Muharram in Bahrain
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The Islamic month of
Muharram Muḥarram ( ar, ٱلْمُحَرَّم) (fully known as Muharram ul Haram) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is forbidden. It is held to be the second holiest month after R ...
is a period of mourning in
Shia Islam Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, m ...
and commemorates the death of
Imam Hussain Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب; 10 January 626 – 10 October 680) was a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Ali ibn Abi ...
, the third
Imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...
, and his companions at the
Battle of Karbala The Battle of Karbala ( ar, مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ...
in 680 AD. Processions called
Azadari The Mourning of Muharram (also known as Azadari, Remembrance of Muharram or Muharram Observances) is a set of commemoration rituals observed primarily by Shia people. The commemoration falls in Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. ...
( ar, عزاداری) are held to commemorate and remember the events that took place, these are often organised by congregation halls known as ''
Hussainia A ḥosayniya or hussainiya (Arabic: حسينية ''husayniyya''), also known as an ashurkhana, imambargah, or imambara, is a congregation hall for Twelver Shia Muslim commemoration ceremonies, especially those associated with the Mourning of ...
''. Mourning climaxes on the tenth day of Muharram,
Ashura Ashura (, , ) is a day of commemoration in Islam. It occurs annually on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Among Shia Muslims, Ashura is observed through large demonstrations of high-scale mourning as it marks the ...
. The mourning is sometimes referred to as the ''Remembrance of Muharram'' ( ar, ذكرى محرم). The mourning that takes place during Muharram in
Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
has a long history in the country, having been practiced for centuries, and the month sees a massive influx of visitors from neighbouring
Persian Gulf countries The Arab states of the Persian Gulf refers to a group of Arab states which border the Persian Gulf. There are seven member states of the Arab League in the region: Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. ...
, who spectate or participate in the mourning processions. What makes Bahrain special in the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
area is that Hussaini processions are allowed openly on the streets; a reason why Shia Muslims in the region to travel to Bahrain during Muharram.


Background

The event marks the anniversary of the
Battle of Karbala The Battle of Karbala ( ar, مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ...
when Imam
Hussein ibn Ali Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب; 10 January 626 – 10 October 680) was a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Ali ibn Abi ...
, the grandson of the Islamic prophet
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
, and a
Shia Imam In Shia Islam, the Imamah ( ar, إمامة) is a doctrine which asserts that certain individuals from the lineage of the Islamic prophet Muhammad are to be accepted as leaders and guides of the ummah after the death of Muhammad. Imamah further ...
, was killed by the forces of the second
Umayyad caliph The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by the ...
Yazid I Yazid ibn Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan ( ar, يزيد بن معاوية بن أبي سفيان, Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiya ibn ʾAbī Sufyān; 64611 November 683), commonly known as Yazid I, was the second caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate. He ruled from ...
. The month-long occasion is marked by arranging a series of daily gatherings, where a cleric would to deliver sermons on Islamic teachings and Imam Hussain's life. The mourning itself reaches its climax on the tenth day of Muharram, known as
Ashura Ashura (, , ) is a day of commemoration in Islam. It occurs annually on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Among Shia Muslims, Ashura is observed through large demonstrations of high-scale mourning as it marks the ...
, on which the Umayyad army killed the 72 combatants who fought, including Imam Hussain, his family and close supporters. The women and children left living were made prisoners and transported to Yazid's court in
Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...
.


Commemoration in Bahrain


History

The first outdoor Muharram procession in Bahrain is reported to have taken place in
Manama Manama ( ar, المنامة ', Bahrani Arabic, Bahrani pronunciation: ) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 200,000 people as of 2020. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is h ...
in 1891, led by Mirza Muhammad Ismail, the local agent for the
British-India Steam Navigation Company British India Steam Navigation Company ("BI") was formed in 1856 as the Calcutta and Burmah Steam Navigation Company. History The ''Calcutta and Burmah Steam Navigation Company'' had been formed out of Mackinnon, Mackenzie & Co, a trading part ...
. Historian Nelida Fuccaro describes the event as:
This was a momentuous even for Manama's Shi'is. People flocked behind a heavily armed Mirza Isma'il who proudly made his way through Manama's streets in defiance of the veto imposed by
the rulers ''The Rulers'' is a golden age science fiction short story by A. E. van Vogt, originally published in ''Astounding'' in March 1946. It was included in several anthologies, including 1952's '' Destination: Universe!''. Plot Dr. Alexander Latham is ...
on public manifestations of Shi'i devotion.
In the 1950s, when Bahrain saw the rise of a
nationalist movement The Nationalist Movement is a Mississippi-founded white nationalist organization with headquarters in Georgia that advocates what it calls a "pro-majority" position. It has been called white supremacist by the Associated Press and Anti-Defamati ...
, the procession of the ma'tam (
Hussainia A ḥosayniya or hussainiya (Arabic: حسينية ''husayniyya''), also known as an ashurkhana, imambargah, or imambara, is a congregation hall for Twelver Shia Muslim commemoration ceremonies, especially those associated with the Mourning of ...
) of
Ras Rumman Ras Rumman ( ar, رأس الرمان) is a neighborhood of Manama in Bahrain. Etymology The name Ras Rumman translates to "Head of Pomegrante" this was related to the large fields starting Ras Rumman and ending near Budaiya. History Historica ...
marched chanting nationalist slogans preceded by the banner of
Gamal Abdel Nasser Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, . (15 January 1918 – 28 September 1970) was an Egyptian politician who served as the second president of Egypt from 1954 until his death in 1970. Nasser led the Egyptian revolution of 1952 and introduced far-re ...
's Egypt. The oldest and most distinguished of the mawatim (sing. ma'tam) in Bahrain are located in the
Fareej el-Makharqa Fareej el-Makharqa or Al-Makharga ( ar, فريج المخارقة) is a neighborhood in the heart of Manama, the capital of Bahrain. It is adjacent to Fareej el-Hammam, Fareej el-Hatab, Fareej el-Fadhel, and Gudaibiya. History Its name deri ...
quarter of central
Manama Manama ( ar, المنامة ', Bahrani Arabic, Bahrani pronunciation: ) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 200,000 people as of 2020. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is h ...
and were constructed at the turn of the 19th century. This includes Matam al-Ajam al-Kabeer, Matam Bin Rajab, Bin Zabar, Madan, Sallum, Al Mudaifa, Al Arrayed, Al Qassab, and al Hajj Khalaf.


Practices and rituals

Muharram in Bahrain is unique, as it is the only
Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
country in the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
region that has a
Shia Muslim Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most ...
majority. It has been estimated that thousands of Gulf nationals visit Bahrain during
Ashura Ashura (, , ) is a day of commemoration in Islam. It occurs annually on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Among Shia Muslims, Ashura is observed through large demonstrations of high-scale mourning as it marks the ...
to participate in the religious processions. Although official statistics in 2009 show that only 1,100 matams (مأتم) are officially registered in the country, it is believed that there are up to 5,000 matams, including both registered and unregistered. Processions (
Azadari The Mourning of Muharram (also known as Azadari, Remembrance of Muharram or Muharram Observances) is a set of commemoration rituals observed primarily by Shia people. The commemoration falls in Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. ...
) occur on an almost-daily basis during the month. Different varieties of the processions exist: Some processions consist of participants beating the chests, others with self-
flagellation Flagellation (Latin , 'whip'), flogging or whipping is the act of beating the human body with special implements such as whips, rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails, the sjambok, the knout, etc. Typically, flogging has been imposed on ...
s with chains and hitting oneself with swords or knives (called "Haidar"). Passion plays and reenactments of the
Day of Ashura A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. In everyday life, the word "day" often refers to a solar day, which is the length between two solar ...
are also performed.
Ashura Ashura (, , ) is a day of commemoration in Islam. It occurs annually on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Among Shia Muslims, Ashura is observed through large demonstrations of high-scale mourning as it marks the ...
is a two-day public holiday in
Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
, occurring on the ninth and tenth days of Muharram, respectively (though dates vary on the
Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...
). According to the government sources, the
Bahraini government The Cabinet of Bahrain is the chief executive body of the Kingdom of Bahrain. According to Article 32 (b) of the 2002 Constitution, "executive authority is vested in the King together with the Council of Ministers and Ministers". The Council of M ...
"actively donates food and funds" to matams during the month-long event.


Notable Matams

A matam is a Shia congregation hall, also called as a
Hussainia A ḥosayniya or hussainiya (Arabic: حسينية ''husayniyya''), also known as an ashurkhana, imambargah, or imambara, is a congregation hall for Twelver Shia Muslim commemoration ceremonies, especially those associated with the Mourning of ...
. As matams number in the thousands, notable ones are listed below: * Matam al-Ajam al-Kabeer * Matam Bin Rajab


Gallery

File:Ashura in Bahrain 28.JPG, An
Ashura Ashura (, , ) is a day of commemoration in Islam. It occurs annually on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Among Shia Muslims, Ashura is observed through large demonstrations of high-scale mourning as it marks the ...
banner written in four languages; Arabic, English, Malayalam, and Bengali. File:Ashura in Bahrain 01.JPG, A Bahraini flag with black colour instead of red. File:Ashura in Bahrain 24.JPG, A flagellation march in Manama, Bahrain. File:Ashura in Bahrain 41.JPG, Procession in
Sanabis Sanabis ( ar, سنابس ') is a village located in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in the suburbs of the capital city, Manama. Etymology The definition of the word ''Sanabis'' is disputed, with the most popular view being that members of the Sunbus trib ...
File:Ashura in Bahrain 39.JPG, Muslims listen to a speech on the eve of Ashura in Manama. File:Ashura in Bahrain 42.JPG, Bahraini Shia Muslims participate in a candle march. File:Ashura in Bahrain 44.JPG, Muslims strike their chests as they march to mark the
Day of Ashura A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. In everyday life, the word "day" often refers to a solar day, which is the length between two solar ...
. File:Ashura in Bahrain 43.JPG, Candle march in Manama File:Ashura in Bahrain 48.JPG, The
Hussainia A ḥosayniya or hussainiya (Arabic: حسينية ''husayniyya''), also known as an ashurkhana, imambargah, or imambara, is a congregation hall for Twelver Shia Muslim commemoration ceremonies, especially those associated with the Mourning of ...
of Qassab, a starting point for processions. File:Ashura in Bahrain 29.JPG, Cleric delivers a sermon in Sanabis. File:Ashoora Music Band.jpg, Music band playing during Ashura. File:Ashura in Bahrain 30.JPG, Theatrical reenactment of the aftermath of the
Battle of Karbala The Battle of Karbala ( ar, مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ...
File:Ashura in Bahrain 26.JPG, Al Khawaja mosque during Muharram in 2012, note the black cloth draping the western side of the mosque. File:Ashura in Bahrain 21.JPG, A typical road in
Manama Manama ( ar, المنامة ', Bahrani Arabic, Bahrani pronunciation: ) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 200,000 people as of 2020. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is h ...
during Muharram, prior to the passing of a procession.


References

{{reflist Islam in Bahrain