This article turns toward the part of the Islamic world as they are approaching the Islamic New Year, particularly the Muharram, which possesses supreme importance for Muslims.
In the Islamic calendar, Muharram falls in the second month, and Ashura comes on the tenth, so this year, Muharram will be on the 7th of July and end on the 17th, with Ashura being the last or final day of this important observance.
The tazia procession is one of the significant features of Muharram, and it offends the followers greatly. Technically, a Tazia is a bamboo contraption adorned with brightly coloured papers, fabrics, flowers, and lights. On the tenth day of the month of Moharram, known as Ashura, the tazia is taken in a procession to a graveyard and buried.
However, Ashura is of special importance to Sunni and Shia Muslims, but the way they celebrate Ashura is different. Sunnis observe Ashura as a fast and represent the day when God saved Prophet Musa (Moses) and the Israelites from the besiege of Pharaoh. The Shia Muslims follow the commemoration of Ashura as they remember the unnecessary killing of Imam Hussain ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.
While Sunnis and Shias are distinct, the former’s religious practices allow them to participate in the events of Ashura through special sessions for prayers, charity, feasts, and eating with the needy. This solemn event helps to remind us not only of the losses but also of the faith that lives within the Muslim community.
