![]() The tenth day of Muharram is referred to as Ashura and on this day Imam Hussein was martyred at the hands of the soldiers of Yazid at the battle of Karbala. His caravan was intercepted at Karbala and he perished. Imam Hussein had been on his way to Kufa, Iraq, on the request of its citizens to be freed from the oppressive rule of Yazid. The first week of Muharram (the first month in the Islamic calendar) is a week of remembrance and commemoration of the tragedy that befell on the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein and the Ahl alBayt (family of the prophet) where the entire tribe were either martyred or taken as prisoners of war. What does the week of Muhharram encompass and what is Ashura? I wanted to gain a depth understanding of the week, which is held with such importance to millions of Muslims and fellow members of the Ummah (the term used to describe the Islamic community) across the globe. However, this year I decided, as a Muslim, I held some background knowledge in regards to this event, being a history student and my own personal family links. I myself, for one year lived opposite the 404 Jaffaria Islamic Shia Mosque in Rusholme and witnessed Muharram with immense curiosity and wondered what goes on during this time. Every year in Manchester, it has become a regular sight to see the lampposts, throughout the city, to be adorned with posters asking, “ Who Is Hussein?” For many Mancunians this has become a yearly tradition.
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