Haram (holy site): Difference between revisions

In a broad sense of the term, haram is also used for the holy shrines of [[Imams (a)]] and even for the descendants of Imams (a). The terms [[al-haram al-'Alawi]], [[al-haram al-Husayni]] are used in accordance with this broad meaning. Haram, among [[Shi'a]], is used for the Masjid or building which is built around a tomb.  

One of the special rulings of al-Masjid al-Haram, the [[shrine of the Prophet (s)]], [[shrine of Imam al-Husayn]], and [[Mosque of Kufa]] is that [[pilgrim]]s coming from other places are allowed and even [[recommended]] to do their prayers in the complete form, even though travelers normally have to do their prayers in [[Qasr Prayer|short form]].  

Titles such as "Haram al-Rasul" or "al-Haram al-Nabawi" refer to the shrine of the [[Prophet (s)]] in [[Medina]].  

Also, the title "al-Haramayn al-Sharifayn" either refers to [[al-Masjid al-Haram]] and the shrine of the Prophet (s), respectively in [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]], or the [[Shirne of Imam Ali (a)]] and [[Shrine of Imam al-Husayn]], or the two holy sites of [[al-Aqsa Mosque]] in [[Jerusalem al-Quds]] and [[al-Haram al-Ibrahimi]] in [[Hebron]] (al-Khalil).  

Al-Haram al-Makki is the most famous example of the word "haram". People who belong to this area are called ''Hirmi'' (people of Haram) and those who enter this place and put on [[ihram]] are called [[muhrim]]. The area outside of haram is called ''hill''.<ref>Al-Farahidi, Khalil b. Ahmad. ''Kitab al-'ayn''. under the word "{{iarabic|حرم}}"; Ibn Athir. ''al-Nihaya''. under the word "{{iarabic|حرم}}"</ref> Holiness of the Haram of [[Mecca]] has a very long history. According to a [[hadith]] by the [[Prophet (s)]], this area has become haram since the creation of skies and the earth and according to another hadith, [[Dahw al-Ard]] (expansion of earth) began from the place of al-Haram al-Makki.<ref>Al-Fakihi, Muhammad b. Ishaq. ''Akhbar Makka fi qadim al-dahr wa hadithiha''. vol. 2. p. 270; Al-Saduq, Muhammad b. 'Ali b. Babawayh. ''Man la yahduruh al-faqih''. vol. 2. p. 241; Al-Hurr al-'Amili. ''Wasa'il al-Shi'a''. vol. 13. p. 241-242</ref>

This is another important haram for which there are special rulings according to hadiths and jurisprudential laws. According to Sunni hadith sources, the noble [[Prophet (s)]] has guaranteed his [[intercession]] for the people of [[Medina]] on the [[Day of Judgment]].<ref>Ahmad b. Hanbal. ''Musnad Ahmad''. vol. 6. p. 370; Muslim b. al-Hajjaj. ''Sahih Muslim''. vol. 4. p. 113</ref> There are different views regarding the expanse of al-Haram al-Nabawi.

Haram (holy shrine) of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] is greatly venerated by [[Shi'a]]. Shi'a [[jurist]]s have different opinions about the expanse of the Haram for which there are certain rulings. For example, some of them include Imam al-Husayn's (a) grave and his family members and [[Companions of Imam al-Husayn (a)|companions]] except [[al-'Abbas (a)]] in the Haram,<ref>Al-Mufid, Muhammad b. Muhammad. ''al-Muqni'a''. p. 126; Al-Hilli, Ibn Idris. ''al-Sara'ir al-hawi li-tahrir al-fatawa''. vol. 1. p. 342</ref> while some others believe that the whole city of [[Karbala]] including Imam al-Husayn's (a) holy [[darih]] is Haram.<ref>Yahya b. Sa'id. ''al-Jami' li-l-Shara'i'''. p. 93; Al-Bahrani, Yusuf b. Ahmad. ''al-Hada'iq al-nadira fi ahkam al-'itrat al-tahira''. vol. 11. p. 436; Naraqi, Ahmad b. Muhammad Mahdi. ''Mustanad al-Shi'a fi ahkam al-shari'a''. vol. 8. p. 316</ref> There is even a hadith quoted from [[Imam Ali (a)]] in which [[Kufa]] is also called his Haram.<ref>Al-Kulayni, Muhammad b. Ya'qub. ''al-Kafi''. vol. 4. p. 563</ref>

According to most Shi'a jurists, one of the rulings specific to al-Haramayn (al-Haram al-Makki and al-Haram al-Nabawi), [[Masjid al-Kufa]] and [[al-Ha'ir al-Husayni]] is the permission and even [[recommendation]] of performing prayer in the complete form for pilgrims coming from other places (passengers), although as pilgrims, they normally have to perform their prayers in the short form ([[al-Qasr prayer]]).<ref>Al-Tusi, Muhammad b. al-Hasan. ''al-Nihaya fi mujarad al-fiqh wa al-fatawa''. p. 124; Al-Hilli, al-Hasan b. Yusuf. ''Mukhtalaf al-Shi'a fi ahkam al-shari'a''. vol. 1. p. 333; Al-Shahid al-Thani, Zayn al-Din. ''al-Rawdat al-Bahiyya''. vol. 1. p. 787-788</ref>

[[Religious authorities]] regard these rulings as the conclusion of two different groups of hadiths; one which indicates that performing prayer in short or complete form in the four mentioned places are optional. And the other group which recommends the complete form of prayer in these places.<ref>Al-Kulayni, Muhammad b. Ya'qub. ''al-Kafi''. vol. p. 542; Al-Tusi, Muhammad b. al-Hasan. ''Tahdhib al-ahkam''. vol. 5. p. 470-475</ref> In some of these hadiths, the terms "al-Haramayn al-Sharifayn", [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]], "al-Masjidayn" (the two [[mosque]]s) are used;<ref>Al-Bahrani, Yusuf b. Ahmad. ''al-Hada'iq al-nadira fi ahkam al-'itrat al-tahira''. vol. 11. p. 456-459</ref> thus, some scholars consider only [[al-Masjid al-Haram]] and Masjid al-Nabawi the subject to the mentioned rulings, not the whole expanses of al-Haram al-Makki and al-Haram al-Nabawi.<ref>Al-Hilli, al-Hasan b. Yusuf. ''Mukhtalaf al-Shi'a fi ahkam al-shari'a''. vol. 3. p. 132; Al-Shahid al-Thani, Zayn al-Din. ''al-Rawdat al-Bahiyya''. vol. 1. p. 787; Burujirdi, Murtada. ''Mustanad al-'urwat al-wuthqa''. vol. 8. p. 411-412</ref>

[[Ibn Babawayh]] believed in obligation of performing prayer in short form in the mentioned places and did not consider any higher value for them.<ref>Al-Saduq, Muhammad b. 'Ali b. Babawayh. ''al-Muqni'''. p. 262</ref> Apparently, his opinion is based on general reasons for the obligation of performing prayer in short form for passengers and the hadiths which have regarded it obligatory to perform prayer in short form in the mentioned places.<ref>Naraqi, Ahmad b. Muhammad Mahdi. ''Mustanad al-Shi'a fi ahkam al-shari'a'' . vol. 8. p. 309</ref> However, other jurists have considered these hadiths as cases of [[taqiyya]] (precautionary dissimulation)<ref>Al-Bahrani, Yusuf b. Ahmad. ''al-Hada'iq al-nadira fi ahkam al-'itrat al-tahira''. vol. 2. p. 441, 448, 452; Naraqi, Ahmad b. Muhammad Mahdi. ''Mustanad al-Shi'a fi ahkam al-shari'a'' . vol. 8. p. 310; Burujirdi, Murtada. ''Mustanad al-'urwat al-wuthqa''. vol. 8. p. 406-410</ref> and referring to some other reasons, have rejected the mentioned conclusion.<ref>Muqaddas Ardabili, Ahmad b. Muhammad. ''Majma' al-fa'idat wa l-burhan''. vol. 3. p. 424-425; Al-Bahrani, Yusuf b. Ahmad. ''al-Hada'iq al-nadira fi ahkam al-'itrat al-tahira''. vol. 11. p. 440-442; Al-Najafi, Muhammad Hasan b. Baqir. ''Jawahir al-kalam fi sharh shara'i' al-Islam''. vol. 14. p. 336</ref> There are also some other jurists who have believed out of caution, in necessity of performing the short form of prayer in the mentioned Harams.<ref>Musawi 'Amili, Sayyid Muhammad. ''Madarik al-ahkam fi sharh shara'i' al-Islam''. vol. 4. p. 468; Mirza-yi Qumi, Abu l-Qasim b. Muhammad Hasan. ''Jami' al-shitat''. vol. 1. p. 73; Al-Najafi, Muhammad Hasan b. Baqir. ''Jawahir al-kalam fi sharh shara'i' al-Islam''. vol. 14 p. 337; Bahjat, Muhammad Taqi. Jami' al-masa'il'' p. 599</ref>

Some earlier scholars including [[Ibn al-Junayd al-Iskafi]] and [[Al-Sharif al-Murtada|'Alam al-Huda]] have considered it obligatory for passengers to perform their prayers in complete form in the four mentioned places and even Harams (the holy shrines) of all Imams (a) of Shi'a.<ref>Ibn al-Junayd al-Iskafi, ''Majmu'at fatawa Ibn al-Junayd'' p. 89-90; Al-Sharif al-Murtada, 'Ali b. al-Husayn. ''Rasa'il al-Sharif al-Murtada''. vol. 3. p. 47; Al-Bahrani, Yusuf b. Ahmad. ''al-Hada'iq al-nadira fi ahkam al-'itrat al-tahira''. vol. 11. p. 438, 465</ref> [[Ibn Idris al-Hilli]] have only added the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a) to al-Haram al-Makki and al-Haram al-Nabawi for this ruling. Shi'a jurists have also discussed whether the above mentioned optionality in choosing short or complete form of prayer is only about the [[Masjid al-Kufa]] and the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a) or it also includes the two whole cities of [[Kufa]] and [[Karbala]].<ref>Burujirdi, Murtada. ''Mustanad al-'urwat al-wuthqa''. vol. 8. p. 414-420; Ruhani, Muhammad Sadiq. ''Fiqh al-sadiq''. vol. 6. p. 427-428</ref> Hanafis, who considered it obligatory to perform the prayer in short form while travelling like Twelver Shi'a, have regarded performing the prayer in complete form in al-Haram al-Makki as following the Prophet (s). They have considered it better than performing the prayer in short form due to multiplicity of [[reward]]s for good deeds in Haram.<ref>Al-Kasani, Abu Bakr b. Mas'ud. ''Badayi' al-sanaye' fi tartib al-sharayi'''. vol. 1. p. 91-92; Ibn Qudama. ''al-Mughni''. vol. 2. p. 107</ref>