Muharram

Muḥarram (Arabic: مُحَرَّم‎ muḥarram) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year. It is held to be the second holiest month, after Ramadan.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 3 weeks ago

Wearing black is a sign of mourning and grief on tragedies of the Prophet (SAWA) and his Progeny Ahlul Bayt (AS).

The Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) himself did wear black as you can read in Saheeh Muslim (Hadeeth number 1359).

Those believers who love the Prophet (SAWA) and his Progeny (As) feel sad on remembering their tragedies hence they wear black to express their noble feelings.

Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 9 months ago

It is not forbidden nor disliked to eat salmon fish or any other food during Muharram and Safar

. We avoid celebrations during Muharram and Safar out of mourning and respecting  the noble memory of Ahlul Bayt (AS) who suffered greatest tragedies during Muharram and Safar but no one can claim that eating fish or chicken or meat is forbidden during these months.

If you live in a community which thinks that the certain food is part of celebration, then you have to be careful not give a wrong message, but eating any Halal food is allowed as far as you are not celebration or degrading the mourning on the tragedies of Ahlul Bayt (AS).

 Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answer updated 10 months ago

Yes. It is recommended to fast in the first day of Muharram as the narration from Imam Al-Redha (AS) asking the person who met him on the first of Muharram; are you fasting? Fasting on everyday in Muharram is good except on the tenth day of Muharram which was taken by Bani Umayyad as an Eid and they fabricated narrations on fasting that day of Ashura.According to Ahlul Bayt (AS) fasting in Ashura is Makrouh and it is called as the fasting of the enemies of Ahlul Bayt.

'Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answer updated 10 months ago

Ahlul Bayt (AS) mentioned that fasting the day of Ashura is the fasting of Ibn Marjanah, the ruler of Yazeed on Iraq ذلك صوم ابن مرجانة

Yazeed and his followers wanted to mislead Muslims and make them celebrate the day of Ashura to cover their crime in killing Imam Husain on that day. Many Sunni scholars including leading Wahabi Shaikh Naasir Al-Deen Al-Albani said that narrations on fasting in Ashura were fabricated by the enemies of Ahlul Bayt (Nawaasib)(Tamaam al-Minnah, page 412). Many Sunni scholars including Al-Albani said that fasting in the day of Ashura is a Bid'ah.

Also 'Ibn Al-Jawzi in Al-Mawdoo'aat ,

and  Ibn Al-Soyooti in Al-la'aali Al-Masnoo'ah Fi Al Al-Ahaadeeth Al-Mawdhoo'ah.

and Ibn Iraq in Tabzeeh Al-Sharee'ah

and Al-Manaawi from Al-Majid Al-loghawi,

and Mohammad Salim Al-Munajjid .

The prominent Sunni scholar al-Maqreezi that Al-Hajjaj during the rule of Abdulmalik ibn Marwah ordered to announce the day of Ashura as Eid then it was taken by Ayyoubi kings who spread it among Sunni masses.

'According to Al-Kaafi, Volume 4, page 146, from Ja'far ibn Easa said: I asked (Imam) Al-Radha (AS) about fasting on the day of Ashura and what people say about it, he said: Do you ask me about the fasting of Ibn Marjaanah? That is day taken as a day of fasting by the murderers of imam Hussain(As).
'Wassalam.

Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 10 months ago

Bismihi ta'ala

According to our Shi'i fiqh, it is makruh to fast on Ashura` day. 

And Allah knows best

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 year ago

Yes it is allowed for women to cry as they want to express their grief and sadness even if their voice is audible to men. Ladies of Ahlul Bayt (AS) used to weep on their  tragedies and men used to hear them. Nothing wrong in it. Men who hear should not think wrongly.

'Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 year ago

Celebration or any act of celebrating like wedding during the night and day of Ashura must be avoided. Ten days of Muharram should be respected by avoiding celebrations.

Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 year ago

Yes. Hijri (Islamic) calender never started from Muharram because Hijra of the Prophet (SAWA) started in Rabiul Awwal and not in Muharram. Muharram was the start of the year of pagan Arabs before Islam. Umar ibn Al-Khattar was the first who brought it among Muslims.

Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 year ago

Lovers of Ahlul Bayt (AS) avoid celebrating or showing pleasure during the month of Muharram and Safar. That is because of the love and respect for Ahlul Bayt who suffered a lot in these two months.

Going on holiday is allowed as far as it does not include any sinful act like singing, dancing, listening to sinful music, keeping in mind avoiding celebrating or showing pleasure in these two months.

Wassalam.

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Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 1 year ago

Wearing black cloth for mourning the tragedies of the Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS) is a sign of the noble feelings of love to Allah, His Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS). It is very good to do so, but it is not obligatory.
'Wasalam.

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 1 year ago

No, it is customary. It is not haraam to wear other colours, but sometimes people impose restrictions or expectations and are judgmental towards other beyond what Allah requires. 

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Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from... Answered 1 year ago

Bismihi ta'ala

It is our Shi'i culture that in the two months of Muharram and Safar we do not engage in celebration or any form of public happiness, or adorning ourselves with zeenah, makeup, and so on. 

If one was to dye their hair (as zeenah) in desecrating the sanctity of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), then it would certainly be haram. 

However, for the sake of getting rid of white hair, and not for zeenah, it would not be considered haram, but best not to, especially if the common custom ('urf) sees it as something wrong. As the hadith expresses, we show happiness when Ahlul Bayt are happy, and we show grief when Ahlul Bayt are sad. 

And Allah knows best.