HOLY CITY OFKARBALA, Iraq: Sha’a’er – holding majalis and mawkeb (processions), beating head and chest, wearing black dress and shedding our blood with swords or blades – which we perform during these days of the mourning month of Moharram are just to show our love, devotion and consciousness of responsibility towards Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p) who rendered supreme sacrifice in the path of faith and principle.

Awareness of sorrow, wearing black and display of grief is also significant, and A’imma Ahl ol Beit (p) had urged to express grief and hold Sha’a’er and majalis in which sufferings of Al-Imam al-Hussein (p), his Ahli Beit (p) and companions are described.

Holy city of Karbala is the place where the heart-rending tragedy in which Sebt-or Rasul (p) Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p) was unjustly killed along with his 72 near and dear ones some 1,400 years ago in the path of Islam.

On Moharram 7 February 6, Marasem husseiniah are reaching on its peak not only in Holy Karbala but all other parts of the country.

Meanwhile, police authorities have shut all roads leading to the holy city for traffic aimed at boosting security.

Security authorities have warned hotel owners not to accept any non-Iraqi Arabs or Iraqis without identity documents and to inform authorities about suspicious individuals, said police spokesman Abdul Rahman Mishawi.

Extra checkpoints and police patrols are operating in major cities such as the holy southern cities of Karbala, Najaf and Kazimiyah.

Under despot Saddam, Husseini devotees were restricted from performing Ashoura-related rituals, such as processions of men beating themselves with their hands, chains and the flat edges of swords in shows of grief.