Muharram/Ashura 2019 - History, Story and Significance of Muharram

Read about Muharram/Ashura around the planet in 2019. Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Mourning of Muharram.

Muharram/Ashura 2019 - History, Story and Significance of Muharram
Muharram/Ashura 2019

Muharram is praised as New Year's Day among the Muslim people group over the globe. Notwithstanding, the Shias grieve on this day while Sunnis watch fasting for the whole day.

The celebration of Muharram denotes the first month of the Islamic schedule. On the first day of Muharram, the Islamic New year is commemorated, which is viewed as an all-around sacred festival. Despite the fact that it denotes the first Islamic month, the tenth day of Muharram is additionally known for being a time of grieving where the Shia Muslim community commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the child of Hazrat Ali and the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

Muharram 2019

When is Muharram in 2019?

This year, Muharram keeps running from September 1 to 28.

The 10th day of Muharram, called the Day of Ashura, is of most significance for various Muslim groups for different reasons. In 2019, the 10th day of Muharram will fall on Tuesday, 10th September.

The Islamic calendar pursues a 30-year cycle, with 19 years of 354 days and 11 leap years of 355 days, so it falls on a different day on the Gregorian calendar each year. During this month-long period, there are various significant celebrations and endeavors. The tenth day of Muharram, this year falling on September 9, 10 or 11, contingent upon the different area is called Ashura.

It is an especial day that holds different importance for different Muslims. Ashura observes Ashura is a sacred day of grieving for some Muslims (chiefly Shia Muslim) and fasting for others. For the Sunnis, it is the day Moses fasted to demonstrate his admiration for the freedom of the Israelites.

Meanwhile, Shia Muslims see it as a climax of the Remembrance of Muharram and the murder of Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala.

The history of Muharram:
Some fourteen centuries previously on the day of Ashura, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, Imam Hussain,
and his little child, were barbarously murdered by a brutal and cruel ruler in the Battle of Karbala. In spite of the fact that Imam Hussain was killed in the battle, his message of humanity, honesty, and equality lives on among people who adore him, and hence, that is his actual victory.

The significance of Muharram:
The month of Muharram is extremely holy for the whole Muslim community and Shia Muslims mourn the death of Imam Hussein and his family on this day of sorrow. They regard their sacrifice and pray in abundance as well as abstain from all joyous events.

How do you commemorate Ashura?

Sunni and Shia Muslims celebrate this special day in various different ways. There are functions of self-flagellation (beating one's own chest with whips or branches), while others forego this and rather choose to donate their blood.