All articles tagged with #imam hussein
Millions across Iran and around the world observe Ashura, mourning Imam Hussein's martyrdom at Karbala with chest-beating, elegies, and communal meals, as pilgrims travel to Karbala; the observance comes during the first Muharram since Iran's Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in February.
Tens of thousands of Muslims worldwide observed Ashura, commemorating the seventh-century death of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein. The day, marked on the 10th of Muharram, is especially significant for Shia Muslims who mourn through rituals like chest beating and self-flagellation. Major cities like Baghdad and Tehran were adorned with symbols of mourning, while Sunni Muslims observed the day with voluntary fasting. In Muscat, a shooting at a Shia mosque killed at least six people.
Shia Muslims around the world are participating in Muharram gatherings and processions to commemorate Ashura, which marks the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala. The rituals include fasting, special prayers, chest-beating, self-flagellation, and reenactments of Hussein's journey. Some Shia authorities oppose the practice of self-flagellation, while others see it as symbolic of the innocent blood shed in Hussein's killing. Ashura is a significant day for both Sunni and Shia Muslims, and it is observed as a national holiday in several countries.