Ashura is a symbol of freedom for the people who live under the whip of cruelty and oppression, so they mourn for Hussein, who fought for his believes. Hossein is an immortal, whom every year become martyr to Invite everyone to the fight for the truth of their time.
Ashura is the tenth day of Muḥarram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. For the majority of Shia Muslims Ashura marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram, and commemorates the death of Hossein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala on (October 10, 680 CE).
For the majority of Shia Muslim, Imam Hossein’s martyrdom is a shining example of how the true lovers of Allah will react, in order to protect their own dignity and faith, even if that means sacrificing their own lives, as all the heroes in history have done, before. As a result, even 1437 years later at 2018, Shia still perpetuate such heroic event, in various ritual ways.
On the eve of the Ashura— Iranian Shiite Muslim women and men covers their faces, then they go silent, veiled and barefoot to light candles at forty different locations in in the central district of the Iranian city of Khorramabad as a part of the ceremony of Chehel Manbar (Frothy Tombs).
Kharrah Malli or Mud Rubbing is another interesting ritual ceremony in city of Khorramabad. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning. Then They use bonfire to dry the mud on their bodies and clothes and march the city center as thousands to mourn and chant heroic poems harmonized by the drums.
Shia Muslims in the Iranian town of Noosh Abad took part in a Ta'zieh, a public performance during the observance of Ashura. They enact the story of killing Imam Hussein during this ritual. The program started in early morning to prepare the whole holy characters, alongside prophets, angles and genies. Then the march starts and took 5 hours to have them all at the central location of Tazieh.
- Men and women come out into the street shortly after the first call to prayer and gather around sandboxes which they fill with rosewater to form a mud bath. Shia Muslims roll over in mud and dry themselves by gathering around the bonfires before flagellating themselves.
- He has covered himself with black polish to be part of the army of genies during the ritual public performance of Ashura, in city of Noosh Abad. Shi’ite Muslims in the Iranian town of Noosh Abad took part in a Ta’zieh, a public performance during the observance of Ashura. Ashura, which took place on November 13 and 14, is a time for mourning the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed by armies of the Caliph Yazid near Karbala in the year 680. They enact the story of killing Imam Hussein during this ritual. The program started in early morning to prepare the whole holy characters , alongside prophets, angles and genies. Then after noon pray, the march starts and took 3 hours to have them all at the central location of Tazieh.
- Women are playing a major role in ritual mud rubbing ceremony of Ashura. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran.Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- Iranian Shi’ite Muslims portray the Prophet Jesus during a traditional Ta’zieh performance in Noosh Abad, Iran, near the central city of Kashan. Shi’ite Muslims in the Iranian town of Noosh Abad took part in a Ta’zieh, a public performance during the observance of Ashura. Ashura, which took place on November 13 and 14, is a time for mourning the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed by armies of the Caliph Yazid near Karbala in the year 680. They enact the story of killing Imam Hussein during this ritual. The program started in early morning to prepare the whole holy characters , alongside prophets, angles and genies. Then after noon pray, the march starts and took 3 hours to have them all at the central location of Tazieh.
- People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran.Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- She is lighting a candle will making a wish in the small zone of the city of Khorramabad as part of the Islamic ritual of Ashura. During this particular ceremony they practice silence. On the eve of the climactic Day of Ashura— Iranian Shiite Muslim women and men covers their faces, then they go veiled and barefoot to light candles at forty different locations in in the central district of the Iranian city of Khorramabad as a part of the ceremony of Chehel Manbar.
- The bonfire is used to dry the mud on their bodies and clothes. A huge burst of flame lights up a pre-dawn backstreet, silhouetting the men and women caked from head to toe in brown mud, as chants for Iran’s most revered imam rend the air. Men and women come out into the street shortly after the first call to prayer and gather around sandboxes which they fill with rosewater to form a mud bath. Shia Muslims roll over in mud and dry themselves by gathering around the bonfires before flagellating themselves.
- On the eve of the climactic Day of Ashura— Iranian Shiite Muslim women and men covers their faces, then they go veiled and barefoot to light candles at forty different locations in in the central district of the Iranian city of Khorramabad as a part of the ceremony of Chehel Manbar (Forthy Tombs).
- Women are playing a major role in ritual mud rubbing ceremony of Ashura. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran.Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran.Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran.Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- On the eve of the climactic Day of Ashura— Iranian Shiite Muslim women and men covers their faces, then they go veiled and barefoot to light candles at forty different locations in in the central district of the Iranian city of Khorramabad as a part of the ceremony of Chehel Manbar (Forthy Tombs).
- Wings from the angel of hell costume is getting dried to be ready to wear at the ritual ceremony of Ashura in Noosh Abad. They enact the story of killing Imam Hussein during this ritual. The program started in early morning to prepare the whole holy characters , alongside prophets, angles and genies. Then after noon pray, the march starts and took 3 hours to have them all at the central location of Tazieh.
- An old lady burning Esphand Seeds. In Iran Esfand is used to fight against the evil eye. This is a tradition that has been passed down through generations from the days of Zoroastrianism. The idea is to burn Esfand seeds during which time the seeds make a popping sound, then the smoke that comes from the burning seeds must be circled around one’s head and home. The smoke and the popping sound are said to take away the evil.
- Young guy with disability is attending the ritual ceremony of Mud Rubbing in the day of Ashura. they mix the red rose water with soft red sand and put them on themselves. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran. Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- Iranian Shi’ite Muslims portray the Prophet Jesus and his apostles during a traditional Ta’zieh performance in Noosh Abad, Iran, near the central city of Kashan. Shi’ite Muslims in the Iranian town of Noosh Abad took part in a Ta’zieh, a public performance during the observance of Ashura. Ashura, which took place on November 13 and 14, is a time for mourning the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed by armies of the Caliph Yazid near Karbala in the year 680. They enact the story of killing Imam Hussein during this ritual. The program started in early morning to prepare the whole holy characters, alongside prophets, angles and genies. Then after noon pray, the march starts and took 3 hours to have them all at the central location of Tazieh.
- Children also attending the ritual ceremony of Mud Rubbing during the Islamic ceremony of Ashura. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran. Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- The fashionable modern family in khorramabad, attending the Mud Rubbing ceremony. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran.Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- She is standing in front of the big bonfire in early morning, to dry out her muddy Chador (Islamic female outfit), during the Mud Rubbing ceremony of Ashura, in city of Khorramabad. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran. Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- On the eve of the climactic Day of Ashura— Iranian Shiite Muslim women and men covers their faces, then they go veiled and barefoot to light candles at forty different locations in in the central district of the Iranian city of Khorramabad as a part of the ceremony of Chehel Manbar.
- People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran. Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran.Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- Genies Army are getting ready for the big march. Shi’ite Muslims in the Iranian town of Noosh Abad took part in a Ta’zieh, a public performance during the observance of Ashura. Ashura, which took place on November 13 and 14, is a time for mourning the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed by armies of the Caliph Yazid near Karbala in the year 680. They enact the story of killing Imam Hussein during this ritual. The program started in early morning to prepare the whole holy characters , alongside prophets, angles and genies. Then after noon pray, the march starts and took 3 hours to have them all at the central location of Tazieh.
- Men and women come out into the street shortly after the first call to prayer and gather around sandboxes which they fill with rosewater to form a mud bath. Shia Muslims roll over in mud and dry themselves by gathering around the bonfires before flagellating themselves.
- On the eve of the climactic Day of Ashura— Iranian Shiite Muslim women and men covers their faces, then they go veiled and barefoot to light candles at forty different locations in in the central district of the Iranian city of Khorramabad as a part of the ceremony of Chehel Manbar (Forthy Tombs).
- two young women attending the ritual ceremony of Kharrah Mali. Such events, is more fun and playful for the younger generation. They come out to see each other from different gender and mingle. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran. Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- Women are playing a major role in ritual mud rubbing ceremony of Ashura. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran. Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran.Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- At the end of the ceremony of Mud Rubbing, Men are going to the local and public bathhouses to wash out and then go home to have their lunch. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran. Kharrah mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).
- People are done with the Kharrah Mali(Mud Rubbing) ritual of Ashura by noon and started to go back to their home as its lunch time. People are starting their Ashura’s ceremony by covering themselves with mud, early morning in city of Khorramabad, province of Lorestan, Iran. Kharrah Mali, or ‘mud rubbing’, is a ritual that is held in Iranian city of Khorramabad every year to commemorate the death of the prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali in AD680 (AH61 in the Islamic calendar).