Draft:Maqtalkhwani

Maqtal-khwānī constitutes a prominent tradition among the Shi'a during the mourning ceremonies for Imam al-Husayn (a). In this mode of lamentation, a narrator recounts the tragic occurrences of the Event of Karbala. The origins of this tradition can be traced to the 4th/10th century. Maqtal-khwānī has been cited as a method to counteract distortions of the Event of Ashura and as the most effective means of propagating the culture of Karbala.

The practice of Maqtal-khwānī is customary in Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. A substantial body of literature has been produced on the subject of Maqtal and Maqtal-khwānī. Maqtal al-Husayn by al-Khwārazmī and Maqtal al-Husayn by Abu Mikhnaf are among the earliest examples of Maqtal literature.

Importance and Origin

Maqtal-khwānī is a religious ritual associated with mourning, involving the recitation of tragedies from a Maqtal book. Terminologically, "Maqtal" denotes a book that chronicles the killing of a specific individual. Given the recommendations of the Imams (a) to hold mourning ceremonies for Imam al-Husayn (a), Maqtal-khwānī has been widely embraced by the public as a primary method of lamentation. In contemporary times, the general consensus of Shi'a scholars prioritizes Maqtal-khwānī over other mourning styles. Furthermore, Maqtal-khwānī has been identified as a critical tool for preventing the distortion of the Event of Ashura.

Following the Event of Karbala, the initial accounts of the tragedy were narrated by eyewitnesses. Subsequently, historical sources record instances of Maqtal-khwānī performed by the Ahl al-Bayt (a) and the Imams (a). According to a narration reported by Ibn Abbas, Imam Ali (a) possessed a scroll (*ṣaḥīfa*) dictated by the Prophet Muhammad (s), which detailed the manner of Imam al-Husayn (a)'s killing. The report states that Imam Ali (a) read from this scroll to Ibn Abbas, and both wept profusely.

Method

In Maqtal-khwānī, the reciter recounts the tragic events of the Event of Karbala, as derived from Maqtal books, to an audience. This ceremony typically takes place during the first ten days of Muharram, culminating on the Day of Ashura.

History

One of the earliest records concerning Maqtal-khwānī involves the prohibition of Shi'a Maqtal-khwānī ceremonies by the Abbasid caliph al-Musta'sim in 461/1068-9. Another account from 582/1186-7 mentions Shi'as performing Maqtal-khwānī on the Day of Ashura in parts of Iraq. Sources also document a ban on Maqtal-khwānī in Karkh and Mukhtāra, notable Shi'a districts of Iraq, in 658/1259-60.

In Iran

While sources do not specify the exact date when the Maqtal-khwānī tradition became popularized in Iran, analysts suggest that the practice became prevalent alongside the spread of Shi'ism in the region. Evidence from a *qaṣīda* by Kisa'i Marvazi (381/991-2) indicates that Maqtal-khwānī was practiced in Khorasan during his lifetime. Rasul Jafariyan reports that during the Safavid era, a group of Sunnis known as "Twelve-Imam Sunnis" held Maqtal-khwānī ceremonies for Imam al-Husayn (a).

According to Rajabi Davani, during the Safavid period, after mourning processions congregated in the town square, the city's cleric would ascend the pulpit to read from Maqtals. Consequently, following the authorship of Rawdat al-shuhada, those who recited from this specific text became known as "Rawḍa-khwān," thereby establishing the tradition of Rawda-khwani. In 1398/1978-9, through the efforts of Muhammad Husayn Sibawayh in Mashhad, this tradition was revived in Iran; he is thus commemorated as the reviver of Maqtal-khwānī in the country.

Recent initiatives to support Maqtal-khwānī include three rounds of the "National Maqtal-khwānī Competition," aimed at preventing deviations in mourning practices in Iran, as well as the "International Meeting on Maqtal-khwānī and Elegy Recitation." Additionally, the establishment of training classes for Maqtal-khwānī represents another significant development within this ritualistic tradition.

Reciters

Prominent Maqtal-khwāns (reciters) include Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim, who performed Maqtal-khwānī annually on the Day of Ashura for two hours at the Kufa Mosque. Other notable reciters include Muhammad Husayn Sibawayh, Sayyid Muhammad Yathrubi, and Sayyid Muhammad Ali Musavi Jazayiri.

Bibliography

Main article: Maqtal

Maqtals composed in various historical periods are utilized for Maqtal-khwānī ceremonies. Notable examples include:

• Maqtal al-Husayn by Abu Mikhnaf (157/773-4).
• Maqtal al-Husayn by Muwaffaq b. Ahmad al-Khwarazmi, a Sunni scholar (d. 568/1172-3).
• Luhuf by Sayyid Ibn Tawus (664/1266).
• Nafas al-mahmum by al-Shaykh 'Abbas al-Qummi (1359/1940).

Numerous works have been dedicated to the study of Maqtals, such as Maqtal-shināsī va shīvahā-yi rawḍa-khwānī by Qasim Rezaei and Ṣidq dar Maqtal-khwan by Ustadvali, which is derived from the book Lu'lu' wa marjan by Mirza Husayn Nuri (1320/1902). Furthermore, instructional books on Maqtal-khwānī have been authored, such as Muntakhab al-maqātil by Sayyid Muhsin Barzanuni.

In 1441-2/2020-1, Radio Namayesh produced a documentary titled "Ravi" (The Narrator), which explored the history of Maqtal-khwānī and profiled prominent Iranian reciters.