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Tatbir () is a form of self-flagellation rituals practiced by some Shia Islam in commemoration of the killing of Imam Husayn ibn Ali and his partisans in the Battle of Karbala by forces of the second Umayyad caliph Yazid I ().
The ritual is practiced in the Islamic month of Muharram, usually on Ashura. Tatbir involves striking oneself with chains or swords. It has been considered ("forbidden") by some of the Shia clergy, who cite it as self-harm.
The practice of Tatbir includes striking oneself with a talwar, a type of sword, on the head, causing blood to flow in remembrance of the pain felt by Husayn ibn Ali. Some also hit their back and/or chest with blades attached to chains.
| 1 | Ruhollah Khomeini | Permissible, but discouraged | "No problem in performing this act (tatbir)."Istaftaat e Imam Khomeini-Vol 3 استفتأت امام خمينى "There is no obstacle if it doesn't cause harm, but it shouldn't be practised today."Estefta'at-e Emam Khomeini, vol. 3, p. 581 and 583 - Imam Khomeini's website | |
| 2 | Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei | Permissible | Many Grand Ayatollahs state that Ayatollah Khoei allowed tatbir like: Mirza Jawad Tabrezi, Safi Golpaygani, Muhammad Shahroudi, Mofti al-Shia, Sadiq Hussain Shirazi and Taqi Tabatabei Qomi. In a question asked about tatbir with the assumption that it does not cause harm he replied: "There is no problem in performing such act in itself according to the assumption in the question". Ayatullah Khuishiamatam.com
"If blood matam and hitting oneself with chains, which are practiced in Muharram, cause serious harm, or harm or ridicule the religion and sect then it is impermissible." Al-Masa’il al-Shar’iyah, istifta’at Imam Khoei, al-Ibadat and al-Tariq al-Najah, v.2, p.445 - Tatbir.org | |
| 3 | Mohammad Ali Araki | Permissible if it does not cause harm | "If it doesn't cause any harm to the body or that there is no danger of dying from this act, then it is permissible (allowed)". | |
| 4 | Ali Sistani | No fatwa given, leans towards impermissible. | Refer to another Marja for guidance on this issue "Reviving Hussaini traditions is Mustahabb but one is not allowed to harm the body or the noble reputation of the faith." | |
| 5 | Ali Khamenei | Forbidden | Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran has stated that Tatbir is forbidden. "Tatbir is a wrongful act ... Tatbir Qame is also a fabricated tradition ... Do not practice it, I do not approve. If someone does anything to display their desire to practice Tatbir, I will be deeply disappointed in them." | |
| 6 | Naser Makarem Shirazi | Forbidden | Muslims should avoid actions that display weakness in the Shia religion and damage the body. | |
| 7 | Mohammad Fazel Lankarani | Forbidden | Tatbir shows the harsh face of mourning of Husayn ibn Ali and it harms Shiism. | |
| 8 | Abdollah Javadi-Amoli | Forbidden | It is not permissible to insult Islam and the desecration of mourning. Therefore, it is better to avoid Tatbir and things like that. | |
| 9 | Mohammad-Taqi Bahjat Foumani | Forbidden | It should be avoided; every act that would be an insult to the Shia. | |
| 10 | Hossein Noori Hamedani | Forbidden | Should be avoided as actions that weakens the Shia religious. | |
| 11 | Hossein Mazaheri | Forbidden | When Wali e Faqih (Guardian Jurist) orders to avoid something, all people have to avoid it, even if they do not follow Guardian Jurist. | |
| 12 | Kazem al-Haeri | Impermissible | Tatbir is a superstition that causes the defamation of Islam and Shia Islam in particular. | |
| 13 | Mohaqiq Kabuli | Forbidden | There is no allowance to practice Tatbir or self-flagellation or something else that is considered as self-harm. | |
| 14 | Muhammad al-Fayadh | Permissible if it does not cause serious harm to the body | Tatbir is permissible, if it does not cause serious damage to the body. | |
| 15 | Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim | Recommended if it does not cause harm to the soul or the body. | Tatbir as one form of the mourning of Husayn ibn Ali is permissible. It is permitted under the intention of sympathy with God and trust-seeking, to promote searching for trust.
"Religious rituals that Shias perform to mourn the tragedies of the Imams of the Ahlulbait (peace be upon them) and to present the oppressions that they suffered are recommended. However, it is obligatory to avoid what causes harm to the soul or the body. If it does not result in harm, it remains being recommended. One should avoid performing them in a place where the reputation of the Shias is damaged." Imams did not "shed their own blood because of their sadness and grief for what happened to Imam Hussein". | |
| 17 | Hossein Vahid Khorasani | Not Forbidden | "The Ayatullah also goes over the Fatwas (verdicts) of previous scholars on the Mourning rituals and he even states that shedding blood for the sake of mourning Ahlulbayt is Halal (lawful)." | |
| 18 | Bashir al-Najafi | Not Forbidden | "Tatbir is permitted until it describes sorrow for Imam Hussain". | |
| 19 | Shamsodin Vaezi | Not forbidden | "Tatbir is permissible (allowed) and the issue is described in detail in our book Al-Husseini rituals". | |
| 20 | Jawad Tabrizi | Permissible | "Tatbir is permissible (allowed) and it is a Mustahab act, this is due to some narrations which state that: When sayyida Zainab saw Imam Hussain's head, she smashed her head into a rock and blood flowed from her head"
"The inclusion of the aforementioned (acts like tatbir) under the category of recommended grief for what occurred to the Master of Martyrs is problematic/doubtful." Sirat al-Najat, v. 2, Q 1404 - Tatbir.org |
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