer
Practices such as Alam, Taboot, Zanjeer-Zani, are allowed in AZADARI. This is because there is nothing illegal or Haram in these practices. If something is abused, then this abuse does not make it illegal, but the abuse must be eliminated, or if there were any wrong or illegal Haram - practices then those Haram practices must be eliminated not the AZADARI.
You had mentioned that these things in AZADARI, or the AZADARI itself, are giving others the wrong impression about Islam, or false impression about Fiqh.
In Islam, the legal or the illegal the Halal or the Haram are not based upon the impression others get, otherwise there are a lot of people who consider the Hijaab which Islam has made obligatory for women as oppressive, and they go on to condemn Islam for this as being an oppressive religion towards women. Does this mean that we should abandon Hijaab because of the impression others have got about Islam or should we try to make them understand the wisdom and philosophy of Hijaab, which the people in the West have started to appreciate and praise these days?
I had a fellow brother at the Mosque mention one of the teachings of Imam Shirazi. The teaching in question deals with Ashura and the beating of swords and chains. This brother mentioned that Imam Shirazi says that it is allowed to use swords and chains and the drawing of blood, while someone else has said it is not allowed. Please enlighten me on Imam Shirazis teachings regarding this. I personally do not agree with violence in Ashura. I dare to say that I could not imagine Imam Hussain (AS) would even want us to hurt ourselves. In fact I would think he died to keep real Islam alive and keep us from going the deviant path of innovators.
Any action of a Muslim may fall in one of the following categories:
Haram (not allowed)
Makruh (detestable/undesirable but not Haram)
Halal (Allowed)
Mustahab (desirable but not Waajib)
Waajib (Obligatory)
As with the issue of hitting the head with swords (Tatbir in Arabic or Qamah-Zani in Farsi) Imam Shirazi is not exceptional in any way to permit, and encourage, this action in Ashura. In fact ALL high-ranking ULAMA and AYATOLLAHS not only have allowed this, and continue to do so, but for the entire history of the Shia over the past fourteen centuries, they have always encouraged this, declaring Tatbir or Qamah-Zani as very Mustahab indeed.
And it should be pointed out that if one suffers hardship in the cause of commemorating Imam Hussain (AS), then so be it! Imam Hussain (AS) is a special case. He went out of his way to save Islam, and offered all he had in this cause, not only worldly possessions, but his Ahl-ul-Bayt and sons . . . from Ali al-Akbar to his toddler sons . . . and not only that but his womenfolk (wives, sisters, daughters, nieces) were left at the mercy of the most ruthless people on earth to be taken prisoners. Whatever we do is not sufficient for what Imam Hussain (AS) did.
Needless to say the first person to perform Tatbir was Hazrat Zaynab al-Kubra (AS), the sister of Imam Hussain (AS). The family and supporters of Imam Hussain (AS) were and being paraded as prisoners in Kufa, and the people of Kufa booing the prisoners, when they started parading the head of Imam Hussain (AS) on long spears, along with other heads, to show her anguish Hazrat Zaynab (AS) hit her forehead against the supporting rod of the cabin she was traveling in. She therefore set the first precedence of Tatbir for Imam Hussain (AS).
So in short, Tatbir has always been recommended as Mustahab by the overwhelming consensus of the ULAMA and there has rarely been any, if at all, high-ranking Aalim ever to have declared otherwise.
As for Iran, significant number of devotees, just as in many other countries, have always performed Tatbir for many years (or rather centuries), and in recent years despite its prohibition being enforced by the authorities, people continued to perform this duty. In the last couple of years even the authorities there have started to turn a blind eye to such programs given the insistence and eagerness of the people to perform Qamah-Zani.
What is your position of Zanjeer and the use of knives, blades, and hooked
Chains to shed your own blood during Muharram ... Is this sort of act Haram, Halal or Makruh? Is this the Sunnah of the Ahl-ul-Bayt at all?
The shedding of blood during Muharram for Imam Hussain, peace be upon him, is not only Halal, but it is also very Mustahab indeed, and all PROMINENT scholars and religious authorities - Maraje' - always encouraged it throughout the history of Islam. This included the Tatbir or Qamah-Zani - which is the hitting of the head with swords. The Maraje' have even decreed that it is acceptable and permissible if one is harmed in this process, provided of course the injuries sustained do not constitute permanent injuries or endanger the life of the individual.
The people who practice Tatbir take lead, amongst the teachings of other infallibles, from Zaynab al-Kubra, heroin of Karbala and sister of Imam Hussain peace be upon them. Zaynab peace be upon her was the first person who hit her forehead to a bar inside the carriage she was in, causing considerable bleeding, when the head of al-Hussain (AS) was being paraded in Kufa. This is one evidence that the shedding of blood is permissible; whether from the head or from the back etc. The infallible Imam Zayn-el-'Aabidin (AS) used to address Lady Zaynab al-Kubra (AS) by saying to her
"You are al-Hamdu-Lillah an untaught scholar" - "Anti al-Hamdu-Lillah 'Alimah Ghayr Mu'allimah"
This statement is seen by scholars as indicating a degree of infallibility for Lady Zaynab (AS).
There are also reports that Imam al-Saadiq (AS) arranged for SHABEEH or enactment about Ali the Junior (Ali al-Asghar the son of Imam Hussain (AS) whose throat was slashed by Harmalah when the imam sought water for him) to recreate the scene of Karbala for the people, and the Imam (AS) does not hold this enactment solely for the Ali al-Asghar but for all the martyrs of Karbala.
On another occasion a poet comes to the Imam (AS) and asks permission to recite a poem about al-Hussain (AS). The Imam (AS) said to the poet to wait so that he could set up a Hijaab to that the women could come to the Majlis and listen to the lamentation. When the Hijaab was set up the imam invited the women to come to the Majlis and asked the poet to start reciting, which he did. The imam (AS) stopped him asked him to recite the lamentation in way and dialect, which he does it in their hometown (in Iraq for example).
All these indicate that the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) used to teach and proactively encourage their followers to uphold the memory, torment, and the teachings of Imam Hussain by words and poetry, by enactment - SHABEEH - to recreate the scenery of the day of Ashura in Karbala, and by show devotion to Imam Hussain in Tatbir as shown by Zaynab al-Kubra (AS).
Last, but not least, al-Imam al-Mahdi (AS) states in his "Zeyarat al-Nahiya" addressing Imam Hussain (AS):
" . . . . now that I could not help you when you needed most help . . . I shall mourn you every morning and every evening, AND I SHALL CRY BLOOD FOR YOU INSTEAD OF TEARS . . . "
Is the practice of TATBIR, hitting ones head by sword to cause bleeding, allowed in Islam?
Are there any other Marje, alongside Grand Ayatollah Imam Muhammad Shirazi, who considers TATBIR as Halal in Islam or even MUSTAHAB?
There are people who do TATBIR on Ashura in Bahrain, is it practiced anywhere else in the Muslim world?
Answer
Practicing TATBIR is highly encouraged by Islam, as can be seen from the decrees of the most prominent MARAJE' of Islam. Ayatollah al-Udhma Imam Muhammad Shirazi is not the only one who has allowed the Sha'a'er al-Hussaini, but in fact all of the most prominent MARAJE' have also allowed these.
If you wish to see the list of some of the names of the most eminent Ulema and Maraje' who allow TATBIR click here.
It should be interesting for you to know that TATBIR is not only practiced in Bahrain, but it is also practiced in many countries around the world such as Saudi Arabia - al-Ihsaa', Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Scandinavian countries, United States of America and Canada.