Written by: Qārī Usāmah bin ʿAbd al-Salām
A sincere Muslim should always understand religious rulings in the light of the Qur’an, authentic ḥadīth, the practice of the Companions, and ijmāʿ (consensus) — not through the opinions of later people.
Here is a detailed examination of the common practices in Muḥarram:
Principle: Worship is based on tawqīf (established evidence).
﴿ أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَن بِهِ اللَّهُ ﴾
(al-Shūrā 42:21)
"Do they have partners who legislate for them in religion that which Allah has not permitted?"
Neither the Prophet ﷺ, nor the Khulafāʾ al-Rāshidīn, nor the Companions ever cooked food, set up sabīl, distributed sharbat, or organized “Niyāz Ḥusayn” in Muḥarram.
➡ If this were a good deed, the Companions would have practiced it, since Allah described them as:
﴿ كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ ﴾ (Āl ʿImrān 110)
In Islam, mourning has clear limits.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لاَ يَحِلُّ لاِمْرَأَةٍ تُؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ أَنْ تُحِدَّ عَلَى مَيِّتٍ فَوْقَ ثَلاَثٍ، إِلاَّ عَلَى زَوْجٍ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1280)
"It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for a dead person more than three days, except for her husband, in which case four months and ten days."
This shows mourning is time-limited; there is no instruction for black clothing, special attire, or symbolic dress.
The Prophet ﷺ declared:
"لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَطَمَ الْخُدُودَ، وَشَقَّ الْجُيُوبَ، وَدَعَا بِدَعْوَى الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1294, Muslim 103)
"He is not from us who strikes his cheeks, tears his clothes, and cries out with the call of jāhiliyyah."
Wailing is a major sin:
"النّائِحَةُ إِذَا لَمْ تَتُبْ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهَا تُقَامُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَعَلَيْهَا سِرْبَالٌ مِنْ قَطِرَانٍ وَدِرْعٌ مِنْ جَرَبٍ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 934)
"A woman who wails, if she does not repent before her death, will be raised on the Day of Judgement wearing a garment of tar and a coat of scabs."
Hence, matam, zanjīr zani, loud processions, black flags, and guards are innovations of jāhiliyyah and against Islam.
Qur’an:
﴿ وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ … رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ﴾
(al-Tawbah 9:100)
"The first forerunners from the Muhājirīn and the Anṣār… Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him."
Hating the Companions is hypocrisy:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لاَ يُحِبُّنِي إِلاَّ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلاَ يُبْغِضُنِي إِلاَّ مُنَافِقٌ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 78)
"None loves me except a believer, and none hates me except a hypocrite."
Thus, cursing ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, Muʿāwiyah, ʿĀʾishah, Ḥafṣah (RA) is hypocrisy and leads to the Fire.
Qur’an:
﴿ وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ ﴾
(Hūd 11:113)
"Do not incline towards the wrongdoers, lest the Fire touch you."
Ḥadīth:
"لَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ آوَى مُحْدِثًا"
(Abū Dāwūd 4361)
"Allah’s curse is upon the one who shelters or supports an innovator."
Those who consider these innovations minor, join such processions or gatherings, or support them — fall under Allah’s curse.
هٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
❖ Introduction
A sincere Muslim should always understand religious rulings in the light of the Qur’an, authentic ḥadīth, the practice of the Companions, and ijmāʿ (consensus) — not through the opinions of later people.
Here is a detailed examination of the common practices in Muḥarram:
❶ Distributing Sharbat, Food, or Niyāz in Muḥarram
Principle: Worship is based on tawqīf (established evidence).﴿ أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَن بِهِ اللَّهُ ﴾
(al-Shūrā 42:21)
"Do they have partners who legislate for them in religion that which Allah has not permitted?"
Neither the Prophet ﷺ, nor the Khulafāʾ al-Rāshidīn, nor the Companions ever cooked food, set up sabīl, distributed sharbat, or organized “Niyāz Ḥusayn” in Muḥarram.➡ If this were a good deed, the Companions would have practiced it, since Allah described them as:
﴿ كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ ﴾ (Āl ʿImrān 110)
❷ Wearing Black Clothes as a Sign of Mourning
In Islam, mourning has clear limits.The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لاَ يَحِلُّ لاِمْرَأَةٍ تُؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ أَنْ تُحِدَّ عَلَى مَيِّتٍ فَوْقَ ثَلاَثٍ، إِلاَّ عَلَى زَوْجٍ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1280)
"It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for a dead person more than three days, except for her husband, in which case four months and ten days."
This shows mourning is time-limited; there is no instruction for black clothing, special attire, or symbolic dress.❸ Lamentation, Chest-Beating, Self-Flagellation, Processions
The Prophet ﷺ declared:"لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَطَمَ الْخُدُودَ، وَشَقَّ الْجُيُوبَ، وَدَعَا بِدَعْوَى الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1294, Muslim 103)
"He is not from us who strikes his cheeks, tears his clothes, and cries out with the call of jāhiliyyah."
Wailing is a major sin:"النّائِحَةُ إِذَا لَمْ تَتُبْ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهَا تُقَامُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَعَلَيْهَا سِرْبَالٌ مِنْ قَطِرَانٍ وَدِرْعٌ مِنْ جَرَبٍ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 934)
"A woman who wails, if she does not repent before her death, will be raised on the Day of Judgement wearing a garment of tar and a coat of scabs."
Hence, matam, zanjīr zani, loud processions, black flags, and guards are innovations of jāhiliyyah and against Islam.❹ Abusing the Companions (RA)
Qur’an:﴿ وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ … رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ﴾
(al-Tawbah 9:100)
"The first forerunners from the Muhājirīn and the Anṣār… Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him."
Hating the Companions is hypocrisy:The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لاَ يُحِبُّنِي إِلاَّ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلاَ يُبْغِضُنِي إِلاَّ مُنَافِقٌ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 78)
"None loves me except a believer, and none hates me except a hypocrite."
Thus, cursing ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, Muʿāwiyah, ʿĀʾishah, Ḥafṣah (RA) is hypocrisy and leads to the Fire.❺ Supporting Innovators and False Practices
Qur’an:﴿ وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ ﴾
(Hūd 11:113)
"Do not incline towards the wrongdoers, lest the Fire touch you."
Ḥadīth:"لَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ آوَى مُحْدِثًا"
(Abū Dāwūd 4361)
"Allah’s curse is upon the one who shelters or supports an innovator."
Those who consider these innovations minor, join such processions or gatherings, or support them — fall under Allah’s curse.❖ Conclusion
- Feeding, distributing sharbat, black clothing, mourning, matam, processions, and abusing the Companions are all clear Bidʿah and against Qur’an and Sunnah.
- Those who invent, support, or defend such acts are in direct disobedience to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
- True love for Ḥusayn (RA) and the Ahl al-Bayt lies in following the Sunnah, not in innovating practices that lead to misguidance and Hellfire.
هٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
