One of the holiest days of the Shiite year, Ashura marks the killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, in a 680 A.D. battle at Karbala in Iraq. As the victors went on to become the Sunni branch of Islam, Hussein's death is regarded as the start of the schism between Sunnis and Shiites.
Significance of Ashura for Shiite Muslims
The Day of Ashura (means tenth in Arabic language) is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.
Many Shiites make pilgrimages on Ashura to the Mashhad al-Husayn, the shrine in Karbala, Iraq that is traditionally held to be Imam Hussein's tomb. On this day Shiite are in remembrance, and mourning attire is worn. They refrain from music, since customarily in Islam when death has occurred music is considered impolite. It is a time for sorrow and respect of the person's passing, and it is also a time for self-reflection, when one commits oneself to the mourning of the Imam Hussein completely. Weddings and parties are also never planned on this date by Shiites. Shiites also express mourning by crying and listening to poems about the tragedy and sermons on how Hussein and his family were martyred. This is intended to connect them with Hussein's suffering and martyrdom, and the sacrifices he made to keep Islam alive. Hussein's martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shiite as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression.
Shiites believe the Battle of Karbala was between the forces of good and evil. Imam Hussain represented good while Yazid represented evil. Shiites also believe the Battle of Karbala was fought to keep the Muslim religion untainted of any corruptions and they believed the path that Yazid was directing Islam was definitely for his own personal greed.
Shiite Imams strongly insists that the day of Ashura should not be taken as a day of joy and festivity.
As suffering and cutting the body with knives or chains (matam) have been prohibited by many Shiite marjas like Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, some Shiites observe mourning with blood donation which is called "Qame Zani" and flailing. Many in Lebanon donated today blood for the people in Gaza .
Certain rituals like the traditional flagellation ritual called zanjeer zani or zanjeer matam, involving the use of a zanjeer (a chain) are also performed. These are not religious customs but are popularly done for the sake of Imam Hussain and his family.
At least many Shiite believe that taking part in Ashura is to be absolved of sin. A popular Shiite saying has it that, `a single tear shed for Hussain washes away a hundred sins.`
Here are some pictures commemorating this important event
Top picture: A Lebanese Shiite Muslim woman, reacts as she listens to the death story of Imam Hussein, during Ashura day held by Hezbollah, in the suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday Jan. 7, 2009.
3- Lebanese Shiite Muslim sheiks, weep as they listen to the death story of Imam Hussein, during Ashura day held by Hezbollah, in the suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday Jan. 7, 2009.
5- A Shi'ite Muslim child cries as he bleeds after he was cut on the head with a razor during a ceremony marking Ashura in Nabatieh, south Lebanon, January 7, 2009.
1- A Lebanese Shiite Muslim hits his bleeding head with a knife, as he marks Ashura Day in the southern market town of Nabatiyeh, Lebanon, Wednesday Jan. 7, 200
2- Lebanese Shiite Muslims men, some beating their bleeding heads with their hands, to mark Ashura Day in the southern market town of Nabatiyeh, Lebanon, Wednesday Jan. 7, 2009.
4- Shi'ite Muslims take part in a ceremony marking Ashura in Nabatiyeh, south Lebanon, January 7, 2009.
