Author Archives: Muharram In Manhattan

November 10

Abbas Rattani: Muharram, Community, Privilege and Power

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A year ago, I wrote a piece on why non-Shi’as should attend Shi’a events, arguing that history is often dictated/determined by the group in power, and in our current case, “Islam” is dictated primarily by heterosexual Sunni Arab men (with some influence from South Asian men).  Syntax and grammatical issues aside, the article raised some […]

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November 08

(Dis)Honoring Imam Hussain’s Legacy?

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I remember when I used to anticipate the beginning of Muharram.  Not because it’s something to celebrate, but because it brought me close to my community and close to my faith as we commemorated the sacrifice that Imam Hussain made for Islam.  It’s not just that he was beloved to the Prophet of Islam, rather […]

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November 07

Justin Mashouf : Telling the Story of Ashura in America

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The event of Ashura is arguably the most singularly impactful story in Shia identity. This tragic event in which the grandson of the Prophet is slain while thirsty in the battle field, surrounded by the corpses and of his own family members and close friends, has been and continues to be central in a diverse […]

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November 06

Dungeons of Damascus

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Dungeons of Damascus Hear the author reciting Dungeons of Damascus   She wept for her father In the dungeons of Damascus “I had heard of orphans But never felt the pain I cry now, orphaned In the dungeons of Damascus They slap me when I cry They have beaten us from Karbala They still curse us […]

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Imam Hussain November 03

Preserving Islam : Karbala A Universal Paradigm

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On the day of Ashura, Imam Hussain called out “Is there any helper to help us?” This call extends to us to the present day, since the larger struggle of Good vs. Evil that Imam Husayn fought on the tenth of Muhurram 681 AD is still an on-going struggle to this day.  Imam wasn’t looking […]

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October 30

Have You Got What It Takes?

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What Do You Stand For? What Do You Believe In? Who Would You Stand Up For? These are the most important questions you’ll ever ask yourself–what rouses your soul and speaks to your heart? Justice? Equality? Freedom?…fair enough. But ask yourself, at what point would you take a stand–when your own rights are ignored? What […]

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October 24

Divine Inspiration: Hussain is from me and I am from Hussain

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Inspiration flows like a river;  rivers flow through the earth into the enormous and powerful depths of the sea, similarly inspiration flows through our bodies and becomes a central part of our being, giving rise to wisdom, insight, and beauty. Throughout our lives we are nourished emotionally, psychologically and most importantly motivated by the things […]

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October 03

Omid Safi: Martyrdom of the Prophet’s Family, then and now

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  Less than 50 years after the passing away of the Prophet Muhammad, a small remnant of his family found themselves captives of the rulers of the Muslim state. They had been dragged through the Iraqi desert, with the women dishonored and most of their men killed. Among those martyred was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, known […]

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What is Muharram?

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What is Muharram?  The months of Muharram and Safar offer the yearly opportunity to commemorate the martyrdom of al‑Husayn ibn `Ali (A), the grandson of the Prophet (S) and the third Imam of the Shiite Muslims, at Karbala’ on the tenth of Muharram in the year 61. The tragedy and heroism of the event, the […]

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