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Jewish, Christian and Islamic calendars, and Ghadir and Aushura (‘Aashoora) Part 5 (last part)

Jewish, Christian and Islamic calendars, and Ghadir and Aushura (‘Aashoora)

Part 5 (last part)

 

And now we wish to briefly explore a calendrical issue regarding the second occasion i.e. Aashoora:

 

Qur’an 7:142 And We appointed with Moosa a time of thirty nights, and We completed them with ten (more), thus the appointed time of his Lord was completed forty nights. And Moosa said to his brother Haaroon: Take my place among my people, and do right and follow not the way of the mischief-makers.

 

Many Sunni Tafsirs such as Anwaar al Tanzil wa Asraar al Ta’wil of Bayzaawi (vol. 3, p. 33) and Ahkaam al Qur’an of ebn Arabi (vol. 2, p. 791) and … indicate that the period of forty  nights mentioned in the above Qur’anic verse was during the month of Dhyl-Qa’dah and the first ten nights of Dhyl-Hajjah.

 

Shi’ah Tafsirs from the Infallible Ones (PBUT) also confirm this calendrical fact; for instance in Tafsir Jaame’, vol. 2, p. 456 and … a Hadith from Imam Reda (PBUH) has been narrated in which the Imam (PBUH) has said:

 

Allah revealed to Moosa: I will send the Torah, in which are the Ahkaam (religious precepts), in forty days being the month of Dhyl-Qa’dah and the first ten days of Dhyl-Hajjah. …And when came the tenth of Dhyl-Hajjah, Allah sent the Alwaah (Tablets) to Moosa, within which were the Ahkaam of religion and Tidings and Narratives and Mostahabbaat (recommended acts of worship), and every thing they needed; and He Spoke to Moosa and Moosa then returned to his people … .

 

Also it is noteworthy to mention that in Shi’ah sources such as the Mafaatih al Jenaan of Shaikh Abbaas Qommi and … a Salaat is recommended in the first ten nights of Dhyl-Hajjah in which the above Qur’anic verse is recited.

 

As previously mentioned, the current Bible –in spite of all distortions- still mentions the forty days and nights that the Prophet Moosa (PBUH) was on the Mountain during which Allah’s Commands including the Command for announcing the Chosen status of Hadrat Haaroon and his two sons and placing the Holy Crown on Haaroon in front of the congregation of the children of Israel was given to Moosa (PBUT). And also as mentioned shortly after Moosa (PBUH) descended from the mountain, he (PBUH) did as Allah had commanded.

 

Now, as mentioned above: According to Qur’an and both Shi’ah and Sunni narrations, the day that Hadrat Moosa (PBUH) descended from the mountain was the tenth of Dhyl-Hajjah. And as also said before Islamic Hadiths confirm that it was eight days later on the 18th of Dhyl-Hajjah when allegiance was sought for Hadrat Haaroon and his two sons (PBUT).

 

Let us pay careful attention that even the Sunni documents are confirming that the day Hadrat Moosa (PBUH) descended from the mountain with the “Alwaah (Tablets)” was the 10th of Dhyl-Hajjah.

 

It is also noteworthy to mention that: The Jewish Midrashic literature relates the 10th day of the 7th month (Yom Hakippurim - Day of Atonement) to the event of bringing the tablets of the Covenant from Mount Sinai.

 

Keeping these points in mind, let us read the following article:

 

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 “The Fast of 'Ashura”

Al-Serat, Vol VIII No. 3 & 4

By: Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi,

 

Some traditions are found in Sunni books to the effect that the Prophet (s.a.w.) on migrating to Medina found the Jews fasting on the 10th of Muharram.

 

He asked them why, and was told: "It is an auspicious day; it is the day when God delivered the children of Israel from their enemy (i.e. Pharaoh); and, therefore, Moses fasted on that day." The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "I am worthier of Moses than you are." Thereupon, he fasted on that day and ordered (the Muslims) to fast.

 

1. al-Sahih of al-Bukhari, Vol.3; Egypt ed.; p.54

 

2. Mishkatul-Masabih; Delhi ed.; 1307 A.H.; p.l72

 

It is noted by the commentator of Mishkatul-Masabih that "it was in the second year, because in the first year the Prophet had arrived at Medina after 'Ashura, in Rabi'ul-awwal.”

 

How much importance was this fast supposed to have may be judged from another tradition narrated in al-Sahih of. al-Bukhari: "The Prophet (s.a.w.) ordered a man from the (tribe of) Aslam: Announce to the people that whoever has eaten should fast the rest of the day, and whoever has not eaten should fast (the whole day), because today is the 'Ashura (10th day of Muharram)."

 

That very year the fast of Ramadan was ordained and the obligation to fast on 'Ashura was abrogated, as has been claimed in other traditions narrated in the same book. Still, reportedly, it carries much importance as a voluntary fast.

 

Now let us look closely at these traditions:

 

First: The Jews had their own calendar and months. There is no logic in saying that they fasted on the 10th of Muharram - unless it could be proved that this date always coincided with a Jewish day of fast.

 

It was mentioned in my article, "Martyrdom of Imam Husayn and the Muslim and the Jewish Calendars" (Alserat, Vol.VI, No's 3 & 4; Muharram 1401 Nov.1980) that the first month of the Jews (Abib, later named Nisan) coincided with Rajab of the Arabs. W.O.E.Oesterley and Theodore H.Robinson have written that in Arabia "the most important of all the new-moon festivals was that which fell in the month of Ragab (sic), equivalent to the Hebrew month 'Abib, for this was the time when the ancient Arabs celebrated the Spring festival." (Hebrew Religion; S.P.C.K., London; 1955; p.128)

 

Probably, in ancient times the two branches of Abraham's house followed the same system of intercalating an additional month 7 times in a cycle of 19 years. And in this way the 7th Jewish month, Tishri I, coincided with Muharram. And the 'Ashura of Muharram synchronized with 10th of Tishri I, the Jewish Day of Atonement - a day of fast. In that article, it was observed that the two calendars lost their synchronization when Islam, in the 9th year of hijra, disallowed intercalation. But on deeper consideration it transpired that that parity was lost long before the advent of Islam, because the Arabs did not follow any mathematical calculation in their intercalation. That was why the Muharram of the 2nd year of Hijra began on 5th July, 623 C.E. (Al-Munjid, 21st ed.), months before Tishri I (which always coincides with September-October).

 

Clearly, 'Ashura of Muharram in that year (or, for that matter, during the Prophet's whole life at Medina) had no significance whatsoever for the Jews.

 

The question is: Why did they fast on that day?

 

Second: The Jewish Midrashic literature relates the 10th day of the 7th month (Yom Hakippurim - Day of Atonement) to the event of bringing the tablets of the Covenant from Mount Sinai, as Dr. Mishael Maswari-Caspi has written in his letter, quoted in my previous article, mentioned above.

 

The question is: If the Jews had wanted to keep the long-lost synchronization of Tishri I and Muharram in view, how was it that they forgot to narrate this tradition to the Prophet?

 

Third: The month in which God delivered the Israelites from Pharaoh was Abib (i.e. Rajab), as the Bible clearly says: "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the Lord thy God: for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night." (Deut., 16:1)

 

The question is: How could the Jews transfer an event of Abib (originally coinciding with Rajab) to Muharram, in open defiance of their Torah?

 

And lastly here is a point to ponder for the Muslims: The Prophet (s.a.w.) was sent with a religion to abrogate all previous religions and shari'ah. How was it that he deigned to imitate the custom of the Jews?

 

It is clear from above-mentioned facts that the Jews had no reason at all to fast on 'Ashura of Muharram at that period; and this story, built on that premise, is just that - a fiction. Obviously, it was invented by a narrator who only knew that once upon a time Muharram coincided with the Jews' Tishri I; but was totally unaware of contemporary Jewish religion and culture.

 

One feels constrained to mention here that this and other such traditions were forged by camp-followers of the Umayyads, after the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, as a part of their campaign to turn the 10th of Muharram into a day of rejoicing. These traditions are of the same genre as those which say that it was on the 10th of Muharram that Noah's ark rested on Mount Arafat, the fire became cool and safe for Abraham, and Jesus ascended to the heaven. In the same category came the traditions exhorting the Muslims to treat 'Ashura as a festival of joy, and to store one's food-grain on this very day as it would increase one's sustenance and bring the blessings of Allah to the household.    

 

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Now InshaaAllah we appreciate better the profound statements of “Ziyaarat of ‘Aushura” in which it is stated:

 

… O my Allah! Indeed this is a Day (Day of ‘Aashoora) to which the Bani-Omayyah have sought blessings and bounties … have rejoiced …

 

Let us at this point, as a sample, narrate another Sunni hadith which negates all the above mentioned forged narrations:

 

The Sunni Jalaludin Syuti writes that Ibrahim [ra] said:

 

Since the creation of the world, the heaven and the earth have cried for none else other then two men. The people asked him: "Do not the heaven and the earth cry for the Momineen?" He replied: "When they are virtuous his privilege is linked to his status and deeds." He then asked them if they knew how the heaven and the earth cries. The people replied in the negative, therefore he said: "It becomes fiery and red, just as the red boiling oil. The day when Yahya bin Zakarya was martyred the sky had got red and blood was dripping from it and the sky had also got red the day Husayn was martyred."

 

Sunni Tafseer Dur al-Manthur, Vol 7 page 413 Surah Dokhaan 44 Verse 29

 

LA’N BE UPON ALL THE ENEMIES OF ALLAH AND THUS HIS CHOSEN ONES …

 

May Allah hasten the Ever Promised Appearance of the last Promised-One of Ghadir, Hadrat Mahdi (PBUH)  …

Aameen …