Malfuzat – Volume X — Page 144
Malfuzat - English translation of Urdu Volume 10 144 Undated The Customs of Muharram The Shias were already involved in this error, but now our Sunni breth- ren are getting dyed in these hues. They join special gatherings dur- ing the days of Muharram for recounting the sad events of centuries past. Representations of the shrines of Hasan and Husain are made and then sweet drinks and rice etc. are distributed among the people. The fatwa [religious verdict] of the Promised Messiah as about such events is reproduced here so that our Ahmadi brothers may, at the least, remain distanced from such things. A petitioner by the name of Akmal asked what was the view of the Promised Messiah as regarding the sweet drinks and rice that are distrib- uted on the 10th of Muharram if they are so given to please Allah and seeking merit from Him? (To donate in the name of Imams is prohib- ited according to the verse of the Holy Quran, 1 َو ۤاَم َّلِهُا ٖهِب ِرْيَغِل ِهّٰللا َو ۤاَم َّلِهُا ٖهِب ِرْيَغِل ِهّٰللا ). The Promised Messiah as said: To fix a date and time for such events is a ritual and an innova- tion, and slowly and gradually these customs lead to shirk [asso- ciating partners with God]. So one should stay away from them because the ultimate result of such customs is not good. Initially, the intent may have been good, but now these [customs] have come to adopt the colour of shirk and [invoking the] name of other than Allah and so I declare them to be unlawful. Unless 1. And that on which the name of any other than Allah has been invoked ( S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:174). [Publisher]