(unknown)

  
               ASHURA  DAY
                         By Nigar GÜMRÜKÇÜOĞLU 
  
 
                 Düştü Hüseyn atından sahrayı Kerbelâ'ya 
                Cibril var git haber ver sultan-ı Enbiyâ'ya.”
                                                                                                      Kâzım Paşa
 
 
Introduction
Moharrem Month and Ashura Day have a deep important in my life which comes from my childhood. When I was a little girl my grandfather used to come to us. When he came to us sometime he fasted for three days also the time wasn’t Ramadhan, he did not drink too much water after the fasting and if he did  drink water he used to drink with a small glass.  He worshiped and pray according to Sunni tradition I understood that later and he had a kind of care and sorrow on some month. One day I asked his that “What does it mean, why do you fast at that time and why you do not drink much water.” and he told me the meaning of Moharram Month and Ashura Day. I was felt a deep sorrow because of that the martyrize of the grandson of  Prophet Muhammed. Moreover my mother used to cook in the Moharram Month on Ashura Day and I was  scattering the bowls of Ashura to our neighbours. I grow up and I lost my grandfather but still I feel a deep sorrow about Karbala and I remember Ashura Day. My mother still cooks the desert of Ashura, like at my childhood.
 
What Does Ashura Day Mean?
 
 
“Ashurais called as the first month of lunar calendar is Moharram’s 10 day. The Day of Ashura (Arabic: عاشوراء‎ ʻĀshūrā’, Ashura, Ashoura, and other spellings; Turkish: Aşure Günü) is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram”.[1]
As a Ritual, Ashura Day
When we think about Ashure Day we can find some indications about this day which means it is a kind of ritual because of Richerd Schechner’s description. Schechner says that “A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is approved by a religion or by the traditions of a community”.[2] Moreover, this ritual is a sacred ritualaccording to Schechner; “Sacred rituals are those associated with, expressing or enacting religious beliefs. It is assumed that religious belief systems involve communicating with praying, or otherwise appealing to supernatural forces”. [3] We can tell about Ashura day that it is a ritual as well as it is a sacred ritual with all these descriptions.
Historical Background of This Ritual
First, When we examine Ashura Day, we can see lots of events which means it comes from the history to today. Ashura Day not only important for Muslims but also it is an important day for the others religions. During the history of humanity  Ashura Day has an important specialty on human mind. Lots of religions and traditions show respect to Ashura Day. Common belief says that different time but same day which 10th day of Muharram Ashura Day some events happened. People attribute to Ashure Day that it very important  with these contexts;
- God had mercy on Adam
-The deliverance of Noah from the flood.
-Dolphin belly of a fish out of the Prophet
-Abraham was saved from Nimrod's fire
-Increasing the Prophet Idris alive to the sky
-Jacob's blindness was healed after Joseph's shirt was brought to him on this day (Quran) 
-Job was healed from his illness
-The Israelites were saved from Pharaoh's army. 
- Jesus was brought up to heaven after attempts by the Romans to capture and crucify him failed.[4]
-As a last event;  Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad was made shaheed in this date. Martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad, his family and his buddies friends who are 72 Muslims the 61. year of the hegira (10 December 680)at the Battle of Karbala happened in 10 Moharrem on Ashura Day.[5]
Also Prophet Mohammed mentioned that “You should fast but more than one day at Moharrem10” [6] as a difference from Jewish. Muslim world commemorate and to mourn on the 10th day of Muharram Ashura Day, and some of them have different traditions about to remember Ashura Day. All of them are have a deep sorrow and they prepare a special organization to recall Ashura Day but it may be a different versions to use to remember. If we observe Muslim world, we can see three different way to remember Ashura Day. Actually, several sectarians attribute same meaning to Ashura Day but they can commemorate different way which are depend on their culture or tradition for instance Shiah, Jaafari, Suni, Alawite and Bektashi.
According to Jewish Tradition The Ritual of Ashura Day
Ashura Day takes 10 days between New Year's of Jewish which is called Roşaşana and Yom Kippur. Jews make a soul searching during these 10 days and they called these days as switch backward it means teşuva in the Hebrew language. Jews think about their bad behaviors and they apologize to ask  to forgive one for past injuries from their relatives, and neighborhood. Also They forswear to Jehovah for their sins and they start to fast on the evening of 9.day before the sunset that this fast takes to time 26 hours. Jews leave to eat, drink, bath, have sexual, work, make a fire and parfume. Even more Christianity and  Hinduizm remember Ashura Day [7]
According to Alawite Tradition The Ritual of Ashura Day
When I spoke with my Alawite friends I knew lots of information about their tradition about Ashura Day. Alawite faith have a deep sorrow about Hussein’s martydom and 12 Imam in Karbala. They do not have any aim of revenge they want to keep alive Hussein and his close friend’s sorrow so that Alawites have a tradition  to remember Karbala on 10  Moharrem. Their lament takes to time for 12 days it comes across Hussein and his friends who are Imams’s journey that was gruelling and that came to end with martydom. Alawites do not touch any cutter and poignant tool and they do not eat any animal nourishment for instance; meat, milk, egg, and yogurt. They do not any sacrifice and they do not give a damage or kill to an alive. Moreover Alawites do not take a shower any they do not clip nail or do not comb hair and do not the laundry. They do not break one's heart and do not gossip. All of them are the guiding principle of lamet’s fasting in Alawites. Ashura lament takes to time 12 days and when the end up the 12.day Alawites cook ashura desert which contain 12 different cereals and it scatter to houses neighbourhoods.[8]
According to Shia Tradition The Ritual of Ashura Day
When I spoke with my Shiah friends and when I examine some sources I see some differences from the other traditions. In Shia faith Moharrem and Safer months are remembered as mourning months. Shiites lament martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad and the third Shia Imam, his family and his buddies friends who are 72 Muslims the 61. year of the hegira (10 December 680)at the Battle of Karbala. They remember Hussein’s rebellion and his martydom. Shiites don’t do any entertaining such as wedding or gala during these months and they tell elegiac, give a bestowed diner, prepare condolence meeting. Shiites do not cook ashura desert, they cook and distribute halvah at the lament times. When Momarrem and Safer months came they share a strong sensitive and they share their sorrow it comes from history but still that is alive. They do not argue about something and the help each other their siblings whatever they need. [9]
  
According to  Sunni Tradition The Ritual of Ashura Day
Sunni Faith have a deep sorrow for Karbala on 10 Moharrem. Because of Hussein the grandson of Prophed Mohammed, his friends were martyred in Karbala. When come the Moharrem month Sunnis remember Hussein’s rebellion and his attesting. I know this magger from my family and relatives. They do not drink too much water and they want to fell Hussein’s thirstiness that was the time of Karbala and Hussein, his family and his friends were without water because of Yazid’s army was blocked to reach the arriving  of Hussein to the water of the Euphrates. Sunnies fast on 9,10,11 Moharrem like a Ramadhan fasting and they say salam to their Muslim siblings also they visit their relatives. They give alm and they give presents to children to make them happy and they believe that if they take a major ablution, they will protect from all illness. Sunnies buy three white products which are flour, salt, and sugar on Ashura Day and they believe that what they buy, these products will be prolific during this year. Moreover Sunnies cook ashura desert on 10 Moharrem and they distribute to their neighborhoods.[10]
Performance Studies and Ashura Day
According to Richard Schechner “performance studies creates a "liberatory space" which adapts discourse centered around cultures, identities, and transformations. According to this view, there is no standard definition of theater, rather it may change from culture to culture.” [11] When  we examine Ashura Day we can see lots of  people who came from different culture remember and studies Ashura Day. Also the Ashura Day remembering cointain some process according to Arnold Van Gennep for instance; preliminal, liminal, and postliminal. Preparing to Ashura Day is a preliminal acting than go to Halkalı square and doing show is a liminal acting and than after the show people’s situation is a postliminal position.[12]
Ashura Day on 10 Moharrem in Halkalı/ Istanbul in Performance Studies
When came the Ashura date which is 10 Moharrem, lots of Muslim people go to Halkalı square to remember Karbala, and they show their sorrow about Hussein’s witness. People prepare a show on Ashura Day and we can say about Ashura Day that his ceremony is a performance according to Richard Schechner’s description which is; “Any action that is framed, presented, highlighted or displayed is a performance”.[13] Jaafari, who are member of Shiism’s branch and are living in Turkey, Alawites, go to Ashura square on 10 Moharrem, Ashura Day every year. Also Sunnis  started to attend to Ashura’s show at Halkalı square last years. This process actually is relevant with politic and social changing. Maybe there is no any an enormous gap between sects but we can say that they get close each other today more than past. When I went to Halkalı square I saw lots of people who have different culture and sects, they remember standing up and witness of Hussein against to evil-doers. Ladies wear mourning dresses which are black and they wear scarves that usually single color for instance black and green. Moreover they wear bandana on their head which was written “Ya Zeyneb” or “Ya Huseyin”. Some of them are fettered on their writs also they carry the poster of Hz. Ali, some pancartes which carry the messages about Hz. Ali, Huseyin and their standing up and witness. People who attent the show of Ashura Day care to behave which means observant to lament. They do not laugh and they carry the sorrow on their clothes, facies and behaviors. Previous years people who go to Halkalı square showed  with pain blood streaming through. They make bodies bleed at the show on 10 Moharram day. Although the president of Jaafari said that “You should give blood the Red Crescent and you shouldn’t give damage to your bodies” after that time the Red Crescent pitch a tent and Jaafari and the others who make bodies bleed started to give blood to the Red Crescent. Moreover people usually who participated to the performance of Ashura Day say Also they prepare a show which tells about Hussein and his friends’s witness and that it is directed by an administrator. This year’s performance was directed by an Azerbaijani manager at Halkalı square. Firstly, spoke some administrators who are presidents of Caferi-Der and Cem-evi than one guest spoke who comes from Persia. Also some  politicians attend this show and they make an announcement to speech of late years. People who attend the performance do not acclaim after any speech, they just say and repeat again and again salavat that it “Alllaaa hümmee salli ala muhammed ve aaali Muhammed”. They do not smile, clap and they do not show any beamish behavior. Furthermore they always show their sorrow and they cry during the manifestation. Besides they  bawl for the Hussein’s witness especially that happen during the theater which is about Hussein and his friend’s witness. Even more, presenter recite some poems, requiem and dirge during the program for instance; “…Kerbelanın yazıları /Şehit düşmüş gazileri/Fatma Ana kuzuları/Hasan ile Hüseyin’dir./Hazreti Ali babaları/Muhammed’dir dedeleri/Arşın çifte küpeleri/Hasan ile Hüseyin’dir…”/Mikdat Bal [14]
“Bir kıyam bıraktınız ki bize, her yerde mazlum şarkısıdır./Yetmiş iki yiğit, üç bin zillet ehline kafa tutarken/Yenilgi bilinse de, asâlet mânâsını bulmuştu o gün/Her gün Aşûra, her yer Kerbelâ…/Cennet gençlerinin Efendileri, kıyamın evrensel incileri/Diktaya karşı, hilafetin İmamları, lâlezarlar/Gün geçmiyor ki, “Siz” kokmaya mazlum direnişlerde /Her gün Aşûra, her yer Kerbelâ…” Ali Ercan Kılıç [15] There is an enormous commuitas (10) on Ashura Day performance. Because of a felling of group solidarity, their strong sensitive and their group acting for their sorrow. They get close each around this sorrow. Moreover people who attend the Ashura Day performance think that if you remember standing up and attesting of Hussein and if you adopt a manner to side of Hussein you must  be against all of evils and evil-doers. After all that acting people pray disperse from Halkalı square.[16] Ashura Peformance as a iminal rituals permanently change people who attended to Ashura Day show.[17]
In Conclusion
Ashura Day  involve a strong togetherness among Muslims also who have different traditions. This sorrow get close all of Muslims and they share their sorrow. Different cultures try to understand their perception, their culture and they get close. When the Ashura Day came they care to help each other and they say salam each others more than the other time. Also people who do not know each other and they are neighbour bring to each other Ashura desert and they make acquainted with neighbours. As a last let we look this desert what contain…
The recipe for aşure is as follows: 
“Cracked wheat is put in water and allowed to stand overnight. The wheat is then boiled the next day. After it cools, boiled white beans, chickpeas, fava beans and a tea-spoonful of starch is added. The mixture is boiled and when it is almost cooked, figs, apples, orange peels, chestnuts, raisins and sugar are added in sufficient quantities. The mixture is boiled once more. After it is cooled, it is poured into small cups. Then ground walnuts, pistachio nuts, currants, pomegranate seeds, cinnamon and sesame seeds are sprinkled on the dessert.”[18]
 
 
 


[1] http://www.diyanet.gov.tr/turkish/biliyormuyuz/biliyormuyuzoku.asp?id=19&harf=A
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Ashura/12.27.2010
 

[2] The book of Richard Schechner; Performance Studies / Page: 45
 

[3] The book of Richard Schechner; Performance Studies / Page: 46
 

[4] Muharrem Ayı ve Aşûre/The article of Halil ALTUNTAŞ Religious Affairs Committee Member of the High/ 07.12.2010

[5]The Article of  İsmail Kaygusuz The Event of Karbala (ZULME KARŞI BÜYÜK DİRENİŞİN SİMGESİ KERBELA OLAYI, ÖNCESİ VE SONRASI/Kerbela Olayı)

[6] http://www.dinimizislam.com/detay.asp?Aid=2013/12.25.2010

[7] http://www.ilmgate.org/a-historical-analysis-of-%E2%80%98ashura-and-its-relation-to-the-jewish-calendar/

[8] http://www.aleviislamdinhizmetleri.com/dedeyazardevam.asp?idyazar=62[8]
 

[9] http://hararworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=559%3Astudy-shows-good-habits-could-help-you-live-longer&catid=72%3Areligion&Itemid=183/01.03.2011

[10] http://www.idealdusunce.com/index.php/yazarlar/55-ihsan-unlu/2088-muharrem-ayi-ve-onemi?Itemid=124&option=com_content&view=article&catid=55:ihsan-unlu&id=2088:muharrem-ayi-ve-onemi&layout=default&change_css=blue/12.15.2009

[11] The book of Richard Schechner; Performance Studies / Pages/1,2,3

[12] The book of Richard Schechner; Performance Studies / Page/50

[13] The book of Richard Schechner; Performance Studies / Page: 46

[14] http://www.antoloji.com/her-gun-asura-her-yer-kerbela-siiri//01.01.2011
 

[15] http://www.antoloji.com/her-gun-asura-her-yer-kerbela-siiri/01.01.2011
 

[16] he book of Richard Schechner; Performance Studies / Page: 62

[17] he book of Richard Schechner; Performance Studies / Page: 63

[18] http://www.ottomansouvenir.com/General/Asure.htm/12.24.2010