Millions of Shia Muslims across Iran gathered to observe Tasu’a, the ninth day of the lunar calendar month of Muharram 1446 AH.
Millions of Iranians, including those in the northwestern city of Zanjan, held mourning processions, beating their chests and chanting along with eulogists hailing the sacrifices of the Imam and his companions.
It is pertinent to mention here that Tasu’a precedes Ashura, the day of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the third Shia Imam, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD by Umayyad soldiers under the rule of caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya.
Imam Hussain was the son of Imam Ali, the prophet’s son-in-law (and cousin).
In Zanjan city, people dressed in black attire, while hosting black flags to symbolize their sorrow, participated in a large-scale mourning procession and marched from the city’s Grand Hussainiya.
The day was marked by the recitation of eulogies that recount the events of the Battle of Karbala and Imam Hussein’s martyrdom.
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On Sunday night, Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Hussainiya hosted a special ceremony marking the night before Tasu’a, with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in attendance, Press TV reported.
Significance of Tasu’a
Tasu’a is a significant day in Shia Islam, as it marks the eve of Ashura, which falls on 10 Mhurram of the Islamic calendar. On that day, Immam Hussian and his companions, including family members, were martyred.
The day is specially dedicated to Abbas ibn Ali, Imam Husain’s half-brother, who made a great sacrifice to protect his family during the battle and was martyred on Ashura.
Abbas’s bravery and loyalty towards Imam Hussian and his family are celebrated on Tasu’a, making it known as the Day of Loyalty and Resistance.
Tasu’a Day is not limited to Iran. Shia communities across the world, including Lebanon, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir, etc., also observe these days with similar rituals.
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