As Moharrum, the first month in the Islamic calendar starts on Sunday, many mosques in the city become the centre of 10-day long religious sermons or Majlis.
As Moharrum, the first month in the Islamic calendar starts on Sunday, many mosques in the city become the centre of 10-day long religious sermons or Majlis.
At Imamwada’s landmark Mogul Masjid, scholar Maulana Mirza Mohammad Athar started his 10-day discourse at 9pm on Saturday. This is Lucknow-based Athar’s 54th year at the mosque, a feat that has found him a
mention in national records.
Maulana Athar’s discourse at the Mogul Masjid, also called the Iranian mosque, makes it the most important venue for Moharrum sermons. Thousands of people gather in the mosque’s courtyard and in surrounding lanes to listen to him. Kausar Zaidi, a resident of Worli has taken 10 days off from her work to observe Mohurrum. “I have been going to the Masjid-e-Iranian for years,” said Zaidi.
Maulana Athar will also speak at Khoja Masjid in Dongri before his sermons at Mogul Masjid. The Imamia mosque is another important venue. Safdar Karmali, a member of the Khoja community said he attends Athar’s sermons at the Khoja Masjid.
While some Shia sects like Dawoodi Bohras observed Saturday as the first day of Moharrum, based on the citing of the moon on Saturday evening, other groups will start the month from Sunday.
For the Shias, this period is of great importance as the tenth day of the month is the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, Prophet Mohammad’s grandson. Islamic scholar Dr Asgar Ali Engineer said, “The first day of Moharrum is a celebration as it’s the first day of the year, but from the second to the tenth day, it is a period of mourning. Sunnis also observe it, but the period is extremely important for the Shias.”
According to Engineer, Moharrum sermons at Sunni mosques are wide-ranging, covering topics like Prophet Mohammad and Islamic teachings, but discourses at Shia mosques are largely about what the sect calls ‘the tragedy at Karbala’ — the death of Imam Hussain.
While most know of the Majlis held in various mosques, few know of them being held in English as well. Shama Rizvi, a 48-year-old writer on the philosophical aspect of Islam has been conducting one for the past 20 years. “Not many people can relate to languages like Urdu, Persian or Arabic in which discourses are given. The foundation of my speeches is from Quran,” said Rizvi.
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