Muharram | |
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![]() Ashura procession in Iran, 2016 | |
Native name | ٱلْمُحَرَّم (Arabic) |
Calendar | Islamic calendar |
Month number | 1 |
Number of days | 29–30 (depends on actual observation of the moon's crescent) |
Significant days | Ashura |
Islamic calendar |
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Months |
Muharram (Arabic: ٱلْمُحَرَّم, romanized: al-Muḥarram) is the first month of the Islamic calendar, and one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is banned. The tenth of Muharram is known as Ashura, an important day of commemoration in Islam. For Sunni Muslims, the day marks the parting of the Red Sea by Moses and the salvation of the Israelites, celebrated through supererogatory fasting and other acceptable expressions of joy. By contrast, Ashura is a day of mourning for Shia Muslims, who annually commemorate the death of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the third Shia imam. Husayn was killed, alongside most of his relatives and his small retinue, in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE against the army of the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiya (r. 680–683). The Shia rituals span the first ten days of Muharram, culminating on Ashura with mourning processions in Shia cities. Also in Muharram, the Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem was initially set as the direction of prayer for early Muslims.
Muharram (lit. 'sacred') is the first month of the Islamic calendar, with (at most) thirty days. Warfare in Muharram is forbidden and it has been so since before the advent of Islam.[1] The word Muharram is short for "Muharram Safar" (lit. 'sacred Safar'), which distinguishes in the ancient Arab calendar between Safar I, which was sacred, and Safar II, which was not. Over time, however, the adjective Muharram itself became the name of the first month of the year.[1]
Main article: Ashura |
See also: Battle of Karbala, Mourning of Muharram, and Ashura in Algeria |
Tenth of Muharram is known as Ashura, an important day of commemoration in Islam. For Sunni Muslims, Ashura marks the parting of the Red Sea by Moses and the salvation of the Israelites.[2][3] Also on this day, Noah disembarked from the Ark,[3] God forgave Adam, and Joseph was released from prison, among various auspicious events on Ashura in Sunni tradition.[4] Ashura is celebrated in Sunni Islam through supererogatory fasting, and also other pious acts and acceptable expressions of joy.[4][4] In some Sunni communities, the annual Ashura festivities include carnivals, bonfires, and special dishes,[5][6] even though some Sunni scholars have criticized such practices.[4][7]
By contrast, for Shia Muslims, Ashura is a day of mourning as they commemorate the death of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the third Shia imam.[8][9] Husayn refused on moral grounds to pledge his allegiance to the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiya (r. 680–683) and was subsequently killed, alongside most of his male relatives and his small retinue, by the Umayyad army in the Battle of Karbala on Ashura 61 AH (680 CE).[10][11] Among the Shia minority, mourning for Husayn is viewed as an act of protest against oppression, and as such a struggle for God (jihad).[12][13] Mourners also hope to secure the intercession of Husayn in the afterlife.[14][15] Ashura is observed annually through mourning gatherings, processions, and dramatic reenactments.[16][17]
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Since the lunar year (of twelve lunar months) is eleven or twelve days shorter than the solar year. [18] Reports estimate that Ashura will be observed on July 16 or 17, 2024. July 16 and 17, Independence Day is on August 14, and Eid Miladun Nabi is on September 16. (the lunar calendar having a mean synodic month of 29.53059 days or 29 days 12 hours 44 minutes and 3 seconds), Muharram days are different in consecutive solar years.[19] The estimated start and end dates for Muharram are as follows, based on the Umm al-Qura calendar of Saudi Arabia.[citation needed]
Islamic calendar | First day (CE) | Last day (CE) |
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1443 | 9 August 2021 | 7 September 2021 |
1444 | 30 July 2022 | 27 August 2022 |
1445 | 19 July 2023 | 16 August 2023 |
1446 | 7 July 2024 | 4 August 2024 |
1447 | 26 June 2025 | 25 July 2025 |