Shaykh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani writes :
يوم عاشوراء أن يتخذ يوم مصيبة ليس بأولى من أن يتخذ يوم فرح وسرور لما قدمنا ذكر وفضله،
The day of Ashura is not a day of calamity, but it should be taken as a day of joy and happiness as we mentioned its virtues.
~al-Ghunya at-Talibeen vol 2:94
Those who hate the Ahl al-Bayt, take the day when the family of Rasul-Allah was slaughtered not as a calamity but as a day of virtues, enjoyment, happiness, spending money, and wearing good clothes, Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani being one of them. Let us see the testimony of Hafidh Ibn Kathir :
وقد عاكس الرافضةَ والشيعةَ يوم عاشوراء النواصبُ من أهل الشام، فكانوا إلى يوم عاشوراء يطبخون الحبوب، ويغتسلون ويتطيَّبون، ويلبسون أفخر ثيابهم، ويتَّخذون ذلك اليوم عيدًا، يصنعون فيه أنواع الأطعمة، ويُظهرون السرور والفرح
The Nawasib of the Ahle Shaam opposed the Shia’a on the day of Ashura :The Nawasib would clothe themselves in luxury, wear perfumes, cook different kinds of food while taking the day as a feast. For the Nawasib, Ashura is a day of joy and happiness.
~al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah vol 8:283
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