Original post by mil88Wasalam and np
Zanjir is using knives.
Crying for the shaheed is not new (the Prophet did this)
Like many things here, it is not wajib to all go to a centre and mourn, it's just easiest because then you can have a speaker to narrate the story of Karbala, to everyone.
Just to elaborate, (in my opinion at least), doing a fast on a random day is not Bidah. This is because you're not changing an Islamic rule. If I now say everyone must fast on this day, then that is Bidah. This is a great misconception that I see alot, probably because of the loose use of the term.
It's not really a practice, nor is it wajib in any sense. All I know is that we should not fast the entire day of Ashura. (unrecommended)
I will ask 4 questions and (if possible) would like a yes or no answer (the first 3 are in response to this, and the last one is just for my knowledge of your belief)
1. When Prophet Yaqub cried so much for Prophet Yusuf (that he became blind) and thus damaged part of his body, did he commit a sin?
2. When the wife of Ibrahim is recorded as hitting her face when he realised he was giving birth (at her age), did she commit a sin? If yes, why didn't God mention her sin? (Sorry I cannot remember the verse)
3. I saw many of the school friends during ramadhan, breaking their fast and then praying taraweeh and then come to school (very small amounts of sleep for them personally) for the entire (more or less) month of ramadhan. Although to a lesser extent of self damage, it is still classified as damaging their body. Did they commit a sin?
4. I once saw (after an attack) the mothers of small children who were dead, crying loudly and hitting themselves because of the state of the child (dead). Did they commit a sin? Or will they be punished by the (all merciful) God?