Day Of Ashura

The Day of Ashura is observed on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. The term Ashura is derived from Arabic, it is the word for the numeral ten. This is a significant day in Islam culture.

Day Of Ashura 2023

Among Sunni sect of muslims, this Day of Ashura commemorates the day Almighty Allah parted the Red Sea for freeing Prophet Musa (Mūsā) and his followers to escape from the Pharaoh. Fasting and generously donating on this day rewards forgiveness and removes sins committed the knowingly or unknowingly in the previous year.

For the Shia Muslims (Shiʿah), the Day of Ashura marks the martyrdom of Al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī, the Prophet’s grandson who died in the Battle of Karbala- 680 AD, the modern-day Iraq. Hussain Ali (Husayn) found the King of the Islamic empire, caliph Yazid corrupted with immoral ideas that slowly began eroding the Prophet’s teachings. Hussain decided to leave the kingdom with his family and some close followers. When the word reached Caliph Yazid, he sent an army of 30,000 to bring Hussain back to homeland. The army forced Hussain, his family and companions to a halt and surrounded them in the desert land of Karbala. The battle began since Hussain did not obey the King’s orders; at dawn on the Day of Ashura, Hussain and his men were killed by the army.

On this day, Shia Muslims all over the world commemorate Hussain’s martyrdom. Preachers deliver sermons that recount the mighty life of Ḥusayn Ali, his virtues, and the history of the battle of Karbala. Men and women dressed in black go on parade or processions slapping on their chest mourning for their leader. Some followers practice self-flagellation or cut their foreheads until blood streams from their bodies. People observe fast and donate generously on this day.

Day Of Ashura festival dates between 2019 & 2029

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