QUESTION:
Sunni’ sources contain several narrations showing A’isha permitting unrelated men
Dear Sheikh, you have confirmed, beyond a reasonable doubt, that bloodletting (tatbir) on the day of Ashura is recommended. And when asked about the practice of mudding (i.e., covering our face and clothes with mud), you provided sufficient and convincing answers as well.
What remains now is to ask you to provide strong evidence which suggests the practice of firewalking is also recommended on the Day of Ashura.
ANSWER:
In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful.
May Allah bless Muhammad and his Family and damn their enemies.
Every act performed to commemorate the tragedy of the battle of Karbala and condole the Master of Martyrs, his household and his companions (peace be upon them) is a commendable act. The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said:
to condole is the best of deeds.
Mustadrak al-Wasa’el, by Mirza al-Nouri, vol. 7, p. 210. It is narrated o,f Ghurar al-Hikam.
To make one’s body subject to the pain and heat of the fire is a potent way of feeling the pain and grief Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) felt on the day of Ashura. Ashura is an unmatched day of suffering and grief for them, and what better to express our sympathy than to share in the pain and suffering they continue to face?
The fact of the matter is, despite our best efforts, we could only feel an insignificant proportion of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) were subjected to by their enemies. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) bled on that, so we bleed, too, to condole him and join in his suffering.
When the enemies of Allah attacked the women and children’s tents and lit them on fire, the fires burnt their clothes and bodies. The raging fires forced many to flee their tents and run barefooted into the scorching sands and through the debris of burning tents. Even before this took place, the Truthful Lady Fatima al-Zahra (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon her) was also subjected to the flames when Umar (may Allah curse him) set the door to her house on fire, burning her sacred face.
Years after the incident of Ashura, Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), along with his women and children, were the victims of an attack by the criminal soldiers of Mansour al-Dawaniqi (may Allah curse him) who lit his sacred house on fire. When the fire took over the entrance hall, the Alewi (the female descendants of the Prophet) women began to scream, and the children began to weep while the Imam attempted to extinguish the fire. The day after the attack, a couple of his Shi’a came to him and found him weeping. They asked him: ‘’O son of Allah’s Messenger, why all this weeping? Is it because of those who transgressed against you, Ahl al-Bayt? It is not the first time people have done this.’’ Upon hearing that, he (peace be upon him) replied: ‘’No. However, when I wanted to take out the fire in the entrance hall, I looked at my women and daughters running around the house, from one spot to another and from one place to the next. But I was still with them, so I recalled the terror of the children of my grandfather, Hussain (peace be upon him), on the Day of Ashura when they were attacked, and they (the enemies) said: “Burn the homes of the oppressors!’’
As a means of reliving the countless tragedies of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), the Shi’a walk on fire on the 11th night of the month of Muharram while saying: ‘’Ya Hussain…Ya Hussain!’’
Moreover, it is to everyone’s knowledge that this blessed ritual has a great impact on reviving the religion and denouncing injustice against the Master of Martyrs (may we be sacrificed for him). The suffering and sacrifice of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) deserve all we can give.
What takes place each year is something miraculous and unusual; those who partake in the ritual do not suffer lasting wounds, and significant injuries as their wounds heal within an hour of the ritual. They are all included in the clemency, compassion and protection of their Master, the grandson of Allah’s Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him and his family). Also, this ritual, in particular, has had a significant role in guiding people to Islam and Wilaya (following the path of Ahl al-Bayt) after witnessing it.
Considering the points above, we realise that this blessed ritual is one of the most commendable acts. We praise Allah for granting us the ability to participate in performing this ritual each year.
The Office of Sheikh al-Habib