Journal of Husayni Research Studies
Year:2024 | Volume:9 | Issue:33|Papers Count:6

Takiyehs are moderate-size buildings that function as supplementary edifices for holding Muharram ceremonies in remembrance of Imam al-Husayn in the first ten days of Muharram. In Gorgan, they are two various places, while in some other cities these two places are one and the same.

As a Divine practice, everybody is subject to being tested. Ashura was one of the severest tests in history. Some people passed it successfully, yet others failed. The items tested on Ashura included many themes and lessons, including educational backgrounds, personality traits, rewards and punishments, and making a sheer divide between nobles and ignobles. In such a critical situation, everybody is expected to observe religious piety, perseverance, reliance on God, and approaching the Ahl al-Bayt.

Islamic prayers have various levels. Apart from their ritual functions, they also play significant roles as educational and spiritual steps. The fourth Infallible Imam al-Sajjad made the most of prayers as educational mediums for transmitting Islamic teachings. His prayer on noble moral traits is replete with noble and high Islamic values and teachings. The present work seeks to infer certain principles for this prayer such that considering them will prevent any second Ashura-like episode from taking place. These principles are concerned with economic, cultural, and socio-political aspects highlighted in the prayer in focus. Had such principles been observed, Ashura would not have taken place.

The present paper focuses on certain limitations to Ashura poetry on two levels: society and literature. As Ashura-oriented poets always play a major role in attracting people toward commemorative gatherings, its rhetoric must include both message and linguistic eloquence. In a word, Ashura poetry must be free from exaggeration and excessive attention to mournful verses. It is certainly a hard task to maintain a correct equilibrium among appreciation, simplicity of expression, and admirable eloquence. All these features serve enabling the Ashura philosophy take the right steps in both society and literature.

Mourning Imam al-Husayn's martyrdom should not divert our attention from the constructive cultural aspects of identity-making effects of his unique movement. Insufficient attention to such matchless repertoire of sublime cultural resource leads some people toward adopting certain pseudo-cultural models from the West. To make the most of this cultural capital, some suggestions can be made, namely, paying close attention to Imam al-Husayn's lifestyle, and taking lessons from his interactions with his friends and foes. The present paper provides some suggestions on how to take practical lessons in this regard.

Ashura poetry enjoys a long history in Arabic literature, as it started since the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn. It has been on the increase over time. Muhammad Mahdi al-Jawahiri (1279-1376 Sh/ 1900-1997) was one of the mist famous traditionist and revolutionary Arab poets whose poetical works take seven thick volumes. In his Ashura-themed poems he highlights Imam al-Husayn's character of combating tyranny, favoring self-esteem, and being courageous. In this way, he echoes Imam al-Husayn's sublime aims and sheds light on the Umayyads' and Yazid's oppressions.