HOLY CITY OF KARBALA, Iraq: Al-Imam Ali Ar-Redha (A) says: “O Ibn Shabib! If you weep for something, then weep for Hussein bin Ali (A), no doubt he was slaughtered as a lamb is slaughtered, and along him were murdered 18 men from Ahl-i-Bayt that no one is like them on earth, and the seven skies and earth wept on his killing.”

Month of Moharram`ol Haram comes so that devotees of Ahl-i-Bayt fulfill their pledge to the Chief of Martyrs Abi Al-Ahrar Al-Imam Al-Hussein bin Ali (A) who watered the dying tree of Islam with his blood giving it perpetuity.

With the advent of this month of mourning, Husseini organizations and groups in the city of Hussein (A) – Karbala – have erected camps to hold marasim-i-aza – majalis al-aza and mawakeb and, hospitality of Husseini mourners.

The whole city is draped in black to signify grief, black banners inscribed with sayings of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (A) have been placed on buildings, shopping stores and streets, sound systems have been put at takaya which air Husseini elegies presenting condolence to Al-Imam Al-Asr (A), Maraje and Islamic world on the martyrdom of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (A) and his companions.

Majales al-azaiyah are held at the holy Husseini and Abbasi shrines as well as husseiniyaat, and processions are taken out which culminate at the holy shrines.