A Historical Deliberation on Ninth of Rabī al-Awwal

Some Shī‘īs believe that the ninth of Rabī‘ al-Awwal is the day when ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, the second caliph, was murdered by the Iranian Abū Lu’ Lu’. Therefore, for several centuries certain ceremonies variously called ‘aid al-Zahrā, farḥat al-Zahrā, ‘Umar kushān, and Ghadīr-i duwwum, have been held that would have naturally displeased the Sunnī community, which includes the majority of Muslims. The present research is intended to find an answer to the question as to whether such ceremonies are based on historical realities concerning the date of the second caliph’s murder and his murderer. It also seeks to answer how these ceremonies became prevalent by some Shī‘as, particularly in Iran – being centered around the mausoleum of Bābā Shujā‘ al-Dīn in Kāshān; and that, to what extent can these ceremonies be religiously and legally justified?