Martyrdom Anniversary of Imam Hussain ibn Ali (p), 1446 A.H.

Tuesday, July 16th, 2024, is the day of Ashura which marks the martyrdom anniversary of
Imam Hussain ibn Ali (p).

On Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, we commemorate the tragedy of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (a), his family members, and his companions in the Battle of Karbala by grieving and reflecting. Imam Rida (p) reportedly said, “Whoever makes the Day of Ashura a day of his misfortune, sorrow, and crying, God Almighty will make the Day of Resurrection a day of his joy and happiness.” ¹

The Night of Ashura

On this night, we turn to God in worship, similar to the Imam (a), who, in the face of imminent loss, suffering, and death, remained in a state of constant prayer, supplication, and recitation of the Quran until his final moment. Here are some recommended acts to be performed on this occasion.

Spend this night reading the Quran, supplicating, and praying to God until the morning prayer (salat al-fajr).
Perform 100 rakahs of prayer. For each rakah, recite Surat al-Fatiha once, followed by Surat al-Ikhlas three times.
Visit the shrine of Imam Hussain (p) in Karbala if possible. Otherwise, we can offer our salutations (salam) and pay our respects from afar by reciting the ziyara of Imam Hussain (p), his family members, and his companions.

The Day of Ashura

Imam al-Sadiq (p) reportedly said the following about the sacredness of the Day of Ashura: “One should avoid amusement on this day and perform the rites of mourning.”²

At the same time, we should cultivate an environment to grieve over the epic martyrdom of the King of Martyrs, as Imam al-Baqir (p) reportedly encouraged believers to lament and weep for Imam Hussain (p) and to encourage those in their homes to do the same by saying:

أعظَمَ اللهُ اُجورَنا بِمُصابِنا بِالحُسَينِ وَجَعَلَنا وَإياكُم مِن الطَّالِبينَ بِثارِهِ مَعَ وَليِّهِ الإمام المَهديّ مِن آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عليهم السلام

“May God magnify our reward for our grief over Hussain, and may He make us and you among those who seek his revenge with his waliyy, Imam al-Mahdi, from the family of Muhammad, peace be upon them.”³

Here are some praiseworthy acts to perform on this day:

Offer condolences to your fellow Muslims for the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussain (a) in the manner mentioned in the hadith attributed to Imam Baqir (p) above.
Send your condolences to the Imam of our time, Imam Mehdi (a), for the calamity suffered by his great-grandfather. Renew your commitment and allegiance to him.
Dedicate the day to mourning and reflection. If you can, take the day off from work and school and avoid errands. Engage in acts of worship. Take the time to focus on internalizing the example of the Ahl al-Bayt and strengthening your connection to God.

1. Saduq, Ilal al-Sharai, v. 1, p. 225 and v. 2 p. 227.
2. Wasa’il al-Shi’ah: 10/394/19701.
3. Misbah al-Mutahajjid, p 722.