Ashura is the name of the tenth day of the Month of Muharram in the Hijri lunar calendar and its fame is due to an event that happened on the same day for Hussain ibn Ali (AS), the grandson of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH). On the tenth day of Muharram in the year 61 AH (October 10, 680), Imam Hussain (AS) was martyred along with a group of his family and companions in Karbala in the war against the Yazid’s army under the command of Umar ibn Sa’d.
Every year, Shia Muslims mourn for ten days with the beginning of Muharram. Mourning ceremonies in most areas continue until the 11th and 12th of Muharram and in some areas until the end of the month of Safar. The culmination of these mourning ceremonies is on the Day of Ashura. Ashura mourning is not limited to Shias and groups of followers of other religions in different parts of the world mourn for Imam Hussain (A.S)
