TRADITIONAL CURRICULUM VS MODERN CURRICULUM: CHOOSE THE LATTER
By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Curriculum has been defined in many ways according to the needs of the times. Some decades ago, traditional curriculum was in dominance. It is also called bookish curriculum. It focuses on books, exams, discipline, fixed time tables, paper degrees,etc. However, it is against the individual differences. Same kind of syllabus was for different children. There is no scope for critical thinking. Status quo reigns everywhere.
But with the revolution in information technology, the need for the modern curriculum has increased more than before. The present age is the age of AI, Robotics, Quantum mechanics, etc. Innovation is the order of the day. Men have started to colonize other celestial bodies. There are chances of life on other planets as well. The calculations that used to take thousands of years, are done in few seconds. Men have surpassed the speed of light. Gene scissors are in the market to protect us from lethal diseases. Carcinogenic diseases are controlled. In this way, there can be no liking for the traditional curriculum that only choked the rational voices. Let us contrast both curricula in some detail.
First is that the traditional curriculum is about books. Books are more important than children. Education is imparted in specialized buildings. There are strict teachers and management. There are fixed classes in a day. Teachers prepare what they have to teach in a particular period. They try their best to complete the syllabi. They, by hook or crook, complete their syllabi and prepare students for examinations while the modern curriculum is child-based. All the focus is on a child. His or her differences are known in the beginning. His or her psychology is understood so that teaching or learning becomes easy and fruitful. Here, a child is free to learn according to his or her taste. There are no specialized buildings for this curriculum. A child learns everywhere. He is trained in such a way that every experience becomes learning for him. He looks at animals. He doesn’t dread them. In cases of beautiful landscapes, he or she tries to know its Creator. This is the best characteristic of the modern curriculum.
Second is that the traditional curriculum is exam-dominated. Children, from the very beginning, are frightened that they have to pass with flying colors. They are in constant fear that if they don’t get a distinction or a position, they will be treated harshly. They, instead of reading textbooks, find short cut ways to get good marks. In this way, they become addicted to the hand made notes and guides prepared by some unknown persons. They learn questions and answers without knowing their crux. They become good in rote learning. In this way, the marvellous brains are lost. However, in case of the modern curriculum, there is no space for exams. A child learns different subjects and skills at the same time to be the master of those subjects or skills. He or she is expert in dealing with his or her subject because he or she likes to learn those very subjects. There is no thrust upon them. They learn what they learn. They use their creative powers to go against the views of their teachers. Children don’t believe blindly. Curriculum teachers them to criticize.
Third and last is paper degrees. In the traditional curriculum, degrees matter the most. A teacher without a particular degree is deemed unfit for teaching. However, he or she may be expert in his or her subject but she or he does not possess the required degree, he or she is unfit for that very post. But in case of the modern curriculum, there is no need for paper degrees. A rickshaw puller can be an engineer. Jack Ma, the founder of Ali Baba, can be the source of inspiration for those who have doctorates in many subjects.
In short, there should be such kind of curriculum that can know the individual differences in children. Until and unless the individual differences are unknown, we cannot think of any progress. Let us embrace the curriculum that makes child a child. I request parents and teachers to embrace the curriculum that is reasonable. Overall, we are living in the age of Science and technology which needs a totally different approach. Hope good sense prevails among all of us.
The battle of Karbala has given message to humanity forever. It bears an intrinsic message for all human beings of all times to uplift the human spirit beyond short-sighted materialistic pursuits and establish a just and equitable order in society.
The moral message of Karbala is relevant for all times .Live and die with an honor and respect and don’t accept injustice on any condition. Imam Hussein a.s. once said that the authorities in Kufa had given him only two options — humiliation or death. He carried on to say, ‘And we do not accept humiliation’. Dying for the cause “Islam” is martyrdom and a great honor.
As a matter of fact, Every year, in the month of Muharram, millions of Muslims (both Shias and Sunnis) mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (a.S), his family and friends. Some do it to the highest level of emotional and sentimental state and others equally feel the pain of agony experienced by the martyrs.
It is heart refreshing that When people gather to recall and cry over the brutality meted out to Imam Hussain (a.s) , his family and followers, it unconsciously imbues a profound impact on one’s character and thinking. The beauty of this pain that moves a soul to tears not only softens the heart but enhances the virtues of empathy, compassion and humanity.
Pages of history bear witness to the fortitude, courage and determination of scores of warriors and fighters who have left indelible marks on the canvas of bravery but no battle can match Karbala in its message of justice and peace.
We need to live a life of justice and respect humanity then only we can proudly say we are implementing message of Karbala in our lives.
Glaciers are lifeline of humanity as they are source of major rivers. Glaciers are keystones of Life on Earth. As giant freshwater reservoirs, they support the planet’s life systems and influence our day-to-day lives, even for communities who live far away from them.
The melting of glaciers is a matter of serious concern as it can lead to nature havoc. For ecologically fragile zones like Kashmir it can have serious consequences.
Himalayan glaciers are retreating at “varying rates” and melting of glaciers can’t be prevented or slowed down, Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Kiren Rijiju, told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply few days back.
The Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO’s) Space Application Centre (SAC) has mapped 5234 glaciers of the Himalayan-Karakoram (H-K) region using primarily IRS LISS III data which indicated a varied loss in glacier area in the region.
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) and various Institutes/Universities under the projects funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) too have conducted mass balance studies on a number of glaciers and found that the majority of Himalayan glaciers are melting/ retreating at varying rates in different regions.
Rijiju said the glacier inventory prepared by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) for the Chandra basin (2437 km2 area) in the western Himalayas shows that it has lost about 6% of its glacial area during the last 20 years and 2.4-meter water equivalent (m w.e.) to 9 m w.e. ice mass during 2013-2021. The glaciers in the Bhaga basin lost huge ice mass in the range of 6 m w.e. to 9 m.w.e. during 2008-2021. The annual rate of retreat of Chandra basin glaciers varied from 13 to 33 meters/year during the last decade.
Expert pulse is that disappearance of glaciers makes visible the invisible. It makes tangible the current climate change that can be hard to perceive in other ecosystems. The recent evolution of glaciers found in World Heritage sites paints a true picture of their decline in a warming planet.
Melting of Glaciers is a matter of serious concern for Jammu and Kashmir too.
Jammu and Kashmir Himalayas hosts some of the largest glaciers in the Hindu Kush region. Scientific studies indicate that Kolahoi, the largest glacier of Kashmir valley’s Jhelum Basin, is retreating rapidly due to spurt rise in temperature triggered by global warming and extreme pollution.
Thajiwas, Hoksar, Nehnar, Shishram, and glaciers around Harmukh are also retreating slowly.
In coming times, the melting of glaciers diminish the stream flow of trans-boundary rivers emanating from the region.
Studies point out grim realities. 2019 study reveals that glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region – which contains the world’s third-largest glacial ice cap and is home to ten major river basins and mountain peaks, such as Mount Everest – could lose more than a third of their volume by the end of the century even if world nations meet their most ambitious climate targets.
One hopes we are able to stem the flow of melting glaciers.
Bio:- Monalisa Parida is a post graduate student of English literature from India, Odisha and a prolific poetess. She is very active in social media platforms and her poems have also been translated into different languages and publish in various e-journals.
She has got 100 international award for writing poetry. Her poems have been publishing international e-journals “New York parrot”, “The Writers Club” (USA), “Suriyadoya literary foundation”, “kabita Minar”, “Indian Periodical” (India) and “Offline Thinker “, “The Gorkha Times “ ( Nepal), “The Light House”(Portugal), “Bharatvision”(Romania), “International cultural forum for humanity and creativity”(Aleppo, Syria), “Atunispoetry.com”(Singapore) etc. And also published in various newspapers like “The Punjabi Writer Weekly(USA)”, “News Kashmir (J&K, India)”, Republic of Sungurlu (Turkey)” etc.
One of her poem published an American anthology named “The Literary Parrot Series-1 and series-2 respectively (New York, USA)”. Her poems have been translated in various languages like Hindi, Bengali, Turkish, Persian, Romanian etc. And she is the author of the book “Search For Serenity”, “My Favourite Grammar”, “Paradigm”, “Beyond Gorgeous”.
Education is in sane view pointed out to be a very much positive process that not only supports in, but also nurtures the mental and physical development of a child. In our part of the world the issue of weighty bags of children is emerging as a major issue .
This bleak facet is proven by the overweight school bags carried daily by the majority of students in Kashmir and has become a normal sight othere.
As a matter of fact, these overloaded bags are a health curse for the students. Weighty school bags are not helping in any way simply breaking the back of young students .
It is an established fact that the overstuffed school bags have always been a huge curse for children. Recent health studies at global have also shown negative impacts of weighty school bags on the overall health of children. As it can lead to poor flexibility of the back, poor exercise, and excessive weight-carrying can adversely affect the spine.
Few months back, Director, education, Kashmir, had issued guidelines to heads of the institutions asking them to set maximum weights for the school bags besides specifying which subject to be taught from which class as per the new National Educational Policy (NEP).
“The weight of the school bag for Classes 1 and 2 should not exceed 1.5 kg and the weight of school bags carried by students of Classes 3 and 4 should not exceed 3 kg,” the director of school education said in an order.
The order further had said the weight of school bags for students of Classes 6 and 7 should not go beyond 6 kg.
Eminent voices of youth
and Radio Jockey Sardar Nasir Ali Khan ,while talking to News Kashmir observed:”
The school bags are becoming heavier day by day, and you see that most of the time, they are being carried by parents who accompany their kids to the bus stop. A policy was framed by DESK regulating the weight of the school bags as per classes, but very little has been done to implement this in letter and spirit.”
The hope on ground is that weighty bags for our children would be soon done away with and schools will abide by rules in this regard.
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly at its 75th session declared 2023 the International Year of Millets.
To create domestic and global demand and to provide nutritional food to the people, Government of India had proposed to the United Nations for declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets.
In a significant development related to it,
Shree Anna’: Millet menu has been introduced at prestigious Lalit Hotel Srinagar.
Eminent voices expressed their delight over the same as 2023 is the global year of millets and India is the largest producer of Millets.
Lalit Suri Hospitality group has taken a lead in being symbol of ethos of Indian millets
The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group on Wednesday, 18 July, 2023 launched ‘Shree Anna’- a nationwide promotion of India’s millets, in support of the country’s Millet Mission.
Lalit Hotel Srinagar in this regard organised an impressive function on 18 July, 2023.
While talking to News Kashmir , The Union Territory Lieutenant Governor, Advisor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar stated ” Diet is paramount constituent of human life, apart from sleep it plays vital role in human survival and healthy growth. INDIA has played a great role in getting 2023 declared as International year of millets. It is great for our overall health if we consume Millet rich diet. Millets are genetically very much resistant to climate change and also grow in less fertile soil. Millets taste even better than GRAINS or any other food item. They require very less pesticides and are thus environmentally friendly. In this age of growing disease like Diabetes and Cancer, millets offer good prospects as Diet. Shree Anna’: Millet menu introduced at prestigious Lalit Hotel Srinagar is not only healthy but tasty too and it is a commendable effort. “
We need to bear in mind that The theme for the International Year of Millets 2023 (IYM) is “Harnessing the untapped potential of millets for food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture. Sane Voices are praising Lalit Suri Hospitality Group for taking the promotion of millets as forward.
One of the much debated topics across the world is the importance of sex education in schools. Sex education refers to a broad programme designed to impart knowledge/ training regarding values, attitudes and practices affecting family relationship. Its main objective is the transfiguration of a male child into manhood and a female child into womanhood. Sex is still considered a taboo in India. Parents feel embarrassed to talk openly with their children in this regard. Due to ignorance, children fall victim to many diseases like AIDS and unwanted pregnancies, etc. So, sex education is necessary to be introduced in the school for the benefit of the youth of our country.
Sex education comprises sexual development, affection, body image and gender roles. In other words, it is about learning how we grow, reproduce and change over the years. It also includes a positive view of sex. If the youngsters learn about sex objectively, they would be more careful before indulging in sex secretly. Sex is a natural part of life and when questions arise, they can be discussed in a matured way.
The sole aim of such an education is to teach children to establish and accept the role and responsibility of their own gender by acquiring knowledge of sex. Understanding the differences and similarities between two genders; in terms of body and mind will set up a foundation for the future development in the their acquaintance with friends and lovers and their interpersonal relationship. It will also help to develop emotionally stable children and adolescents who feel sufficiently secure and adequate to make decisions regarding their conduct without being carried away by their emotions.
If we were to go the data published by WHO, sex education should be imparted to children who are 12 years and above. It has also been seen that it is the age group of 12 to 19 years that counts for some 34% of the HIV infected person in the world. Experts claim that “ Youth in India needs sex education more than the youth in any other country since child marriage ensures that one not only have sex at a young age, but girls also have teenage pregnancy”. In a world full of exploitation, children are the most vulnerable section of the society. They should be taught between the good touch and the bad touch in order to protect themselves from various forms of child abuse.
If a regular teacher tries to talk about this topic with students, it can get awkward and uncomfortable, but it can never be vulgar. These sessions are always held by people who are trained to do it. Counsellors who can talk about these subjects without blinking an eyelid, are the ones who help in making the students confident too. Parents in India are known to hide their love towards each other, in front of their children. The children grow up to believe that love is a taboo and it is improper to display one’s affection in public. Parents must understand the psyche of their children. They must share with their children the love they share and behave like normal friends.
Sex education is a part of the syllabus from class 7 onwards anyway, when the students learn about the reproductive system in their biology classes. There are so many other issues that kids of this age group face and need to be sensitized about. It once happened with me that in the coaching centre, when the diagram of the female reproductive system came in front of the eyes of the male students, they blushed. They couldn’t understand what they were being taught. This situation should change. It should be a smooth flow of things. Moreover, topics like dealing with rejections, getting too serious in relationships, friendships, etc., should be taught at the earliest.
Such guidance is much needed in the present times of information overload. In fact, parents feel that it is the schools that have to be proactive and arrange for classes and sessions like these, so that the day the child is curious, he or she gets answers from trained professionals and not from some anonymous website. The biggest advantage of sex education in India is that it will help the country fight against the tremendous spread of AIDS. Also, sexual exploitation is spreading at a high rate wherein the small kids are the highest prone to such incidents.
Last but not the least, awareness of sex education is the most significant factor necessary to lead a secure life. Usual educational practices are very simple to learn but we cannot consider sex education on the Same line. It comprises physiological, psychological and social issues, especially when we think of including it as a part of academic syllabus. As these complications occur, a question may arise in the minds of people about the need for sex education providing to the children. While children reach teenage level, lack of sex education may lead the way to their unusual behavior. If not corrected at the exact time, it may generate problems of immature misbehavior in these children’s lives.
Now, it is high time for introducing sex education in school. This will create a liberal thinking among the youth and give them a safer, healthier life style. Many psychologists argued that sex education has the potential to liberate the young generation from socially organized sexual oppression. It helps them to overcome feelings of guilt and shame and they start to see the world in a matured way. Thus, we can say that the proper sex education can ensure a safer, healthier life style for the youth. The governments both at the centre level and at the state level should create an atmosphere of liberalism, where there is no shallow mind-set of approaching sex as something dirty and avoidable. All have to contribute in this regard. Many children have become the scapegoats. We won’t like more to fall into this trap. Religious institutions should also show interest in this matter. Trained scholars should be brought in to teach the adolescents. Moreover, adolescents should be given a chance to talk to each other. It will prove beneficial in the long run. My experience is that there is a wide chasm between the male adolescents and the female adolescents. This gap has to be bridged. In short, our schools have to act like the whole society.
References:1) Arihant Books on Sex Education and Gender Equality
Topaz Shrestha is an Irish/Nepalese PhD researcher from University College Cork (UCC), Ireland. Her area of expertise is in Environmental and Ecopsychology. She is passionate about restoring our bond to the natural world and equal access to nature for all. Her current work revolves around the interconnection between human and environmental health; climate change and psychological well-being. Specifically, she is exploring the relationship between our environment and well-being and how forming a strong connection to the natural world can enhance health and happiness while simultaneously forming the basis for environmental stewardship.
Growing up in rural Ireland, Topaz has noticed the profound effect of spending time in nature on her own well-being and the potential for this connection to support our intrinsic motivation to engage in pro-environmental behaviour. Research demonstrates a consistent positive trend between engagement with nature and improved physical and mental health outcomes. Moreover, the research emphasises that nature-connectedness is one of the strongest predictors of pro-environmental behaviour. Therefore, it is of significant concern that urbanisation, environmental degradation and the challenges of modern living are reducing engagement with the natural environment. A presiding narrative is that modern- urbanized lifestyles have diminished healthy human relationships with nature, resulting in many health issues and reduced well-being. Many of us seem physically and psychologically disconnected from nature, which has implications for both personal and planetary well-being. This disconnect is particularly evident within younger generations who are often deprived of direct contact with nature. Longitudinal evidence suggests that over the last few decades, contemporary youth are spending less time outdoors than previous generations (Chawla, 2015; Larson et al., 2019) and that this movement away from nature has had a negative impact on not only our well-being but has engendered an apathetic attitude towards nature that has perpetuated climate inaction and the destruction of ecosystems into adulthood. This wider movement away from nature is reflective of a zeitgeist whereby we perceive ourselves as separate from nature and engage in activity which has ultimately led to the climate crisis we face today.
The government and public health administrations are beginning to recognise the importance of proximity to and engagement with nature as not only a health promotion tool and a
determinant of well-being but also as a powerful catalyst for environmental stewardship. Recently, there is growing interest in this disconnection between humans and nature. This interest has inspired a movement towards a synergistic approach to addressing the climate
crisis in tandem with restoring our bond to the natural world. This interest is predominantly driven by young people who have recognised that they are not merely victims of the climate crisis but can be the agents of change and are subsequently integral to long-term efforts to create a more sustainable and equitable society (WHO, 2022). Young people are often most vocal in calling for urgent and ambitious climate action. According to mental health professionals, the array of climate-related emotions that many young people feel is reflective of their awareness of our disconnection from the natural world and compassion towards the Earth (Diffey, 2022; Hickman, 2020). This awareness and compassion, along with the unique perspective of many young people can act as a catalyst to promote nature-connection and help societies to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.
Topaz’s PhD research focuses on this topic. She is currently working on two interdisciplinary projects at the climate-biodiversity health nexus. Firstly, along with my supervision team made up of Dr Zelda Di Blasi, Dr Sarah Foley and Dr Marica Cassarino, she is carrying out an umbrella review which aims to synthesise the available evidence on nature–based interventions (NBIs). NBIs are health interventions which aim to promote health and wellbeing by bringing you physically and psychologically closer to nature. This project focuses mainly on the intersections of nature–based interventions that enhance mental health and wellbeing, while promoting the restoration of the natural world. This research has an impact at the intersection of two major global crises; mental health and climate change.
Nature-based solutions (NBS); solutions that are inspired by nature, are cost-effective, and synergistically have the potential to provide environmental, economic and social benefits for diverse populations. From her previous work, Topaz recognises that here is a need to consider the personal meaning that people hold for nature if we are to collectively respond to the mental health and climate challenge. Accordingly her second project revolves around the personal meaning that young people hold for the natural world – exploring how young people perceive, experience and make sense of natural spaces and what makes them want to protect it. At a foundational level, more research is required to understand how young people in varying circumstances and SES communities perceive nature, and what their relationship to nature looks like
Interdisciplinary research is crucial to addressing societal challenges, which are generally highly complex. This project which revolves around interdisciplinary collaboration – combining theories and hypotheses from youth work, conservation/biodiversity management and environmental, positive, environmental and ecopsychology – is in alignment with global objectives. The European Union has identified seven priority challenges where targeted investment in research and innovation can have a tangible impact. How we respond to these challenges, nationally and internationally, will be the key determinant of societal development in the coming years. Furthermore, this research addresses issues of health equity and environmental justice. Social inequalities in access to natural spaces and the quality of these environments is one of the biggest barriers we face, which has been echoed in our qualitative findings. The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11.7 proposes that “by 2030, [states should] provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, particularly for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.” This project will help to achieve these goals by capturing the individual testimonies of young people which emphasise the need for equal access to nature and ensuring these appeals are shared with people in positions of power/decision-makers.
Additionally, this project aims to ensure that the voices of young people are amplified in a meaningful way. Currently, young people often only have a tokenistic involvement in climate discussions (Diffey et al., 2022; Arora et al., 2022). For instance, during COP26, numerous young activists felt they were involved in the event as a novelty but did not actually feel heard (Brown, 2022). Individuals of all ages and cultural backgrounds should have their lived experiences, opinions and experiential knowledge valued; and they should be encouraged to contribute meaningfully to the solutions we need (Diffey et al., 2022). We envision this research supporting an equitable transition into a society which is characterised by enhanced nature connection and a wider consciousness of our symbiotic relationship with the natural world. We hope that this project empowers young people to understand that they are not merely victims of the climate crisis, but rather they can be the agents of change at the forefront of a global movement towards a happier, more sustainable future. Further, this research may provide individuals with personal reflections on their relationship to nature. We hope that this research will encourage people to reflect on the reciprocal nature we have with the Earth and recognise how human and environmental health are deeply interconnected. This process of reflection and consideration of our connection with the natural world may help to empower people to feel more motivated in the fight against the climate/biodiversity crisis.
This intergenerational collaboration and knowledge exchange, across cultures and disciplines is essential if we are to tackle these issues which are pervasive on a global scale. Young people must be given platforms by governments, institutions and corporations to share their thoughts, feelings, needs and hopes for the future.
Links
Link to Topaz’s Masters thesis, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH). This projected investigated the impact of our environment on vitality, mood and wellbeing. Findings indicated that one’s sense of
wellbeing is closely related to our immediate environment. This research provided insight into the multiple mechanisms through which nature can support human health and emphasised why as a collective we must think about the importance of protecting the natural elements that surround us and increasing people’s opportunities to access them. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/2003
Anemia is a worrying disease. Anemia is a problem of not having enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all other organs in the body. Having anemia can cause tiredness, weakness and shortness of breath.
As a matter of fact, there are many forms of anemia. Each has its own cause. Anemia can be short term or long term. It can range from mild to severe. Anemia can be a warning sign of serious illness.
On the otherhand,
Treatments for anemia might involve taking supplements or having medical procedures. Eating a healthy diet might prevent some forms of anemia.
According to the report released recently, 66 percent women in Jammu and Kashmir have anaemia, including 25 percent with mild anaemia, 38 percent with moderate anaemia, and 3 percent with severe anaemia.
“Anaemia is particularly high among rural women, women aged 15-19, and other backward class women, but anaemia exceeds 40 percent for every group of women.”
per the report, during NFHS-4, 49 percent non-pregnant women aged between 15-49 were anaemic, which has increased to 67.3 percent during NFHS-5.
However, slight improvement has been in anaemic condition of pregnant women aged 15-49 as during NFHS-4 46.9 percent women were found anaemic while during NFHS-5 44.1 percent women were found anaemic.
The prevalence of anaemia among children aged between six months to five years has increased to 73 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir in the last few years, Union Health Ministry in its report said.
As per the figures compiled by Union Health Ministry, the prevalence of anaemia among children aged six months to five years is highest in Ladakh (90 per cent), followed by Gujarat (80 per cent), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (76 per cent), Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir (73 per cent), and Punjab and Rajasthan ( 71 percent).
Dr. Ratan Lal Kaul world renowned in Opthamology and neurology fields ,while talking to News Kashmir stated :” Anaemia is very much present in large proportions in Jammu and Kashmir. Children and women are most hit by Anaemia. The reasons are multifold . First and foremost our eating habits are not good. The vegetarian and non vegetarian diet we get is compromised. The food here is of most substandard quality. Poverty is also compounding the problems like Anaemia. Protein deficiency and Vitamin D deficiency is also adding to the diseases like Anaemia.”
One hopes we will take corrective measures to address anemia in Kashmir.
Muḥarram (Arabic: ٱلْمُحَرَّم) (fully known as Muharram ul Haram) is the first month of the Islamic calendar.It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is forbidden.It is held to be the second holiest month after Ramadan.
We are well aware that tenth day of Muharram is known as Ashura. Better known as part of the Mourning of Muharram, Shia Muslims mourn the tragedy of Karbala in which Imam Hussain ( As) along with companions were martyred.
Shia Muslims hold many events to offer condolences to Imam Husain ( As). and to honor the martyrs by prayer, reading supplications, and holding charity events.
Karbala teaches us: Never support injustice and oppression no matter how powerful the oppressor might be.
The objective of all believers should be to please Almighty Allah. Imam Hussain ( AS) said in one of his speeches that the only objective of the Prophet’s Holy Household (peace be upon them) is to please Allah. Whenever he saw family members martyred, he would utter: “It’s bearable only because Allah is its witness.
It is heartening to note that
Muharram is the month in which justice rose against injustice and truth stood up against falsehood and proved that in the course of history, the truth has always triumphed over falsehood.
Muharram as a month preaches us love, kindness and tolerable. The battle of Karbala that took place in thr month of Muharram changed the course of human history and gave eternal message of justice and preserving human values. The need of the hour is we Muslims and humanity in general learn lessons from Karbala tragedy and follow the path of Justice and kindness.
