Shiites of Azerbaijan Celebrate Ashura

Baku / 01.10.17 / Turan: Believers of Azerbaijan on October 1 marked the Shiites' mourning Day of Ashura. Thousands of people from early morning went to the mosque to attend the funeral ceremony of commemoration of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the son of Imam Ali - Imam Hussein. Special activity on the Day of Ashura is shown by the inhabitants of the south of the country and the Baku suburban villages, where the positions of believers are especially strong.

In connection with mass meetings of people, the police moved to an enhanced operation mode. The day before the metropolitan police warned that law enforcement officers will ensure order around mosques and sanctuaries, but will not interfere with the ceremony. At the same time, the police said unregistered marches outside the ceremonies will be stopped.

On the eve of Ashura, the Caucasus Muslims Department also called on believers to observe order and conduct mourning activities in mosques and sanctuaries and not to conduct marches outside of them.

The most massive ceremony was held in the mosque Mashadi Dadash in the Baku quarter known under the former Soviet-era name of Kubinka, where about five thousand people gathered. Massiveness in this mosque is largely due to the fact that for the second year on Ashura Day, the access of believers to the Nardaran Sanctuary is limited. In addition, the Akhund of the mosque Mashadi Dadash Haji Shahin Hasanli enjoys authority among believers in connection with the enlightening character of his sermons.

In his sermon Hasanli stressed that on Ashura Day the Azerbaijani believers along with Kerbela martyrs also commemorated the victims of the Karabakh war who gave their lives in the struggle to protect the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. At the same time, he specifically noted innocent civilian casualties, and in particular pointed to the last case last summer, when two-year-old Zahra Guliyeva and her grandmother were killed as a result of shelling from the Armenian side.

Mourning ceremonies were also held in the mosques Taza Pir, Ajdarbey, Juma, and others. In a number of mosques, including Taza Pir, blood donation was organized. This ceremony is intended to replace the mystery of self-flagellation of believers with metal chains as a sign of grief for Imam Hussein - Shahsei-Vahsei.

A number of believers traditionally arranged a memorial meal (ehsan). Shops and cafes in several places were covered with tables, which served tea, sherbet and sweets for all comers.

* Ashura is the 10th day of the month of Muharram. On this day in 680, a small detachment of Imam Hussein fell in an unequal battle near the town of Kerbela with superior detachments of the Umayyads. Since then, supporters of Imam Ali (the founder of Shiism) have celebrated Ashura as a common mourning.

Imam Hussein opposed the Umayyad distortion of the foundations of the Islamic religion laid down by the Prophet Muhammad, which was expressed in the desire for a luxurious life at the expense of depriving the poor and deepening social inequality.

In addition, in the month of Muharram and the following month Safar (within 40 days of the death of Hussein) Shiites abstain from holding weddings and other celebrations. -06D