السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
It’s Sunday 7th August 2022/9 Muḥarram 1444H.
Distributing Food On ‘Āshūrāʾ
One of my contacts from my broadcast list asked me about the distribution of food to neighbours and relatives on ʿĀshūrāʾ. I was not aware that this practice is quite prevalent within our communities today. The 10th of Muḥarram is known as ʿĀshūrāʾ, and coincides with tomorrow (Monday 8th August).
As regards food, the only ruling we find in our Islāmic teachings is that one should try and spend a little bit more on their families on this particular day. That’s all. This means that if on a normal day you have 2 varieties of food on your dastarkhwān, then try and have 3, on ʿĀshūrāʾ.
Even that is not necessary – just desirable. Maybe have a sweet dish as an extra item or a dessert for afters. There is no mention in our beautiful Shari’ah to cook large amounts of food and distribute it to the whole neighbourhood and beyond. This is an innovation in our beautiful religion and is a sinful act.
Very sorry to say but our ladies, especially the elderly ones, give too much emphasis to such actions. This is simply because it has become a culture and tradition. Let’s not fall into this innovation.
Islām encourages exchanging gifts with each other. However, not just on specific and particular occasions. It should be done randomly at any time.
A very humble request to each and every reader to share this message with all the contacts on their contact list. Working together, we can eradicate this custom and tradition from our lives. There should be no distribution of milkshake and jalebi. Not at all.
May The Almighty grant us all the correct guidance of observing ʿĀshūrāʾ correctly, Āmeen.
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
Request for Du’ās
وَالسَّلَامُ Hanif Dudhwala