Muharram 2020 image: Devotees offer special prayers at BiBi-ka-Alam in Hyderabad
Muharram 2020: Muharram is the period of grief and mourning for Shia Muslims across the world. On Muharram, mourners offer prayers at mosques and take out processions grieving the death of the Prophet’s grandson. This year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, permission for Muharram processions in India over the weekend has been refused by the Supreme Court. The court said it would lead to chaos and “one particular community will be targeted” for spreading the coronavirus.
Muslims in many parts of the world observe the mourning during Muharram with blood donation. During the month of Muharram, the first in the Islamic lunar calendar, the day of Ashura is very significant.
Muharram 2020: Know about the day of Ashura
- Shia Muslims mark the ceremonial mourning on this day and it’s called Ashura
- On the day of Ashura, the grandson of the Prophet, Hussain Ibn Ali was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD
- The Shia Muslims mourn the day of Ashura by flagellating themselves with sharp objects
- This symbolises the suffering experienced by the Prophet’s grandson before his death
- Ashura also marks the day Musa (Moses) was saved from the Pharaoh of Egypt by God
- The day of Ashura is also a symbol of struggle against injustice and oppression
Muharram 2020: Significance and history
Muharram, one of the four sacred months, is observed with great reverence by Muslims across the world. It was during Muharram that Prophet Muhammad went from Mecca to Medina. Many Muslims observe partial fast as part of the mourning. Muslims belonging to the Shia sect often wear black clothes on Muharram.
Mourning traditionally starts from the first night of Muharram and continues for ten nights. These are the most significant days as during this time Hussain Ibn Ali and his family and followers – women, children and the elderly – were deprived of water and most of his followers were killed by the army of Yazid I at the Battle of Karbala.
