The Mourning of Muharram is an important period of mourning in the Shi'a branch

of Islam, taking place in Muharram which is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is

also called the Remembrance of Muharram (Arabic: ‫ ذكرى محرم‬or ‫)مناسسبة محرم‬. Many of

the events associated with the remembrance take place in congregation halls known

as Hussainia. A Hussainiya is different from a mosque in that it is made mainly for

gatherings for Muharram in the mourning of Hussain ibn Ali (RA), and may not

necessarily hold prayer in jumaa'at or Friday Prayer unless there is a gathering at the

same time, where they would make a jumaa'at at the time of prayer. In South Asia, a

Hussainia can also be referred to as an "imambara", "imambargah", or "ashurkhana".

In Bahrain it is called a "ma'tam" (‫)مأتسم‬. In Afghanistan and Central Asia, the equivalent

term for a Shia congregation hall is "takyakhana. Hossaini Dalan Imambara at Old

Dhaka, Bangladesh is such one of the oldest imambara in the Indo-Pak subcontinent.

Legend has it that one Sayyid Murad built the building during the Subedari

(Governorship) of Shah Shuja, son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after receiving

instruction from Imam Hussain in a vision. Since then, the building has been enhanced

and renovated many times. During the rule of the East India Company, it was repaired

in 1807 and 1810. After an earthquake damaged it in 1897 it was further extended and

reconstructed. It was last reconstructed and renovated between the year 1996 and 2006

under the auspices of able management team and donors from both home and abroad.

Although the Sunni sect is a majority in Bangladesh, there is a small number of muslims

belonging to the Shia sect in Dhaka. During the first 10 days of Muharram, it becomes a

center of mourning and religious celebration in old Dhaka. Both the Sunni and the Shia

followers join the mourning, ending in the festival of Ashura when a great procession
parades through the streets commemorating the historical sacrifice of Imam Husssain

and his companions at Karbala to uphold the banner of Islam.

At the Battle of Karbala Imam Hussain ibn Ali, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SM)

the founder of Islam, and a Shia Imam, was killed by the forces of the

second Umayad caliph Yazid I. The event is marked by arranging 'majalis' (gatherings)

to review Islamic teachings and to commemorate Hussain’s sacrifice. The mourning

reaches its climax on the tenth day, known as Ashura, on which the forces of Yazid

killed the 72 individuals who fought, including Hussain and his family and supporters.

The women and children left living were made prisoners and transported to Yazid's

court in Damascus.

It is said that the mourning of Muharram was first started by the family

of Muhammad, the Ahl-ul-Bayt after the death of Muhammad's grandson Hussain ibn Ali

at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Following the battle of Karbala, Muhammad's

granddaughter Zaynab binte Ali and sister of Hussain, began mourning for the fallen

and making speeches against Hussain ibn Ali's opponents: Ibn Ziyad and Yazid I. When

Zainab and Zainu l-Abi Din informed the people that Yazid had martyred Imam Husayn

and seventy-two of his companions including his six month old son Ali Asghar, and that

their women and children were taken as prisoners to Syria, Yazid he decided to release

the captive women and children from the prison in Damascus, out of fear of public revolt

against his rule. Zainab asked Yazid to provide a place where the people could mourn

for Imam Hussain and others of Muhammad's household. A house was provided, and

here Zaynab binte Ali held the first Majlis-e Aza of Hussain and started the Mourning of
Muharram. Since then this practice had stretched among all the Shias in general over

time and around Iran, Iraq, Syria and Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, Pakistan, India)

in particular.

Imam Hossain embraced martyrdom in Karbala, Iraq on 10 october 680 AD. The events

of Karbala reflect the collision of the good versus the evil, the virtuous versus the

wicked, and the collision of Imam Hussain (the head of virtue) versus Yazid (the head of

impiety). Imam Hussain was a revolutionary person, a righteous man, the religious

authority, the Imam of Muslim Ummah (nation). As the representative of his grandfather

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Imam Hussain’s main concern was to safeguard and

protect Islam and guide fellow Muslims. On the other hand, the staying power of the

rulers (Muawiya and his son Yazid) depended solely on the might of the sword. They

used brute force to rule over the Muslim empire even by all possible illicit means.

The mission of Imam Hussain (RA) is distinctly unique, political and religious

revolutionary movement in the history of World and his undertaking still reverberates

throughout the Muslim nation. He has been a propelling force and a seminal element in

events throughout Islamic history, particularly in the sphere of Jihad (the holy struggle in

the way of Almighty God). Imam Hussain’s example has remained vividly alive for

generations and centuries. His uprising, movement and ideals still have a deep impact

on the conscience and awareness of the Muslim empire.

As history tells us, Imam Hussain (RA) witnessed the deteriorating political and social

situation and clearly recognized that the general policy of the authorities did not abide
with Islamic principles in the then regime of Umayyad. He was aware of the

Ummah’s(citizens) numerous and painful afflictions, and was determined to exercise his

religious duty, being the duly sanctioned leader and central figure capable of restoring

Islamic values. Thus he rose. His revolt was rich in lessons and divinely inspired

attitudes. Imam Hussain (RA) embodied the sacrifice of self, money, family, social status

and the challenge to terror and cruelty. He patiently traversed hundreds of miles,

moving both night and day. The epic protest he engendered came at the most critical

political juncture. In fact, the Prophet’s (pbuh) grandson had vowed to sacrifice himself

symbolizing the Karbala event to be a clash involving Islamic truths versus falsehood,

belief versus disbelief, and the oppressed versus the oppressor, faith against brute

force. Karbala was about standing in the face of oppression, regardless no matter the

cost. In Karbala, Imam Hussain the fifty seven year old second grandson of Prophet

Muhammad (pbuh), sacrificed his totality and all he had, for one goal. This goal was to

let the truth triumph over falsehood eventually, and he did that brilliantly. His goal was to

foil the plan that Muawiya had expertly developed for his son, Yazid, which was to

establish a permanent Umayyads (Banu Umayya) ruler ship over the Muslim Ummah

(even by sacrificing the Islamic principles), but doing it in the name of Islam. Brilliantly,

Imam Hussain succeeded in foiling this plan and he exposed the disreputable nature of

Umayyads though this was at the expense of his life.

Eventually he was martyred along with his sons, most of his household and all of his

companions. The bodies were mutilated and their heads were carried from Karbala, to

Kufa and finally Damascus. His womenfolk were taken prisoners and marched across

the desert. He himself was expecting all that, but did not budge an inch.
Source:

1. The Kabala, Story of Sacrifice to Save Humanity from Extinction; by Akramulla

Syed, 2005 Internet Edition

2. Online British Library; http://www.bl.uk

3. Dhaka City Corporation Website: http://www.dhakacity.org

4. Booklet published by Hossaini Dalan Management Committee, 2006

5. Internet Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia