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Oral History of Muharram
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In Shi'ia Islam, the lunar month of Muharram is mingled with commemoration of the martyrdom of the third Shi'a Imam (Hussain ibn Ali, peace be upon him) on the day of Ashura (Muharram 10, October 10, 680 CE) in the land of Karbala, Iraq. Even though, it now passes more than 1200 years from the brutal killing of Imam Hussein and 72 of his companions, Shi'as have handed down the story of the savage slaughter by heart from generation to generation. Everyone in the Shi'a society has an impression of the story in accordance with what they have heard from their fathers or religious preachers in gatherings of Shi'as to mourn for the great loss during Muharram.
In the past, lack of access to written resources made oral narratives the commonest way of speaking about the events that took place on the day of Ashura. In effect, everyone in Iran has first learned about Imam Hussein and his martyrdom from the oral narratives they have heard in mosques and gatherings of mourners.
Speaking about Imam Hussein and his tragic fate were so important for Shi'a Iranians that they preserved the tradition even during the time the country underwent modernization schemes by Reza Shah Pahlavi during the 1930s. Reza openly regarded the story of Imam Hussein's killing as superstition and forbade any form of mourning for his martyrdom in Iran. However, as soon as the ban was lifted by Reza's successor, Mohammad Reza, in the 40s, the commemorations intensified in the country and overwhelmed the society.
August 1941 proved to be a pivotal point in the history of Ashura rites: religious congregations of Shi'as were revived in Iran and, shortly after, they occupied a crucial role against deviant currents in the Iranian society.
The developments and the oral history of congregations during Muharram all around the country after August 1941 are of interest to oral historians, so far as Ashura rituals are carried out differently in all parts of Iran.
In the past and in rural areas, the rituals were primarily performed orally and the performers (called Maddahs or eulogists) and "Mullas" narrated the story of martyrdom of Imam Hussein orally to masses. It was a norm for a family in the past to nurture Maddahs and Mullas adept with conducting the mourning ceremonies in a village or a region. Today, the performers are educated individuals who have an extensive command of the story, however.
The story of Ashura has many underlying layers for Iranians, but its evident aspect is gathering of masses, which is accompanied by certain virtues for the society that ensue the gatherings.
During the history of Ashura rites, many symbols have been developed to associate with the commemoration ceremonies. Indeed, people's understanding of Muharram is hinged upon a number of symbols they always see during the rites; symbols that have been handed down from the previous generations.
Basically, Mullas prepared mosques and other places for Ashura rituals at the beginning of the month of Muharram every year. They would adorn an erect structure known as Alam with black, green and red shawls so that the villagers would know that Muharram has just begun. An Alam was a wooden axle ornamented mostly with black fabric with a metal shape on its top formed like a hand resembling the cut-off hand of Abalfazl Al-Abbas (Imam Hussein's beloved brother) in the battle with Yezid's army. Alam was stationed in the mosque and mourning rituals began as Muharram began. People regarded the Alam as a blessed object and kissed it for blessing.
On the day of Tasou'a (Muharram 9), the metal hand on Alam would be bent to look like it is broken. (Although all the killings took place on the day of Ashura, Shi'as have named every day of the first ten days of Muharram after one of the major companions of Imam Hussein and the day of Tasu'a is dedicated to mourning for Abbas ibn Ali and is a holiday in Iran).
On the day of Ashura, the Alam would be covered with black only and carried by a well-built man before the masses. It would remain covered in black until the day of Arbaeen (the day marked as the 40th day since the martyrdom of Imam Hussein).
For Iranian people, Muharram is a time for unification and manifestation of their religious beliefs. Mourning ceremonies for Imam Hussein in Muharram are reminiscent of good memories for every Iranian individual, and it is the basis of parts of their belief system. The oral history of Muharram abounds with complexities and its study can be of great research value. At least through the past two or three decades, the rituals have undergone major uplifts. An oral history researcher can register the details to preserve the rituals for the future generations.
The memories of Muharram are not specific to the common people; recollections of Muharram by great personages are also remarkable. A sizable part of the Supreme Leader's biography since the Islamic Revolution, Name Description, by Hedayatollah Behboudi, deals with the Leader's memories of Muharram.
Imam Khomeini instructed that the details of the massacres at Feiziyeh Seminary in March 1963 must be revealed by Islamic evangelists in their sermons during Muharram rituals. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was an evangelist at that time and chose to travel to the eastern city of Birjand in South Khorasan. The Leader's recollections of those days are as follows:
"This was somewhat late for someone who was supposed to address people from a pulpit, because a preacher must attend the host city several days earlier and prepare for the preaching. Our friends, however, had prepared for the stuff previously and I was to deliver several speeches in various parts of the city."
During his stay in Birjand, the Leader visited the city's prominent religious figure, Seyyed Hassan Tahami, a student of Mirza Naeini, and told him about the developments in Tehran.
"He did not dislike me…. I needed someone to support me in the city. I intended to make a scene. I told him about my intention and that I needed some help. He received my intentions well. "On the 7th day of Muharram I will raise the incident of Feiziyeh Seminary, which will not remain unanswered by the regime. You must help me," I said. He looked at me pensively. "What prompts you to make your scene in this [remote] city," said Mirza. "I am obliged to do this… I am not the only preacher doing this. Every one in the country is instructed to do so," I said."
Before delivering the speech on Muharram 7 at the city's prayer grounds, the Leader further talked with influential personages like Mr. Andalib about his intention. The preacher who took the pulpit before the Leader took too long to finish.
"I was so anxious about losing time. I went to sit before the pulpit so he could remember by seeing me that his time was up. I trembled with excitement at that time. I was astonishingly fervent at that time."
He then delivered a short sermon and spoke about the West's dominance over Iran and then the Feiziyeh incident:
"The people wept bitterly when they heard about the incident. I can hardly remember such weeping from my audience in my speeches over the years. I expressed in words as much as I could from what I had heard and seen. The speech became an upheaval. I spoke shortly about the event of Ashura… I saw the people not being bothered by Ashura at all… the tragedy of Karbala had been overwhelmed by the tragedy of Feiziyeh. I then realized how carefully Imam Khomeini had picked the timing for inflicting the deepest cut on the body of the regime."
Another remarkable speech by the Leader in Birjand was delivered on Muharram 8 at the Sadesis'.
"The people wept as bitterly… When departing the ceremony to head to Mr. Tahami's, I though I needed someone to endorse my initiative. By the way, I thought it would be considered ignorant of me not to tell Mr. Tahami about my intentions."
Addressing the mourners at the Hosseiniyeh of Raghebi in Birjand was another epic speech in the city that the Leader presented:
"The night before Tasou'a, I had a speech at a Hosseiniyeh (center for performing religious rituals especially mourning for Imam Hussein) where a number of the followers of [Assadollah] Alam also attended. The audience comprised primarily by high-class individuals. The city of Birjand is home to the richest. At the same time, the poorest of the poor are housed in the city as well. No city can be probably found with such poor people as they live in Birjand and at the same time, it is also possible that Birjand has the richest population in the region after Mashad. During my speech, I raised the topic of the seminary at large, however, the audience was not affected as much but they tended to listen intently and looked somehow startled."
A section of the Supreme Leader's memories are focused on the month of Muharram and reading such memories can teach lessons about how the revolution developments were disseminated by evangelists in their speeches.
By Gholamreza Azari Khakestar
Translated by: Abbas Hajihashemi
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