Muharram will have to be celebrated under the Covid-19 rules

     Written by : SMTV24x7 | Fri, Aug 21, 2020, 05:03 PM

Muharram will have to be celebrated under the Covid-19 rules

The Covid-19 pandemic outbreak has affected everyone and all kinds of festivals, from Good Friday to Ganesh Chathurti to Ramazaan and now even Muharram will have to be celebrated under the Covid-19 rules. The Waqf board in Hyderabad has already made announcement with regards to the rules and regulations that need to be followed by Muslims during the month of Muharram, which begins on August 21. With the deadly virus staring people, it is for sure that Muslims across the state will obey the Covid relus and let the festival pass of peacefully!

Muslims around the globe will celebrate Al Hijri 1442 on August 20 or August 21 according to the appearance of the new moon. According to the lunar or Islamic calendar, the new year is observed on the first day of Muharram. This month is the second holiest month after Ramadan (a period of fasting called Sawm). Celebrations begin after the sighting of the new moon on the last day of the lunar calendar. The tenth day of Muharram, known as the day of Ashura, which is expected to fall on August 30, is the most important.



Muharram is considered one of the holiest months of the Islamic Lunar calendar. In this month, Muslims are prohibited from taking part in warfare. Muharram means 'impermissible' and is believed to be the month of recollection. Public mourning takes place and followers chant 'Ya Hussain' or 'Ya Ali'. Muslim people shed blood by beating themselves with sharp weapons as a mark of respect to the Imam. Shias believe it cleanses away the sins. This ritual is known as Tatbir or Qama Zani. In India, it is known as matham.

The Telangana State Waqf Board (TSWB) issued circular a set of 11 containing Covid-19 precautionary guidelines, which include symbolic water distribution (sabeel) be done in sealed bottles or packets. It stated that alam should be installed while maintaining social distancing. The distribution of tabarruk and sherbet should be done in sealed packets. These must not be consumed inside the premises of ashoorkhanas. People have been asked to have sanitisers at locations where people gather.

Explaining about how Muharram would be conducted this year in Hyderabad, Syed Nisar Hussain Hyder Agha, TSWB member, said that this year too there would be mourning, but would be different. "We have to do maatam with precautionary measures," he said The TSWB asked upon people to follow the government issued Covid-19 rules and cooperate with police.