RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav on Tuesday extended greetings to Indian Muslims on the occasion of Muharram, the Muslim festival of mourning.
Speaking to the media, Yadav said, “Desh bhar mein sabhi Musalman bhaiyon ko hum Muharram ki badhai dete hain” (I extend my wishes to all our Muslim brothers on Muharram).
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav says, “Desh bhar mein sabhi Musalman bhaiyon ko hum Muharram ki badhai dete hain” (I extend my wishes to all our Muslim brothers on Muharram). pic.twitter.com/fNIcp5BCqS
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2022
Tej Pratap Yadav was not the only politician to commit the gaffe. Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who remains in controversy over his indiscreet comments, was subjected to online trolling after he wished “Happy Islamic New Year” on the day of Muharram.
Soon after sharing the tweet, social media users slammed Chowdhury for wishing on essentially what is known as the festival of mourning. Many others wondered if Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was ignorant about the festival of Muharram, primarily observed by the Shia sect of Muslims. Subsequently, Chowdhury deleted his tweet after Muslims objected to his greetings on the festival of mourning.
According to the Islamic calendar, Muharram is considered the second holiest month after Ramadan. The 10th day of this month, known as Ashura, has special significance in Islam. The month of Muharram started on July 31, so August 9 happened to be Ashura.
It is also known as Youm-e-Ashura. As per Islam, the 10th day of Muharram is the day of mourning. As per legends, about 1,400 years ago on this day, Hazrat Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, died while fighting a war in defence of Islam. Therefore, in his memory, Ashura is observed as a day of mourning by the Muslim community.
Muharram literally translates to “forbidden” and marks a period of remembrance and reflection for the believers rather than celebrations. While Shias mourn the death of Imam Hussain, for Sunnis, it is the day when God saved Moses and the Israelis from the brutal Egyptian pharaoh by ‘parting the Red Sea’.
