Author: Ali Razi Date: 2015-10-18

I have some questions about mourning for Ahl al-Bayt of God’s Messenger peace be upon him and his family which I did not find their answers in the sayings of Allamah Khorasani:

1- Is reading the Ziyara Ashura[1] correct or not? Is it true that its authenticity is verified to be arrived from the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt? Some consider it as a Qudsi narration[2].

2- What is the verdict of Islam on self-hitting by dagger? (A small number of Shiite scholars allow it!)

3- What is the verdict of Islam on daubing loam on the head and face?

4- What is the verdict of Islam on group-walking in the form of mourning? (It is very common in Iran.)

5- It has been said that epic poems should be composed for Imam Hussain peace be upon him and public outburst should happen in the Day of Ashura in order to counteract the actions of the Umayyad, what are the examples of these actions? (Allamah Khorasani have also confirmed poetry.)

6- Does Imam Mahdi peace be upon him also attend the formal mourning ceremonies? (According to many scholars’ words)

Answer to question: 1 Date: 2015-10-19

Dear brother!

The answers of your questions are respectively as follows:

1. The narrator of this Ziyara known as Ashura, is “Alqamah ibn Muhammad Hazrami” who is an unknown person. In addition, this Ziyara is narrated in two ways from him, which both are considered to be weak by the Rijal-logists; because in one of those two ways which is the way of Ibn Quluviyah in the book Kamel al-Ziyara[3], people like “Muhammad ibn Musa Hamadani” have been mentioned who are accused of exaggeration, lying and forgery of narrations, and in the other way which is the way of Abu Ja’far Tusi in the book Mesbah al-Mutahajjid[4], “Aqabah ibn Qays” has been mentioned who is an unknown person. Therefore, the authenticity of the mentioned Ziyara is not verified to be valid, although most of its contents do not have semantical problems.

2. His honor Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani (may God protect him) considers self-hitting by chain and chest-hitting as heresy in Islam and contrary to the Religion, and it is hereby understood that of course self-hitting by dagger, with stronger reason, is forbidden[5]. The only thing that has been advised in verified and Mutawatir narrations, is mentioning Imam Hussain’s calamity and crying for him, and whoever adds something to it will not get rewarded, rather perhaps will become a sinner.

3. Daubing loam on the head and face is from the acts of the fools and does not have any basis in the Religion.

4. His honor Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani (may God protect him) has said about walking in form of groups: «کَذَلِكَ الضَّرْبُ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِآلاتِ اللَّهْوِ مَعَ الرّایاتِ وَ الْأَعْلامِ الْمُبْتَدَعَةِ، فَکُلُّ ذَلِكَ بِدْعَةٌ وَ کُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلالَةٌ وَ کُلُّ ضَلالَةٍ سَبِیلُها إِلَی النّارِ»[6]; “This is how walking on the ground with innovated flags and symbols is; since they are all heresies, and every heresy is deviation, and every deviation leads to the fire”. His honor’s intention from “innovated symbols” is the cross-shaped heavy metal structures that have branches above them and fabrics and sculptures are mounted on them and the ignorant people of the nation carry them on their shoulders. It is hereby understood that such activity is not appropriate either and does not have any basis in the Religion.

5. His honor Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani (may God protect him) has said about composing poems for the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet peace be upon him and his family: «وَ لا بَأسَ بِالْبُکاءِ عَلَى مَصائِبِهِمْ وَ إِنْشادِ الشِّعْرِ فِیهِمْ إذا کانَ صِدْقاً»[7]; “And crying for their calamities and composing poems for them, whenever they are true, do not have any problems”. Therefore, it is permissible to compose poems about the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet peace be upon him and his family, provided that their content is true, and it is forbidden to do so if their content is false. Moreover, it is clear that reciting poems should not be like music and becomes like glamorous and cheerful songs, but should be sad, modest, and away from shouting; as the God has said: ﴿وَاغْضُضْ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنْكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ[8]; “Lower your voice; since the ugliest of voices is donkey’s voice”.

6. Mahdi peace be upon him may attend a ceremony in where there is mourning for Imam Hussain without heresy and sin, but it is not possible for him to attend a ceremony in where an heresy is taking place or a lie is being exposed; because attending such ceremony is not appropriate for him. As his honor Mansoor also attends mourning ceremonies for Imam Hussain, and if he sees any act of heresy and sin, he leaves them; as Abdullah ibn Habib Tabari informed us and said: Mansoor came to a house in where a group of Shiite were reminding Hussain’s calamities and were crying for his excellency, then he sat down among them until their speaker said: I am the dog of Hussain! So when he said this, Mansoor got up and left while he was saying: I swear to God, Hussain did not come to them so that they would be dogs! Did they not know that angels do not enter a house where there is a dog in?! Then he walked until he entered another house in where a group of Shiite were reminding Hussain’s calamities and were crying for his excellency, then he sat down among them until they took their clothes off and started hitting their chests in a single line, so when they did that, Mansoor got up and left while he was saying: we accompany you in the Sunnah, and we leave you in the heresy!”[9].

↑[1] . [Translator note: Ziyara Ashura is a salutatory prayer to Imam Hussain and the martyrs of the Battle of Karbala.]
↑[2] . [Translator note: Direct words of God outside of the Quran.]
↑[3] . p. 325
↑[4] . p. 772
↑[5] . [Translator note: Haram]
↑[8] . Luqman/ 19