Shia Muslims Worldwide Begin Muhsiniyah Week of Mourning
Global Shia communities have begun commemorations marking Muhsiniyah Week, observed annually during the first days of Rabi al-Awwal, to honor the memory of The Honourable Muhsin ibn Ali (peace be upon them both), the unborn son of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and Sayyida Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon her).
The Muhsiniyah Week of mourning recalls the tragic assault on the house of Imam Ali and Lady Fatima (peace be upon them both) shortly after the martyrdom and passing of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure family). Historical accounts report that during this attack, Lady Fatima (peace be upon her) was injured, and her unborn son, Muhsin (peace be upon him), was martyred. The event is considered one of the darkest chapters in Islamic history, with references found in both Shia and Sunni historical sources, including al-Mussannaf by Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ansab al-Ashraf by al-Baladhuri, al-Imamah wa al-Siyasah by Ibn Qutaybah, and Tarikh al-Tabari.
Shia scholars such as Qadi Nu’man Maghribi, Muhaqqiq Ardabili, Ibn Abi Jumhur Ahsa’i, Shaykh Tusi, Shaykh Muhammad Husayn Kashif al-Ghita, and Shaykh Abdul Jalil Qazvini have affirmed the martyrdom of Hazrat Muhsin as an undeniable historical fact.
In line with guidance from Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi, Hussainiyas, mosques, and Shia centers across the world are holding mourning ceremonies throughout Muhsiniyah Week. His Eminence has emphasized that such commemorations, even if not observed in earlier centuries, represent acts of “taʿzim shaʿa’ir Allah” (honoring the divine symbols). He explained that any practice which elevates and dignifies the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) is itself a sacred ritual and a means of drawing closer to God.
Muhsiniyah Week is thus regarded as a continuation of the mourning traditions of Muharram and Safar, allowing Shia Muslims to reaffirm their loyalty to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and to preserve the memory of the injustices they endured.
