Husseini commemoration in Karbala on acme as Ashura nears

By: Ismail Zabeeh

HOLY CITY OF KARBALA, Iraq: Love for Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p) exists in every conscious heart according to a saying of Holy Prophet (p), and display of love for him particularly on the day of Ashura reminds everyone the great sacrifices rendered by him in the burning plain of Karbala for Allah and His religion as his sacrifices are the brightest example of deepest love and sacrifice in the way of beloved. His grief is still alive and fresh despite a considerable passage of 1,400 years.

Hordes of white coffin-draped mourning devotees of Ahlo Bayt (p) started flocking in the holy city of Karbala to pay homage to the Chief of Martyrs by performing Qama-zani and tatbeer causing their heads to bleed, while Iraqi security forces are on a high alert ahead of Ashura which is official holiday across the country like other Islamic countries.

On Thursday Muharram 8, flocks of mourners pounded their backs with razor-blades while some others slashed open their heads with long swords to signify grief over the martyrdom of Sibt-or Rasul (p).

As Ashura Day approaches, the mourning ceremonies – majales and mawakeb (mourning sittings and processions) - are touching peak. Tens of thousands of men, women and children attend the processions which begin at dawn culminating at the holy shrines of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p) and Al-Abbas (p). Dirge-chanters recite dirges and elegies making eyes to shed tears over the sufferings of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p) and his 72 sincere companions. The mourning rituals end late night at the compound of holy Shrine of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p).

The Iraqi government announced on the beginning of Muharram that land borders will be closed for five days as of Thursday for the Ashura commemorations - set to climax on Saturday - which mark the martyrdom anniversary of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p) over 1,400 years ago.

The next day, Governor Saad Massudi announced another batch of measures for Ashura, including the closure of all roads leading to Holy Karbala as of Monday and restrictions on internal traffic from Wednesday.

“Multinational forces will be on the frontline to protect the city, while the Iraqi army will form a second cordon,” spokesman Rahman Meshawi explained. “Police will form a third line of defense to protect the city's entrances and the area between the two holy sites,” he said, in reference to the mausoleums of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p) and his brother Al-Abbas (p).

Police are already heavily deployed in the area, patrolling the streets with brand new vehicles and posted on rooftops.

Holy Najaf governor, Adnan al-Zurfi, said in a news conference on Thursday that two Iraqi 'terrorists' from the province of Babil were arrested as they were attempting to enter Najaf to conduct attacks against Ashura ceremonies.

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