Shiite commemorate Ashura in Damascus’ Sayyida Zeinab shrine
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – On Saturday, thousands of Shiite mourners gathered at the shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, south of Damascus city, to commemorate the day of Ashura and the death of al-Hussein bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Solemn rituals were performed by Shiite mourners, who wore black clothes symbolizing mourning, and engaged in self-flagellation.
Ashura is observed on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and is known to Muslims as the Day of Ashura. Muslims believe that it is the day on which Allah saved the Prophet Musa from Pharaoh and also marks the day on which al-Hussein bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was killed in the Battle of Karbala. As such, Shiites consider it a day of mourning and sadness.
“We observe Ashura celebrations, and we will celebrate Ashura ceremonies at all times, and there is no danger, no terrorism, and no words from here or there will stop us. al-Hussein came to enlighten our hearts, just as his grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, came,” says Abbas Jaafar, a Shiite religious leader.
From the shrine, Mortada Yassin, another Shiite cleric, offered his condolences to the Islamic nation and “the master of the age and time, our Maulana Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, and all Islamic peoples for this tragedy, the tragedy of Abi Abdullah al-Hussein on the tenth day of Muharram.”
Some of the participants re-enacted the historical battle and the burning of Imam Hussein’s tents, as a symbol of the tragedy that occurred in Ashura.
Among the rituals is fasting the day of Ashura and one day before or after it, “to atone for the sins of the past year”. The bloodletting ritual is only practiced by certain Shiite groups, with the practice being condemned by many Shiite clerics.
Many countries hold Ashura celebrations to commemorate the death of al-Hussein bin Ali, who is considered by the Shiites to be the third Shiite imam. Muslims believe he was killed, along with his 72 ‘loyal’ companions, during the Battle of Karbala in 61 AH (October 10, 680 AD).
The event is celebrated by Shiite Muslims, particularly in Iran, but also among their diaspora in North America and Europe.