Did you know that the Ashura religious holiday, one of the most significant Muslim holidays, actually holds slightly different meanings to the various Muslim groups? In this article, we’ll go over some of the most common beliefs and traditions associated with Ashura, from Ashura holiday meaning to the vocabulary for Ashura processions, from the perspective of multiple groups, so that you can get a multi-faceted glance at Pakistan culture and Muslim religions. In turn, this will make your language studies much more effective and fascinating!
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1. What is the Ashura Holiday in Pakistan?
When it comes to Ashura (both the Ashura holiday in India and in Pakistan), mourning is the main focus among Muslim groups. The holiday is the culmination of the Remembrance or Mourning of Muharram and is multifaceted in nature depending on which denomination of Islam a person espouses. Different Islamic sects observe the Day of Ashura in different ways, with each having their own reasons to honor the day and their own set of events they are commemorating on the holiday.
Shiite Muslims observe the Day of Ashura as a day of mourning for Husayn ibn Al, martyred during the Battle of Karbala. A group of his closest associates and family members were exterminated with him. Since those killings, Shi’a Muslims have looked upon the Day of Ashura as a day for lamentations and sorrow.
Pakistan and some other Middle Eastern countries have made the Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali a national holiday which most religious and ethnic groups in those countries partake in.
Sunni Muslims, on the other hand, observe the Day of Ashura as a day of victory to mark the day when the Israelites were liberated from the Egyptian pharaoh.
2. When is Ashura?
Each year, Muslims celebrate Ashura on the tenth day of the Islamic month Muharram. For your convenience, here’s a list of this holiday’s date on the Gregorian calendar for the next ten years.
- 2019: September 10
- 2020: August 29
- 2021: August 19
- 2022: August 8
- 2023: July 28
- 2024: July 16
- 2025: July 5
- 2026: June 25
- 2027: June 15
- 2028: June 3
3. Reading Practice: Ashura Holiday Traditions
To find out how different Muslim groups commemorate Ashura, and more about the Ashura holiday Pakistan pbserves, read the Urdu text below. You can find the English translation directly below it.
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روایتی طور پر یوم عاشورہ کے لئے شیعہ مسلمانوں کی رسومات میں شامل ہیں خود اذیتی ، جس میں اکثر اپنے گناہوں کے لئے خود کو سزا دینا شامل ہوتا ہے کیونکہ اصل توجہ ماتم پر ہوتی ہے، اگرچہ حال ہی میں بہت سے مذہبی اہلکاروں نے ان اعمال کی مذمت کی، اور انہیں غیر اسلامی قرار دیا ہے۔
کچھ سنی مسلم یوم عاشورہ کو روزہ رکھتے ہیں اور کربلا تقریبات کو بھی مانتے ہیں اگرچہ سنیوں کے لئے تہوار کے طور یہ اصل توجہ کا مرکز نہیں ہوتی ہیں۔
شیعوں کے لئے یوم عاشورہ شاید سنیوں کے مقابلے میں کہیں زیادہ اہم ہے۔
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Traditionally, the ritual ceremonies of Shiite Muslims for the Day of Ashura were masochistic in nature, often involving self-flagellation because of the focus on mourning, although more recently, many religious officials decried those practices, declaring them un-Islamic.
Some Sunni Muslims fast on Ashura and also recognize the Karbala events even though they are not the focus of the holiday for Sunnis.
For Shiites, the Day of Ashura is arguably more important than it is for Sunnis.
4. Who was Husayn ibn A?
Why is Husayn ibn A such an important Muslim figure?
Husayn ibn A was the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. Husayn ibn A is also known for being the third Shia Imam, and is highly revered for refusing to give his loyalty to the Umayyad leader Yazid—an outward display of his negative opinions toward the Umayyad rule.
5. Essential Ashura Vocabulary
Here’s some vocabulary you should know for Ashura!
- اسلام (Islam) — Islam
- پانی (paani) — water
- شہید (shaheed) — martyr
- محرم (muharram) — Muharram
- جلوس (jaloos) — procession
- ماتم (maatam) — mourn
- خلیفہ (khaleefa) — caliph
- حسین (Hussain) — Hussain
- کربلا (Karbala) — Karbala
- پیاس (Peyas) — thirst
- شیعہ (Shia) — Shia
- روزہ رکھنا (roza rakhna) — fast
To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, visit our Ashura vocabulary list. Here, you’ll find each word accompanied by an audio file of its pronunciation, and a relevant image.
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Don’t forget to offer your Muslim friends an Ashura holiday greeting or nice Ashura holiday wishes!
We wish you all the best in your language-learning endeavors! 🙂
