It is important to observe that all the traditions cited in this essay are found in both Shi'i and Sunni hadith literature. But while in the Sunni community such traditions remain purely pietistic, Shi'i tradition has made them the basis of a...
Read More »Honouring Imam Hussain(a); Carving a Tunnel of Hope through the Great Mountain of Despair
Honouring Imam Hussain (a) is not to sink into the abyss of melancholy, but rather to engage in “carving a tunnel of hope through the great mountain of...
Read More »Shia Scholars’ Fatwas on Tatbir
Tatbir is amongst a set of bloody rituals that are performed by some Shia Muslims in commemoration of the great tragedy of Karbala, when the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) was massacred by a group of....
Read More »Insight into Imam Husayn’s Struggle
The presentation of a sound interpretation of religion, stemming from a correct safeguarding of the prophetic teachings was at the heart of Imam Husayn’s struggle says....
Read More »The Rule of Azadari for Imam Hussain (as) according to Ayatollah Sistani
There is no doubt that the tragedy of Kerbala, when ascribed to the killers, is a criminal and terrible act. However when ascribed to Husain (A) himself, it represents a conscious confrontation and a...
Read More »Was the Movement of Karbala a Political Struggle?
What is meant by this is whether the sacrifices of Imam al-Hussain (a) was a power struggle between two rival households, each seeking legitimacy and authority over the other. It is advanced by some, including Muslims, that Imam al-Hussain (a) sought leadership, and this was the...
Read More »Pakistan to Adopt Iran’s Shia Scholars Model for Muharram Ceremonies
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan called on his people to follow Iran’s model for Muharram mourning ceremonies....
Read More »Statement of Imams and Leaders of the Shia Centers in England on Mourning Ceremonies of Imam Hussain (as)
Representatives of the Grand Ayatollahs (HA) and leaders of the Shia centers in England have issued a statement following the mourning ceremonies of the martyrdom of...
Read More »Significance of the Months of Muharram and Safar in Islam
The months of Muharram and Safar offer the yearly opportunity to commemorate the martyrdom of al‑Husayn ibn `Ali (A), the grandson of the Prophet (S) and the third Imam of the Shiite Muslims, at Karbala' on the tenth of....
Read More »The Hullabaloo Surrounding the Origin of the Muharram Festival Amongst the Sunni Malays
This article looks at the historic presence of the festival, survival as boria (choral street performance) and alleged Shi‘a roots in...
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