Shiite Muslims across the globe are in the midst of a solemn period of collective mourning centered on Ashoura, a day that marks the killing of Hussein — a revered leader and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad — in the seventh century.
Ashoura falls on the 10th day of Muharram, a month in the lunar-based Islamic calendar. For Shiite communities, the occasion is seen as a powerful symbol of standing up against injustice and tyranny.
This year’s observance comes in the wake of war in Iran, a country whose population is predominantly Shiite, and an interim agreement to end that conflict. In Lebanon, many Shiites are marking Muharram following the widespread destruction caused by the war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Noor Zehra Zaidi, an assistant professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County who specializes in Shiite Islam, explained the enduring power of the annual gathering. “The gathering every year and the reaffirming of collective memory and collective grief allows every year for the story and the message to adapt to its current context,” she said.
The commemorations center on the death of Imam Hussein, who was slain at the Battle of Karbala in what is now Iraq. Hussein had refused to pledge loyalty to the then-ruling Caliph Yazid and was killed in the ensuing battle.
His death is widely regarded as having deepened the divide between Sunni and Shiite Muslims — a split rooted in early Islam’s debates over who should succeed Muhammad as caliph, or leader. Shiites believed leadership should pass through Ali, Muhammad’s cousin, son-in-law, and Hussein’s father.
For Shiites, who represent the second-largest branch of Islam after the Sunni majority, the events surrounding Hussein’s death hold profound religious and historical meaning and are central to their identity.
In the United States, Shiites from a wide range of racial and ethnic backgrounds come together for gatherings that typically include Quranic recitations, elegies, lamentations, and educational lectures.
Zaidi noted that emotional expression plays a key spiritual role in these observances. “In many communities, emotional lamentation and weeping are considered acts of devotion because they express solidarity with the suffering (of) the Prophet’s household,” she said.
She added that American Shiite communities reflect much of the ritual diversity seen throughout the broader Shiite world.
Adam Almaleky, based in Michigan, described the communal spirit of the season. “Our community comes to life. It pulsates with a beautiful group unity, where everybody comes together,” he said. “It’s a program of self-development, self-purification, gaining closeness to God through Hussein.”
In Texas, 23-year-old Sakina Ali attends the gatherings — which are held in many parts of the world — alongside four generations of her family. “We learn and we mourn,” she said, noting that the atmosphere gives her goose bumps.
Mourning rituals observed around the world during Muharram and Ashoura can include rhythmic chest-beating in unison and public processions. Some Shiites practice self-flagellation and draw their own blood as a form of public mourning — practices that are controversial, with some Shiites embracing them fervently while others reject or oppose them.
In Iraq, large numbers of pilgrims travel to the holy city of Karbala, the site of the historic battle and home to a shrine dedicated to Hussein. Zaidi noted that volunteer stations there provide food to pilgrims, and that distributing food and drink is among the most universally practiced Ashoura traditions.
“One of the remarkable enduring features of Ashoura commemorations is the way that rituals and communities reflect local cultures, traditions and languages while still remaining centered on Karbala,” she said.
Ali is part of the Texas team of Who is Hussain, a London-based charity with teams in dozens of cities worldwide. This year, she has been helping coordinate a blood drive as part of the Muharram commemorations.
“It’s to save lives. It’s to do good in the name of Hussein,” Ali said. “Since this is such an emotional time and the community is coming out from everywhere … the impact is much bigger.”
She described Hussein as someone who “sacrificed his life … for morality and for justice,” adding, “If he did all of that, I can do good in my community as well, following his example.”
Similar blood drives are taking place in other parts of the U.S. and beyond. Mustafa Jafri’s mosque in New Jersey has been organizing them for many years.
“We do it really to honor Imam Hussein and his companions and his family,” said Jafri, a physician and board director at Masjid-e-Ali. “He gave his blood to stand against injustice and so we resonate and want to give our blood to save lives.”
Jafri described the drives as a meaningful way to put Hussein’s values into practice and give back to the broader community. He noted that the events often draw non-Muslim community members who come out to donate blood as well.
Zaidi characterized blood drives as a more recent development within Shiite Ashoura traditions.
Jafri said the season is also a time for personal reflection and for thinking about “tackling injustices that are all throughout the world.”
Almaleky, who serves as a team leader with Who is Hussain in Michigan, said Hussein’s example teaches him “altruism,” “principle,” and “dedication.”
Even in the face of hardship, he said, “we continue to draw energy as a community, and no matter how difficult this world becomes, it doesn’t compare in the difficulty that the family of Hussein ibn Ali faced and Hussein and his companions faced.”
