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What Happens During Muharram
What Happens During Muharram
Different Islamic denominations - Shi'a and Sunni - and cultures do different things to mark
Muharram. Fasting varies among different Muslim communities. Some Muslims fast on or
around the 10th day of Muharram, also known as the Day of Ashura, to mourn the death of
the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Husayn ibn Ali. Some mosques have free meals
(nazar) around the ninth to 11th days of Muharram.
In Iraq, some Shi'a Muslims make a pilgrimage to the Imam Husayn Shrine, on the site of
the grave of Husayn ibn Ali. In Iran, taziya (ta'zieh) or Condolence Theater are performed.
During Muharram, these take the form of re-enactments of the battle of Karbala. In south
Asia, similar events are known as such as marsiya, noha andsoaz, tabuik or tabut. In
Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, they are known as Hosay or Hussay and are attended
by people from a variety of religions and cultures.
Shi'a Muslims, particularly those in Afghanistan, Bahrain, India, Iraq, Lebanon and Pakistan,
take part in remembrance parades or matam (matham). During matam, men gather in large
groups on the streets to take part in ritual chest beating. Some people also beat themselves
with zanjir(metal chains fixed into handles), but this practice is controversial and has been
banned by some civic and Islamic authorities.