Is ‘Every day Ashoora’?

Many Shias from both classes – the common folks and the scholars – consider the slogan ‘Every day is Ashoora, every land is Karbala’ as Hadith Qudsi or authentic tradition from the Ahle Bait (a.s.) to the extent that they even add to it – every month is Muharram.

Is there any reality behind this slogan?

Reply

There is an unfortunate attempt at making this slogan popular among the masses, so much so that some even attribute it the infallible Imams (a.s.). But the truth is that there is no such tradition in any of our sources narrated from any of our infallible imams (a.s.). Rather, it is contradicting an authentic tradition narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) from his ancestor Imam Hasan (a.s.) who said: “There is no day like yours O Aba Abdillah (Husain) a.s.” Therefore, on the basis of tradition of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s.) the comparison of the day of Ashura with regards to its afflictions and adversities with any day has been rejected.

Rather some have said: Such a slogan (which is under discussion) has been fabricated by the Bani Umayyah and enemies of Ahle Bait (a.s.) with the purpose of spreading fear and threat among the Shias and gradually it became famous as a part of religion among the Shias.

Tradition on unique nature of Ashoora

Mufazzal Ibn Umar reports from Imam Sadiq from his father (a.s.) from his grandfather (a.s.): One day Imam Husain Ibn Ali (a.s.) came to visit Imam Hasan (a.s.). When Husain (a.s.) saw his brother, he started crying. He (Imam Hasan a.s.) asked him: Why are you crying, O Aba Abdillah?

He (a.s.) replied: I am crying for whatever has been done to you.

Imam Hasan (a.s.) informed: Whatever affliction has affected me is the poison given to me and I will be killed due to it. But there is no day like yours O, Aba Abdillah (Husain) a.s. On that day, 30,000 men claiming to be from the Ummat (nation) of our grandfather (s.a.w.a.) and considering themselves to be Muslims will  surround you to kill you, spill your blood, destroy your dignity, make your children and family members as captives and plunder your property.

Al-Amaali of Sheikh Sadooq (r.a.) (381 A.H.), p. 115, Majlis No. 24

A similar report is also narrated on the authority of Imam Ali Ibn Husain Zainul Abedeen (a.s.). Readers can refer to Behaar al-Anwaar vol. 44 p. 298 from Al-Khesaal vol. 1 p. 68

On the basis of these reports, which are beyond any reproach, there can be no comparison of the Day of Ashoora with any other day with regards to afflictions and adversities.