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How do Shias justify their Mourning (Matam) over Battle Of Karbala? We know that maximum mourning period of someone's death is 4 months 10 days (that too for a widow) but they do it every year.

Please answer affirming to the fact that Battle of Karbala happened 40 years after Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) death and it has nothing to do with him.

Related question:

How does the Shia school of belief justify Matam (Self-flagellation) and Tatbir (Striking oneself with sword)?

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  • Actually the main reason of mourning for Imam Hussain could be related to the his right way (for the legitimacy of his way). Factually they are mourning for missing the factual religion of Allah which ought to be stood up, but unfortunately... Thus in truth they do not cry for killing a person or the war, haply they cry because of the destruction of the right religion of Allah and .. Since it cannot be compared with e.g. passing away of someone...
    – اللهم صل علی محمد و آل محمد
    Feb 25, 2015 at 8:25
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    @Wiser, another significant point in which u should notice is that perhaps at majority of time it won't be simple to persuade the questioner solely with 1 or 2 responses. And it would be related to survey the question from different aspects and detailed (for the individuals who really are looking for the legitimacy). consequently I recommend you to pay attention and expend your time a lot in surveying some Shobhah (doubts) in regard to different questions or sects. Since occasionally it is not a confident practice to find some info. regarding some truth, because of the bias and deviations in..
    – اللهم صل علی محمد و آل محمد
    Feb 28, 2015 at 8:00

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In regarding to the main inquiry which asked “Why Matam by Shias when maximum mourning period is 4 months?”, there would be some various responses from different aspects. Let's survey it briefly from some aspects. Definitely pointing to Qur'an verse(s)/ayah would be sufficient to prove the issue. Let’s pay attention to the verse 84 and 85 of Surah Yusuf as two related matters:

وَتَوَلَّىٰ عَنْهُمْ وَقَالَ يَا أَسَفَىٰ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ ﴿٨٤

And he turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow over Joseph," and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor. (84)

قَالُوا تَاللَّـهِ تَفْتَأُ تَذْكُرُ يُوسُفَ حَتَّىٰ تَكُونَ حَرَضًا أَوْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْهَالِكِينَ ﴿٨٥

They said, "By Allah, you will not cease remembering Joseph until you become fatally ill or become of those who perish." (85)

The verses above-mentioned declare that Jacob was involved in weeping for being away from his son (Joseph)… furthermore there are a related tradition which narrated by Zamakhshari as a Famous Sunni Mofaser (expounder) of the holy Qur'an (And likewise Al-Fakhr al-Razi) who narrated:

Joseph asked Gabriel concerning the time when his father was crying and sorrowing, then he responded “it took 70 years (he was crying for 70 years), and asked him concerning the reward of his crying, he responded “his crying reward equals 70 martyrs.

Besides, there are many traditions concerning the mentioned issue from Shia Imams; For instance, it has narrated that Imam Sajjad (Zain al Abedin) (a.s.) as the fourth Imam of Shia, permanently he was sorrowing for the event of Ashura during his Imamate period; he cried too much for the mentioned event that he was considered and was titled as “Boka’een” who was counted as the persons who cry a lot.

References:

  • http://tanzil.net
  • Tafseer al Keshaf, Zamakhshari, 2th edition, pg. 497, and Tafseer al Kabir, Al-Fakhr al Razi, Vol.18, pg. 193 (in regard to verses 84 & 85 Surah Yusuf).
  • تفسير الكشاف، زمخشري، نسخه(التحریر)2، ص497 و تفسير الكبير، الفخر الرازي، ج18، ص193، ذيل آيات 84و85
  • Wasa’elul-Shia, vol. 2, pg. 922.
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    u tried to attempt well. But, that was a story of the prophets(p b u them) of the past, but we follow the abrogated Prophet(pbuh) with updated rules, isn't it???
    – servant-of-Wiser
    Feb 28, 2015 at 12:22
  • so just temme simply, do you affirm that Prophet (pbuh) said not to mourn more than a few days, if near of kin is expired????
    – servant-of-Wiser
    Mar 4, 2015 at 7:49
  • "Narrated Um 'Atiyya: The Prophet said, "It is not lawful for a lady who believes in Allah and the Last Day, to mourn for more than three days for a dead person, except for her husband, in which case she should neither put kohl in her eyes, nor perfume herself, nor wear dyed clothes, except a garment of 'Asb" Um 'Atiyya added: The Prophet said, "She should not use perfume except when she becomes clean from her menses whereupon she can use Qust, and Azfar (two kinds of incense)." Sahih Bukhari - 255 63 87 ... Divorce... and also I think a lady would cry more than a male.
    – servant-of-Wiser
    Mar 4, 2015 at 14:32

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