Fasting of  Āshūrā in the First two Centuries of Hijra Categorization and Typology of the Traditions

Fasting of ‘Āshūrā is among the common Sunnis rituals; however, the traditions about its origin and rulings seem to be inconsistent. Attempting to reconcile among their traditions in this respect, the Sunni jurists have finally passed a decree to the desirability (istiḥbāb) of this ritual. Furthermore, while the first five Imams have a positive approach to the ritual, the Shī‘as have on the basis of the traditions of the latter Imams, given fatwa to its aversion or unlawfulness and have introduced it as fabricated by the Umayyad for celebrating a feast during the martyrdom days of Imam Ḥusayn (A.S.). The contemporary researcher, Sulayman Bāshīr, while denying the relation of this ritual to the martyrdom, has considered as effective the role of the Umayyads in the formation of this ritual. The present study is a critical review of the above-mentioned opinions on the basis of belief in the possibility of reconciliation between these traditions and acceptance of a new theory: since the second caliph ‘Umar wanted, on Imam Ali’s (A.S.) order, to base the beginning of Islamic calendar upon the Prophet’s migration, this ritual was promoted to represent the importance of the Prophet’s migration in a symbolic matrix and in the latter generations the students of these two were the main figures who undertook to promote it; although with the change of the first month of the year from Rabi’ al-Awwal to Muharam, the Prophet’s migration on ‘Āshūrā was forgotten and the martyrdom of Imam Ḥusayn (A.S.) on ‘Āshūrā added to the ambiguities of the origins of this day and the causes for promotion of it by the early Shī‘a Imams (A.S.).