Ashura; The day that is marked across the globe

The day of Ashura marked the anniversary of the battle of Karbala, when the 3rd Shia Imam, Hussein ibn Ali, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was martyred by the forces of Yazid.

The Battle of Karbala or Battle of 'Ashura in which Imam Hussain fought against an army from Kufa on Muharram 10, 61/October 10, 680 who were mercenary soldiers of Yazid b. Mu'awiya, the second Umayyad caliph. Imam Hussein sacrificed all he had, including his family, to teach a lesson to the whole world: Whatever it takes, never accept something that is not right.

The Battle of Karbala is the most sorrowful incident in the history of Islam, especially for the Shiites. Hence they hold huge mourning ceremonies every year during the first (10) days of Muharram.

For Shia Muslims, Ashura is a solemn day of mourning the martyrdom of Hussein at Karbala in modern-day Iraq. It is marked by holding mourning rituals and passion plays re-enacting the martyrdom. Shia men and women dress in black also parade through the streets slapping their chests and chanting.

Muharram mourning ceremonies are one of the most important rituals and customs in Shia culture. Every year, Shias in every part of the world hold for the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS).

Muharram mourning is one of the important rituals not only in Iran but also in most countries of the world, and each country marks it in a different way according to its culture.