Why the Shi’a wear black in Muharram
(Al-Mahasen, by al-Barqi)
“When al-Husayn ibn Ali was killed, the women of Bani Hashim wore black and al-Musuh (a type of clothing) - and they did not complain of heat nor cold. And Ali ibn al-Husayn used to prepare food for them in their mourning”
- المحاسن: الحسن بن ظريف، عن أبيه، عن الحسين بن زيد، عن عمر بن علي بن الحسين قال: لما قتل الحسين بن علي صلوات الله عليه لبسنساء بني هاشم السواد والمسوح، وكن لا يشتكين من حر ولا برد، وكان علي بن الحسين يعمل لهن الطعام للمأتم
It is not known for what purpose they wore black, but the fact they wore it while mourning is perhaps why the origin of why Shi’a wear it out of mourning today.
