Muharram 2022 Events
REPORT ON ASHURA PROGRAMS
On the occasion of commemoration of the events of Karbala during Muharram of the year 1444Hijri, the cultural consulate of the embassy of the Islamic republic of Iran in Ghana organized and finance radio programs as well as congregational programs at vantage locations in the country of Ghana to mark the event. The following is a report of the programs held.
two radio programs were held in two different towns in two different regions of the country while two congregational programs were held in two towns in two different regions of the country. The reach of these programs was far and wide. The programs are as follows
Radio program in Bawku, upper east region – Ghana
Venue: Zahra radio 103.1
Facebook live: https://fb.watch/ePs556eEkO/
Date: 5th august 2022
Time: 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Delivered by: Sheikh Muhammed Awal Pawuli (deputy Shia imam of the region)
Language of delivery: Hausa
Summary of lecture
The sheikh began by establishing that the day of Ashura is not one on which to celebrate the victory of Mosses but rather a day on which to mourn the gruesome suffering of imam Hussein.
It is worth mentioning that the day of Ashura has a cultural importance in northern Ghana, where it is reserved as a day of a festival in which people eat beyond their fill, and engage in friendly games.
He mentioned that such actions have no bases in Islam and hence, should be shunned.
The sheikh further stated that, the hadith which calls for celebrating the day of Ashura as the day of victory for mosses belittles the prophet and accuses the prophet of assembling his religion from Jews and other people instead of taking it from God.
He went ahead to recite verses from the Quran which calls for all Muslims to venerate the signs of God. After that, he called upon all Muslims to show sympathy and to empathize with the household of the prophet.
He recited lots of virtues of the imam from Sunni books amongst which he mentioned that the prophet said “Hussein is from me and I am from Hussein, whatever hurts him hurts me”.
He spoke at length on this hadith, then declared that, the martyrdom of Imam Hussein must be a reason for Muslims to uphold higher morals and to stay away from all forms of evil.
He recited the unfolding of the battle Karbala as reported by Sunni scholars and narrated how bitterly the fam8ily of the prophet were treated on that day. He concluded by calling upon Muslim to never forget the suffering of imam Hussein and to uphold his path in order be righteous and oppose oppression.
Radio program in Salaga, Savanah region – Ghana
Venue: kenyeti FM
Facebook live https://www.facebook.com/100003000314169/videos/567072658530713/
Date: 9th august 2022
Time: 8:00pm to 9:00pm
Delivered by: Sheikh Mubarak Dan Gurma (Shia Missionary)
Language of delivery: Hausa
Summary of lecture
The sheikh spoke on the topic: “moral lessons from Ashura”
He began by reciting the following statement of imam Hussein: “I have not left [my home] in vain (i.e., to pursue power or spread mischief), nor to cause corruption or injustice. Rather, I have left to call for reform (islah) in the nation of my grandfather.”
With this, he stated that the importance of the revolution of imam Hussein is such that, so long as the reform towards the message of the prophet is sought, one must be ready to sacrifice their lives in that regard.
Furthermore, he stated that as part the morals of the event of Karbala include the need to persevere in the face of extreme oppression.
To stand for noble and lofty ideal and to serve such an ideal
To be courageous and fearless in facing evil
To trust in god and to rely on him for victory
And also, he mentioned that the event of Karbala also teaches us that success comes in many forms and shapes. Imam Hussein was martyred, but he gained success through his martyrdom while those lived had failed abysmally
He mentioned that, had imam not stood up against Yazidi, Islam as we know it today would have been dead.
He concluded by calling upon Muslims to be as stern against evil as Imam Hussein was, but to be kind and generous as Imam Hussein was to Hur
CONGREGATIONAL PROGRAMS
The following are briefings on the congregational programs held.The first program was held in Bole, in the savannah region of Ghana on the 9th of July 2022,
The program was attended by more than 200 people. The program was chiefly financed and organized by the cultural consulate of the embassy of the Islamic republic of Iran in partnership with the Shia community of Bole under the leadership of Sheikh Hussein Seidu.
In attendance were many scholars from other Islamic sects as well as local chiefs and influential people. The scholars spoke variedly on imam Hussein, touching upon his virtues as well as his suffering at Karbala.
First Speaker:
The first speaker was Malam Issah Dari
Topic: the reflection of Ashura in the Holy Quran.
He spoke on the following points
* Event of Karbala as mentioned in the Quran
* Following Imam Hussein is a religious duty
* The Household of the Prophet are the names through which Adam sought for forgiveness
Second Speaker
The second speaker was Sheikh Hassan
Topic: The saints of Allah
Points he spoke upon include:
The Ahlul-Bait are the true saints of Allah from whom others gain their blessings
* Loving them is loving Allah
* Morning Imam Hussein is incumbent on every believer
Many elegies were recited in honor of the imam by local poets. And at the end of the program, food and soft drinks were distributed to the people who were present.
The second program was held in Bawku on the 8th of august 2022
The program was attended by about 100 to 200 people, sheikh Muhammed Awal Pawuli lead the organization of the program to a success
In attendance was the Shia deputy Imam as well as the deputy secretary of the Shia. The program began at 10:00 am and ended at 1:00pm.
In the morning, the congregation began a march through the streets of bawku, starting from the Fatimiya Islamic School (which is locate about 4km away from the town-center) and marched across the town while singing and reciting poems in honor of imam Hussein. Others distributed leaflets that spoke about Imam Hussein to the general public. The procession ended at the Rasul AL A’azam Mosque in the vicinity of the Fatimiya Islamic School.
Food and drinks were distributed to all the participants in honor of imam Hussein.
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