Shiite Muslims mark holy day of Ashura with mourning and self-flagellation

(CNN) — Shiite Muslims across the globe on Tuesday observed Ashura, an annual commemoration mourning the seventh-century martyrdom of a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.

Imam Hussein bin Ali’s death in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD is believed to have caused the split between Shiites – who consider him a rightful successor to the prophet – and Sunnis, the world’s most populous Islamic sect.

Shiites comprise the majority of Muslims in Iran, Iraq and Azerbaijan, with sizable minority populations in a number of countries including Pakistan and India.

Ashura, or “the 10th day,” falls on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. It is the holiest day for Shiites, many of whom make pilgrimages to a shrine in Karbala, Iraq, traditionally believed to be Hussein’s tomb.

Some Shiites express mourning by beating themselves on the back with chains – intended to connect them with Hussein’s suffering and death as an aid to salvation on the Day of Judgement.

Hussein’s martyrdom is widely interpreted by Shiites as a symbol of the struggle against injustice, tyranny, and oppression.

Symbols of Shiite piety and repentance include red flags for Hussein’s blood and black garments for mourning.

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