In its current form, it begins on the 9th day of the month of Rabi' al-Awwal of the Islamic year, and lasts until the 27th of the same month.[3] It is a carnival-type of festival in which social roles are reversed and communal norms upturned.[4] It generally functions as a more lighthearted counterpart of the Ta'zieh passion plays during the mourning of Muharram, which commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad's grandson Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala in 680.[5]
First established in the 16th century during the Safavid conversion of Iran to Shi'i Islam,[6] the festival was originally held around Abu Lu'lu'a's sanctuary in Kashan, each year at the anniversary of Umar's death on 26 Dhu al-Hijja of the Islamic year.[7] However, later it also started to be observed elsewhere in Iran, sometimes on 9 Rabi' al-Awwal rather than on 26 Dhu al-Hijja.[8]
The festival celebrated Abu Lu'lu'a, nicknamed for the occasion Bābā Shujāʿ al-Dīn (lit.'Father Courageous of the Faith'), as a national hero who had defended the religion by killing the oppressive caliph.[9] Umar was not only seen as a persecutor of non-Arabs,[10] he was also thought to have threatened and injured the prophet Muhammad's daughter and Ali's wife Fatima, who had cursed him for this.[11] Being related to the more general institution in early Safavid Iran of the ritual cursing of the first three Rashidun caliphs (who were all seen to have displaced Ali as the rightful caliph),[12] the festival involved the beating and burning of effigies of Umar, accompanied by the recitation of vilifying poetry (sabb) and cursing (laʿn).[13]
However, during the Qajar period (1789–1925) the ritual cursing and humiliation of the first three caliphs was gradually abandoned due to the improving political relations with the SunniOttomans. By the beginning of the 20th century, the festival of Omar Koshan had fallen into disuse in the major cities of Iran, surviving only in the countryside.[14] This evolution, further spurred on by the rise of Pan-Islamism (an ideology advocating the unity of all Muslims, both Shi'is and Sunnis) in the late 19th century,[15] reached a height with the Islamic Revolution in 1979, after which the ritual was officially banned in the Islamic Republic of Iran.[16]
Nevertheless, the festival itself is still celebrated in Iran, though often secretly and indoors rather than outdoors.[17] In these contemporary celebrations, there is a lapse of historical consciousness, where the idea has taken root that the Umar involved was not the second caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab, but the leader of the troops who killed Ali's son Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala in 680, Umar ibn Sa'd (died c. 686).[18] There is also a shift of focus away from Umar and towards Fatima, the festival being seen as an occasion to strengthen one's devotion to Fatima and one's self-identification as a Shi'i Muslim.[19]
Algar, Hamid (1990). "Caliphs and the Caliphate, as viewed by the Shiʿites of Persia". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume IV/7: Calendars II–Cappadocia. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 677–679. ISBN978-0-71009-130-7.
Calmard, Jean (1996). "Shi'i Rituals and Power II. The Consolidation of Safavid Shi'ism: Folklore and Popular Religion". In Melville, Charles (ed.). Safavid Persia: The History and Politics of an Islamic Society. Pembroke Persian Papers. Vol. 4. London: I.B. Tauris. pp. 139–190. ISBN1-86064-023-0.
El-Hibri, Tayeb (2010). Parable and Politics in Early Islamic History: The Rashidun Caliphs. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN978-0-231-15082-8.
Johnson, Rosemary Stanfield (1994). "Sunni Survival in Safavid Iran: Anti‐Sunni Activities During the Reign of Tahmasp I". Iranian Studies. 27 (1–4): 123–133. doi:10.1080/00210869408701823. JSTOR 4310889.
Madelung, Wilferd (1997). The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-56181-7.
Torab, Azam (2007). Performing Islam: Gender and Ritual in Iran. Leiden: Brill. doi:10.1163/9789047410546_009.
January 01, 1970
omar, koshan, persian, عمرکشان, killing, umar, also, known, jashn, hazrat, zahra, celebration, fatima, zahra, yearly, festival, held, some, twelver, muslims, iran, originally, festival, commemorated, assassination, second, caliph, umar, khattab, also, spelled,. Omar Koshan Persian عمرکشان the Killing of Umar also known as Jashn e Hazrat e Zahra Celebration of Fatima al Zahra 1 is a yearly festival held by some Twelver Shi i Muslims in Iran Originally the festival commemorated the assassination of the second caliph Umar ibn al Khattab also spelled Omar c 583 644 by the Persian slave Abu Lu lu a Firuz 2 Omar Koshan Killing of Umar عمرکشان GenreCarnival like Shi i festivalBegins9 Rabi al AwwalEnds27 Rabi al AwwalFrequencyAnnuallyCountryIranEstablished16th centuryFoundersSafavidsPrevious event24 September to 12 October 2023Next event13 September to 1 October 2024ActivityHistorical celebrating Abu Lu lu a s assassination of Umar ibn al Khattab 644 Contemporary celebrating the death of Umar ibn Sa d c 686 In its current form it begins on the 9th day of the month of Rabi al Awwal of the Islamic year and lasts until the 27th of the same month 3 It is a carnival type of festival in which social roles are reversed and communal norms upturned 4 It generally functions as a more lighthearted counterpart of the Ta zieh passion plays during the mourning of Muharram which commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad s grandson Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala in 680 5 First established in the 16th century during the Safavid conversion of Iran to Shi i Islam 6 the festival was originally held around Abu Lu lu a s sanctuary in Kashan each year at the anniversary of Umar s death on 26 Dhu al Hijja of the Islamic year 7 However later it also started to be observed elsewhere in Iran sometimes on 9 Rabi al Awwal rather than on 26 Dhu al Hijja 8 The festival celebrated Abu Lu lu a nicknamed for the occasion Baba Shujaʿ al Din lit Father Courageous of the Faith as a national hero who had defended the religion by killing the oppressive caliph 9 Umar was not only seen as a persecutor of non Arabs 10 he was also thought to have threatened and injured the prophet Muhammad s daughter and Ali s wife Fatima who had cursed him for this 11 Being related to the more general institution in early Safavid Iran of the ritual cursing of the first three Rashidun caliphs who were all seen to have displaced Ali as the rightful caliph 12 the festival involved the beating and burning of effigies of Umar accompanied by the recitation of vilifying poetry sabb and cursing laʿn 13 However during the Qajar period 1789 1925 the ritual cursing and humiliation of the first three caliphs was gradually abandoned due to the improving political relations with the Sunni Ottomans By the beginning of the 20th century the festival of Omar Koshan had fallen into disuse in the major cities of Iran surviving only in the countryside 14 This evolution further spurred on by the rise of Pan Islamism an ideology advocating the unity of all Muslims both Shi is and Sunnis in the late 19th century 15 reached a height with the Islamic Revolution in 1979 after which the ritual was officially banned in the Islamic Republic of Iran 16 Nevertheless the festival itself is still celebrated in Iran though often secretly and indoors rather than outdoors 17 In these contemporary celebrations there is a lapse of historical consciousness where the idea has taken root that the Umar involved was not the second caliph Umar ibn al Khattab but the leader of the troops who killed Ali s son Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala in 680 Umar ibn Sa d died c 686 18 There is also a shift of focus away from Umar and towards Fatima the festival being seen as an occasion to strengthen one s devotion to Fatima and one s self identification as a Shi i Muslim 19 See also editShrine of Abu Lu lu a in Kashan probably the original location of the festivalReferences edit Torab 2007 p 195 Algar 1990 Torab 2007 p 194 On Abu Lu lu a see Pellat 2011 and especially El Hibri 2010 pp 107 114 et pass Torab 2007 p 198 Torab 2007 p 194 cf Daniel amp Mahdi 2006 p 185 Algar 1990 Algar 1990 Daniel amp Mahdi 2006 p 185 Torab 2007 p 196 Johnson 1994 p 127 note 23 cf Algar 1990 Calmard 1996 p 161 Algar 1990 cf Daniel amp Mahdi 2006 p 185 Calmard 1996 p 161 Johnson 1994 p 127 note 23 Torab 2007 p 196 On the tensions between Arabs and non Arabs under Umar s rule see Madelung 1997 pp 68 75 Torab 2007 p 195 Algar 1990 cf Daniel amp Mahdi 2006 p 185 Algar 1990 Torab 2007 p 194 Algar 1990 Algar 1990 Torab 2007 pp 194 195 cf Daniel amp Mahdi 2006 p 185 Torab 2007 p 195 Torab 2007 p 197 Torab 2007 p 195 Works cited edit Algar Hamid 1990 Caliphs and the Caliphate as viewed by the Shiʿites of Persia In Yarshater Ehsan ed Encyclopaedia Iranica Volume IV 7 Calendars II Cappadocia London and New York Routledge amp Kegan Paul pp 677 679 ISBN 978 0 71009 130 7 Calmard Jean 1996 Shi i Rituals and Power II The Consolidation of Safavid Shi ism Folklore and Popular Religion In Melville Charles ed Safavid Persia The History and Politics of an Islamic Society Pembroke Persian Papers Vol 4 London I B Tauris pp 139 190 ISBN 1 86064 023 0 Daniel Elton L Mahdi Ali Akbar 2006 Culture and Customs of Iran Westport Greenwood Press ISBN 0 313 32053 5 El Hibri Tayeb 2010 Parable and Politics in Early Islamic History The Rashidun Caliphs New York Columbia University Press ISBN 978 0 231 15082 8 Johnson Rosemary Stanfield 1994 Sunni Survival in Safavid Iran Anti Sunni Activities During the Reign of Tahmasp I Iranian Studies 27 1 4 123 133 doi 10 1080 00210869408701823 JSTOR 4310889 Madelung Wilferd 1997 The Succession to Muhammad A Study of the Early Caliphate Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 56181 7 Pellat Charles 2011 Abu Loʾloʾa In Yarshater Ehsan ed Encyclopaedia Iranica Torab Azam 2007 Performing Islam Gender and Ritual in Iran Leiden Brill doi 10 1163 9789047410546 009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Omar Koshan amp oldid 1210419016, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
