The ritual of Tatyeen is one of the Hussaini rituals performed and organized by the lovers of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) everywhere and during the mourning of Ashura. They smear their heads and faces with mud as an expression of grief for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). This act symbolizes the sorrow for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and his sons, orphans, and even the angels. The following is a narration related to the act of Tatyeen.
The venerable Sheikh Abu Al-Qasim Ja’far ibn Qulawayh Al-Qummi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from as-Sadiq (peace be upon him) that when you visit Abu Abdullah al-Hussain (peace be upon him), maintain silence except for conveying news. The angels of day and night, who are the protectors, gather around those angels who are in a state of perplexity and shake hands with them. The angels in perplexity do not respond because they are in intense weeping, continuously mourning until the End, and they only cease at sunrise. They wait for the sun to rise or for midday, and then they converse with them about matters from the heavens. During this time, they do not refrain from supplication and weeping. It is also narrated that Allah has assigned four thousand angels dirt-covered for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) at his grave in the form of mourners, weeping from dawn to midday. Once the sun sets, they ascend, and the same number descends, weeping until dawn. Many traditions indicate the commendation of mourning for him in the sacred precinct, considering it one of the righteous deeds.
The meaning of “Shu’thun” in Arabic:
The original, Arabic version of the narration features the word “Shu’thun” which refers to a change or covering, and it is used to describe something that has become dirty or covered in filth. In the context of the narration, it refers to the act of applying mud or dust on oneself during the “tatyeen” ritual.
Have scholars and jurists practiced this ritual?
The answer is yes. Among them is the spiritual leader, the late Imam Khomeini, who, on the day of Ashura in the year 1436 AH, applied mud on his head as an expression of grief for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). Despite some critics questioning this ritual and expressing reservations about certain religious authorities, it is noted that even Ayatollah Khomeini, a prominent figure, engaged in the tatyeen ritual, among other mourning practices, during his stay in the holy city of Karbala. This included the application of mud, candles, beating of the chest, zanjir (chains), walking on burning coals, and other rituals. The source and story related to this are provided for reference below.
Imam Khomeini Smears Himself with Mud
Imam Khomeini went to the Faidiya School in Qom on the afternoon of the day of Ashura in the year 1342 H.S. (Solar Hijri)/1383 H.Q. (Lunar Hijri) to deliver an analytical speech commemorating the martyrdom of the Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). His turban was open, and he had smeared it with mud as an expression of grief on this occasion. He also placed its ends beneath his chin, similarly expressing his mourning as he had done before.
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