On an Ashura marred by attacks in Iraq and Pakistan, more than 5,000
Shi'a Muslims peacefully marched through Central London to demonstrate
their faith.
Gathering at Marble Arch, the crowd set off down Bayswater Road heading for Holland Park, assisted by the London Metropolitan Police.
The throng, walked behind banners and flags proclaiming "Allah is great", "Every place is Ashura, every day is Karbala" and "Imam Husayn
is the Light of our Heart".
Many played drums, blew whistles or chanted into megaphones, professing their grief at the massacre of the Prophet's grandson nearly 1400
years ago.
Some chanted "Haider! Haider!" representing another name for Ali, Husayn's father. Others simply wailed Husayn's name. Bahreini Muslims
danced to the beat of a drum, throwing their arms up in unison and chanting.
Children of all ages joined the march, many wearing headbands bearing Husayn's name.
Onlookers seemed confused by the spectacle and Muslim groups distributed leaflets explaining the genesis of Ashura.
Ashura is a sad day for the Shi'a the mood only heightened by the news of the attacks in Iraq and Pakistan on their Shi'a brethren.
No one seemed surprised by the attacks.
"I think everybody expected violence, it was looming (and that sort of) terrorism has been going on for a while, because of the differences
between the Shi'a and the Sunni I think the extreme Sunnis wanted to use this opportunity to incite violence by doing something so horrific
in such a holy place, " one man said.
Many contrasted the events in today's Iraq with the story of Imam Husayn.
"Injustice will continue to exist unless people actually make a difference.
More than 5,000 Shi'a Muslims marched
"The example of today is that these people used force and terror in the same way it was used against Imam Husayn, and all he could do in the
face of it is to accept death as these people have and he didn't come back with any retaliation, his retaliation was peaceful, he always tried
to reconcile with the people who tried to kill him and I suspect the Iraqis will try and deal with this the same way," said Haider al-Shamaray, President of the Ahlul Bayt Society, King's College London.
For many Shi'a Ashura is a sacred day, when they miss school and work and devote the day to remembering someone who sacrificed his life for his
principles.
After today, Ashura will also be the day when the world remembers today's victims who lost their lives simply for being Shi'a.
Read what Muharram means to some of
the Muslims present at the London March.
