Photographic report of Ashura (1432 Hijree) commemoration from Newzealand

AUKLAND, New Zealand:Fatima Zahra Charitable Association (FZCA) took out a procession commemorating the day of the martyrdom of the Master of Martyrs (AS) to one of the biggest parks of the city of Auckland in New Zealand.

Shi`as from different ethnic backgrounds and different associations and organizations accepted the invitation of Fatima Zahra Charitable Association and joined the procession marking the day of Ashura.

The Husayni tradition of taking out a procession on the day of Ashura was for the first time organized in New Zealand by Fatima Zahra Charitable Association in the year 1429 A.H.

During this year?s procession Fatima Zahra Charitable Association took out a variety of different Alam, Tooq, Kotal and religious flags (English, Arabic and Farsi) which drew the attention of Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The association had also prepared English books about the Islamic tenets of faith, Imam Husayn (AS) and the event of Ashura for those who were interested in knowing about Islam.

The Ashura programme included Qur?an recitation by Seyed Ali and the reciting of eulogies and nohas mourning the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (AS) by brother Mohammad Fahim Nabawi, brother Omidullah Zakeri and brother Hamid Derakhshanian. The programme was concluded with the recitation of Ziarat of Ashura and congregational prayers (Salat) led by Haj Sheikh Hamed Soltanian.

This Muharram Fatima Zahra Charitable Association conducted programmes for 13 nights starting from the night of the first of Muharram. The Programmes included lectures by Haj Sheikh Hamed Soltanian. The programmes also included Maqtal Khaani by Nimatullah Mohammadi and Seyed Abbas Alemi, and the recitation of eulogies and noha by brother Omidullah Zakeri, brother Mohammad Fahim Nabawi, brother Hamid Derakhshanian, brother Ahmad Shakib Aslami, brother Daryosh Marjomaki and others.

This year non-Muslims also joined the mourning programmes of Imam Husayn (AS) organized by Fatima Zahra Charitable Association beating their chest alongside Shi`ah Muslims in sympathy with Imam Husayn (AS), his family and companions who were killed and taken captive in the most brutal manner by the army of the tyrant Yazid ibn Mu`awiyah.