Commemorations of “Ashura” in Southeast Asia

By: M.S. TAJAR Ph.D.

Although the majority of the Muslims in Southeast Asia, belong to the Sunni
branch of Islam, yet they also commemorate the “Day of Ashura”, in their own
peculiar ways. That’s because the Southeast Asian Muslims follow a moderate Sufi
Style of the faith, unlike the “Wahhabis” in Saudi Arabia, or the tiny Arab
“Sheikhdoms” in the Persian Gulf, whose ancestry goes back to the “Wandering
Jews of Arabia/i.e. The Bani Qaynuqa Jewish tribe. This has made those “Arabs”
more like their own Jewish Orthodox hardline forebears, rather than the tolerant
Muslims, like the Holy Prophet Mohammad A.S. and his early followers. (i.e. the
true “Salafis” vs. the fake “Selfies!”).

So, the Muslims in the Southeast Asia, especially those of Indonesia,

Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand and the Philippines, and even the Muslims of China
and Korea, all have their own unique forms of the “Ashura commemorations” one
way or another. For example, the Indonesian Muslims call Ashura as “Hassan,
Husain Day” and they observe it. Besides that, the Indonesians also have the
“Barzanji” (=Barzani,) a form of the Islamic Sufi Chants, that was probably
originated from the “Barzani”/Kurdish/Persian tribes of the Middle East, just like
the “Quwwali” in the Indian sub-continent.

Meanwhile, in China, the “Huwi” Muslims, as well as the “Uighurs” of the

Kash-ghar region, have their own Sufi traditions, coming through the Central
Asian Islamic centers. (i.e. Naqsh-bandi/Yasawi/Baktashi/etc. who learned Islam
from Imam Bukhari of the “Sahih Bukhari” and other great Muslim Teachers).

It is narrated in the most respectable book of Hadith of the Sunni Islam,

called “Sahih Bukhari” that the Holy Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.f) saw the
Jews in Madinah were “Observing Ashura”, too; So, the Holy Prophet also upheld
that tradition (Now, why the Prophet of Islam needs to learn it from the Jews, or to
follow the Jewish “Sunnah”, the “Ahlus Sunnah” and Imam Bukahri, will have
to answer!).

As for the Muslims in the Korean Peninsula, according to the late Dr.
Caesar Adib Majul of the Islamic Studies Department, University of the
Philippines, in 1980’s, the early Muslims in the Korean Peninsula were Shiah, and
therefore, they were also commemorating “Ashura”. (See “The, Muslims in the
Philippines” by the late Dr. Caesar Adib Majul, University of the Philippines press,
1974)
 But, insofar as we are located in the Philippines, I would like to concentrate
more on the Filipino Muslims, and their “Ashura Traditions” by sharing here
several interesting examples, for additional information:

1. The Padang Karbala. This is a historic event, that refers to the Filipino
Muslims Anti-colonial, anti-American Wars, which took place on May 2,
1902. In that fateful day, some 700 Maranao Muslim men fought against the
American occupation forces, to the last man (A la” Karbala”!) This 700 does
not include their woman and children, who also stayed with their husbands
and their fathers in the “Kota”/Castle, and they, too, were massacred by the
American soldiers! Truly, another “Ashura” in another “Karbala” the
“Padang Karbala”!

(From those wars, we also got two new things: No.1) Was the 9mm pistol
invented by the Americans, specifically to kill the fierce Muslim fighters of the
Southern Philippines, i.e. the Moros, and No.2) The American general’s statement
that “The only good Muslim, is a dead Muslim!” For more details about the
massacre of the “Padang Karbala” you may refer to the book titled “The Muslims
in the Philippines “by Dr. Caesar Adib Majul, University of the Philippines Press
1974; As well as a very informative article by a Muslim official in the Philippine
Government, Mr. Macabankit Lanto, published in ”The Philippine Daily
Inquirer” Manila/Sep.15/2016/P.13. Also “The forgotten war” or “Padang
Karbala” by Mr. Antonio J. Montalvan, PDI, May 13/2002 p.5)

2. In the 1980’s, a Filipino spiritual leader, narrated to me another kind of the

“Karbala Traditions,” observed by the Filipino Muslims, which I would like
to share with you, as a legacy form the elders to our youth.

According to Imam Muhyid Din, of the Manila Golden Mosque, this was
how the Filipino Muslims commemorated the “Ashura Matam” in 1950’s and
before:

“On every day of Ashura, our elders would wear their traditional “Malongs”
and they would pick up a sword, just like the early Mujahidin fighting against the
Spanish and the American colonizers, and we would all march in a procession
form to the main mosque in the town, to express our support and sympathy for
Imam Husain, in his tragic martyrdom in Karbala”
 3. Another Filipino Muslim elder, who is still alive, by the name of Haji
Abaton of Quiapo, Manila, also narrated to this author a similar tradition
regarding Ashura; He said, and I quote:

“When I was a young boy, I still remember that in those times, on the day of
Ashura, our parents would give us a bucket of water, to bring it into the
mosque, and to distribute it, for free (i.e. Fi Sabilil Lah) among the peole, in
remembrance of the “Three days of waterless sufferings by Imam al-
Husain, and his children and followers, in the hot desert of Karbala!”

4. Another intererting story, very similar to the rest of those “Ashura

Traditions” was narrated to me, again by an elderly Muslim friend. He said
and I quote:

“One day, I was swimming in the river near our village, in Mindanao. My
grandfather, may Allah bless his soul, saw me swimming, and he shouted:
-Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, swimming today?! Don’t you know that
today is “Ashura”?!

I was so surprised, because it was our usual practice to swim in that river,
almost everyday; how come all of a sudden, I am being scolded by my beloved
grandfather, for doing what I used to do, almost everyday? So, I asked him, very
sheepishly:

-Why grandpa? What’s Ashura?!

-“Son” he replied “Ashura is that day, in which Imam Husain, and the rest
of the family of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.f) were massacred/ just
like in Padang Karbala/without “water” after three days of suffering! So, we
Muslim should not “enjoy water” on that day of “Ashura”!

5. According to another old Filipino Muslim, the early Muslim settlers of the
Southern Philippines, were actually Shiahs, or at least Sufi and Sha-fe-iy,
and therefore they were very close to the Ahlal Bayt A.S (Note: It’s also
very interesting to know that the early Filipino Muslim leaders were called
“Sharif” meaning of the noble blood, i.e, from the family of the Holy
Prophet, himself. Some other titles used for those elders were the old Persian
titles of “Datu” “Guru”, “Ustadz” and “Na-khuda”).

But, then in 1521 came the Spanish colonial Rule, which lasted for 333
years, and just before that was over, came another 50 years of the American
 colonization of the Philippines, until finally in 1947 the Philippines became
independent, again! But not the southern Muslim regions, from the Christian
Manila’s “Colonial Rule” even after the Americans had left, and especially
during the Martial Law regime, and the Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship
(1972-1986).

That 400 plus years of the Christian domination/both of the Catholic Spain
and the Protestant America and something in between of the Manila rule, (i.e.
settlements of the Northern Christians in the Muslim South, forcibly marrying
Muslim girls to the Christian soldiers, etc.) took its heavy toll on the Filipino
Muslims religious identity. Also, the Archipelago’s divided Islands and the lack of
communications, the linguistic barriers, the religious and tribal discriminations and
oppression, made the bad situation even worse.

After the Second World War, a Pakistani Sunni Alim visited the Philippines,
bringing an Islamic revival of sorts. Then in 1950’s and 60’s came the Egyptian
preachers, followed by the Libyan Imams in 70’s and 80’s, until finally, the
Wahhabi Saudis, headed by the brother-in-law of the infamous Usama bin Laden
(that we all know very well) entered in to the Philippines in 1990’s. That’s how the
Filipino Muslims, whose first teachers, or “Gurus”, (as they are called in Persian)
were “Sharifs” i.e. from the descendants of the Holy Prophet Mohammad
(p.b.u.h.f) and Imam Ali A.S. and Lady Fatimah Zahra A.S. ended up on the lap of
the “Wahhabis” of Saudi Arabia, whose origins goes back to the “Wandering Jews
of Arabia”… The Jewish tribe of “Bani Qaynuqa”! (see the Family Tree of King
Saud, on the Internet).

6. The Filipino Muslims have a unique expression that is “Yazid

Te’laka”/Yazid Ini!” which are the two worst curses they could utter, when
they want to say that someone is extremely corrupt, beyond any hope!

(This again reminds us of that Pakistani Poet, Mr. Josh Malih Abadi, who
once said: “After the tragedy of Karbala, the name of Yazid turned into a curse!”)

So, while the Filipino Muslims curse Yazid son of Muawia, the grandson of
Abu Sufyan and “Hind” (that “Liver eating Cannibal”), they on the other hand,
name their own children after the grandchildren of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.f) and
Imam Ali A.S and Lady Fatimah Zahra A.S. as “Amil Hassan”/Amil Hosain…
i.e. Amir Hasan/Amir Hosain, meaning the Holy Imams of the Ahlal Bayt (A.S.)
As for the girls, the most popular names are Fatimah Zahra or Zainab. That says
a lot about their love for the Ahlal Bayt A.S, and more specifically it shows where
they stand in relation to the “Karbala Tragedy” and Imam Hosain’s fight against
Yazid bin Muawia, (and his blind followers, from the Salafi and Wahhabi sects.)
7. Don’t Throw Away Water on Ashura. This is another tradition of the
Filipino Muslims, to avoid throwing away water, in remembrance of the
“Thirsty lips of the Martyrs of Karbala”.
8. Don’t Climb the Tree on Ashura. Another tradition of the Filipino
Muslims related to the “Commemorations of Ashura.” What’s the reason for
“Tree Climbing Prohibition”? That I don’t know!

9. The “Display of Black Flags” by the Filipino Muslims, when a family

member has passed away. That’s one more tradition, among the Muslims of
the Philippines, which goes back to the “Rituals of mourning for the martyrs
of Karbala!”

10.The prayer of “Quwat ko Quwat Baguinda Ali”. This is a traditional

prayer, by the Tausog Muslims, in Southern Philippines. Before going to
war, they will ask Allah (s.w.t.) to give them the same power that He, The
Almighty, gave to the great champion of Islam, Imam Ali. A.S. (i.e.in
“Badr”/Hunain/Uhud/Khandaq/Khaybar, etc.).

Now, those people who “Fight like Imam Ali, and they also die like Imam
Husain (i.e. the“Padang Karbala Martyrs”) are definitely the lovers and the
followers of the Ahlal Bayt A.S. and they uphold the “Culture of Ashura” both in
Faith and in Prctice, too. Add to that the early Muslim spiritual leaders, like Sharif
Makhdum in 1380 A.D. as well as other Sharifs--- i.e. Sharif Zainal Abidin,
Sharif Hashim, etc. then the picture becomes perfect.

That’s how the “Culture of Ashura” has taken roots among the Southeast
Asian Muslims, and especially among the Muslims of the Philippines.