Muharram is one of the most significant events in the history of Shi'a Muslims. This year holds special significance for Shi'a Muslims as it is the first time since Saddam seized power in 1968 that it will be allowed to be commemorated openly in the streets of Karbala (See map).
To understand the importance of this event one must consider the status of Shi'a Muslims in Iraq and the country's recent political history.
Persecution and suffering is a phenomenon that Iraq's Shi'a have long-been familiar with stretching right back to Husayn's time.
The movement began with the followers of 'Ali (father of Husayn) but it was Husayn's martyrdom which galvanised support and conviction amongst Muslims and ensured the growth of Shi'a followers.
Shi'a have always been the majority (approximately 65%) of the population in Iraq but for decades they have been oppressed by the ruling Ba'th party regime.
Led by Saddam Hussein, the regime was largely Sunni and tended to mistrust and discourage publicly observing rites such as Muharram which some perceived as a threat to their power.
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The Ba'th party overthrow was led by coalition troops |
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The event is based around the central tenet of the Shi'a movement,
that the legitimate ruler of the Muslim community (Caliph) is someone
directly descended from the Prophet Mohammad (the Imam) such as Husayn.
Shi'a believe the Imam must be appointed by the Prophet. This belief threatens any Muslim leader who is not a direct descendant of the Prophet including Saddam Hussein.
Muharram also commemorates the refusal of Husayn to bow down to oppression.
The overthrow of the Ba'th government and the survival of this event which tells the story of a man who refused to bow to a tyrant resonates strongly with Shi'a who too have suffered oppression and are only now regaining their religious freedom.
The commemoration of Muharram also reinforces and propagates the Shi'a religion. Much more than just a yearly tradition, it lies at the heart of Shi'a identity itself. The visits to the shrines of Husayn and his brother 'Abbas at Karbala, as well as the processions of mourners who often beat their chests and practice self - flagellation are all ways of uniting with Shi'a in a religious ceremony of grief and raise their profile around the world.
To find out more about Iraq's political history and the rise of the Ba'th party regime and its effect on Shi'a click here.
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