Ashura, on the 10th day of Muharram, commemorates the martyrdom of Al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī (Ḥusayn), who was the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson by his daughter Fāṭimah and his son-in-law ʿAlī. He is revered by the Shiʿah as the third imam. The 10th of Muharram is recorded as the date on which Ḥusayn and a group of his followers were killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 ce. Ḥusayn’s actions are understood to symbolize justice against tyranny. The martyrdom of Ḥusayn is one of the defining moments of Shiʿi history and identity.
Why is Ashura significant for Shiʿi Muslims?
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