Why Do The Shi’a Pray On A Stone (Turbah)?

As-salamu alaykum, wa Rahmatu Allah. I get asked this question all the time about why do you Shi'ia prostrate on the earth of Karbala? Here in front of you, you have a Turbah or a Mohr or a Sajdagar. You will see it in many of our centres, our Imambarbargas, our Husayinias, our mosques, and you will see us prostrate on it. And so people ask, well, what is the philosophy of this? Why particularly the earth of Karbala?

Let us make something very clear here, and that is that the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his family in his own lifetime had stated: "innama ju'alat li al-ardh, masjidan wa tahurah". He said that the earth has been made a place of purification and prostration for me. The earth is a purifier for all of us in Islamic law. We know, for example, Tayammum is the method in which we use the earth for purification. Likewise, at the same time he said that it has been made a place of prostration.

For in his time, the Holy Prophet peace be upon him and his family and his companions, when they would prostrate, they would prostrate on the earth. There were no carpets there in the mosque of the Prophet in Medina. So they would prostrate on the earth and the marks of mud, for example, would be on their forehead. Or they would prostrate on pebbles and they would feel the heat of the pebbles. They would recognise that prostration would be on that which is natural or that which has come from the earth.

Therefore, there was a reference even given to the earth where the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, used to walk even the water from his Wudhu people used to try and get hold of. Because anything that surrounds the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, is something which is full of Barakah. So people would collect even the earth of the land of Medina or the earth from around Uhud where the martyrs had fallen after the famous battle. Therefore, when the earth has been made a place which is purified and a place of prostration for us when we come to Sujud, we will prostrate on the earth. We can prostrate on any earth. I have prostrated on the earth of London, I have prostrated on the earth, for example, of Toronto.

But I would rather prostrate on the earth which reminds me of those chosen by Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. And I promise you one thing, my dear brothers and sisters, had the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, not emphasised on the earth of Karbala when he had that famous discussion with his wife Umm Salama, that this clay that I am giving you, when it turns into blood, then know that my grandson Husayn will have been killed, he would have been a martyr, then we would not place that much emphasis.

But when our Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, already talks about the earth or the clay of Karbala years before the Battle of Karbala takes place. That is why we recognise the significance of the earth of Karbala related to Imam Al-Husayn, alayhi as-salam.

For us, we can not prostrate on that which can be worn or that which can be eaten. We can prostrate on earth or that which comes from the earth. For example, I can prostrate on this 'Aqiq on my ring, or on the Fayroos, or on the Dhurr an-Najaf. Therefore, for us, when we come to prostrating on the earth of Karbala. There is that connection to Sayyid ash-Shuhada, that connection to Imam Al-Husayn, alayhi as-salam. And that connection even extends that there is a recognition of the medical benefits of the earth of Karbala, an honour which Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala gave to the earth of Karbala, for it had Imam Al-Husayn, alayhi as-salam, and his companions buried within the earth.

You take a small amount of the clay of Karbala, stir it, for example, in some water, and you give it to people. And there are many who can give you their stories about how this has affected them. Therefore, when we emphasise on the earth of Karbala because of our Prophet, peace be upon him and his family's emphasis, because of our Imam's emphasis. But also because we recognise that the earth is a place of prostration and a purifier for all of us. Wa as-salamu alaykum, wa rahmatu Allah.