Celebrations of the holy Muslim day of
Ashura is continuing around the globe, with sacred self-flagellation
rituals leaving worshippers covered in blood.
The
holiday is celebrated by Shiite Muslims, and mourns the death of Imam
Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, on the battlefield in the
7th Century.
The gory ceremonies,
which sees males of all ages cut themselves across the scalp, or whip
themselves with blades attached to chains, are meant to commemorate Imam
Hussein's violent end.
Photographs show babies spattered with blood after having been held by their fathers during a cutting ceremony in Najaf, Iraq.
Another image sees a woman bandage a young boy's head after he has had a small cut to his scalp.
Many of the worshippers wear white
clothes, which are then coloured bright red by the blood streaming from
head wounds and flagellation ceremonies.
Ashura
is celebrated on the tenth day of Muharram — the first month in the
Islamic lunar calendar. This year, Ashura begins in the evening of
September 20 and ends at sundown on Friday September 21.
For Shia Muslims, the annual Ashura
commemorations mark the killing of Imam Hussein by the forces of the
Caliph Yazid in 680 AD.
The beheading of Imam Hussein and the killing of his family was part of a dispute over who should succeed the Prophet Mohammed.
This
dispute eventually developed into a bitter schism between the Sunni,
who make up around 90 per cent of Muslims, and Shia branches of Islam.
Many
Shiite worshippers travel from neighbouring Iran and other countries
each year to visit Imam Hussein's shrine in Karbala, which lies about 50
miles southwest of Baghdad, Iraq.
Millions of others across the Shiite
world, from Lebanon to south Asia, hold processions in their home towns,
performing a variety of mourning rituals.
Some of these involve Shiites beating their chests and slapping their faces, which is referred to as Latyma.
Others
see them whipping themselves with bladed chains until they bleed, to
commemorate the violent deaths of Hussein and his family.
The faithful also drive in convoys through the streets carrying colourful flags and playing songs dedicated to Hussein.
Sunni Muslims also mark Ashura, as the day Moses was saved from the Egyptians by God.
It’s
observed as a day of atonement for Sunnis, allowing those participating
to be forgiven for the sins they committed in the previous year. Many
Sunni Muslims observe Ashura as a fast day.
