Knowra Ashura Ashura Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Its observance varies across Muslim communities, especially in relation to fasting and the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali at Karbala.
Battle of Karbala : The 680 battle in which Husayn ibn Ali and his small group were killed by forces of the Umayyad caliph Yazid I. The battle's killing of Husayn gives Ashura its central mourning significance for Shi'a Muslims.
Ashura fasting : The voluntary fast observed by many Muslims on the tenth of Muharram, sometimes with a fast on an adjacent day. Fasting is a prominent Sunni observance of Ashura.
Hijra calendar : The Islamic lunar calendar, whose years are counted from Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina. Its month sequence fixes Ashura as the tenth day of Muharram.
Sunni Islam : The largest branch of Islam, whose religious authority draws on the Quran, Sunnah, and communal scholarship. Sunni Ashura observance often emphasizes voluntary fasting and prophetic tradition.
Husayn ibn Ali : The grandson of Muhammad and third Shi'a imam, killed at Karbala in 680. His death on Ashura is the focus of Shi'a mourning and remembrance.
Matam : Ritual acts of mourning practiced by some Shi'a Muslims, including lamentation and forms of bodily expression. Some communities include matam in Ashura mourning for Husayn.
Umayyad Caliphate : The first hereditary caliphate, which ruled much of the Islamic world from 661 to 750. Yazid I's rule and the conflict at Karbala frame Ashura's historical memory.
Shi'a Islam : A major branch of Islam that regards Ali and his descendants as the rightful leaders of the Muslim community. Shi'a Ashura observance centers on mourning Husayn and the tragedy of Karbala.
Tasu'a : The ninth day of Muharram, observed in some Muslim communities alongside Ashura. It is often paired with Ashura in fasting or mourning observances.
Majlis : A religious gathering, often involving sermons or recitation, held in Shi'a communities. Majlis gatherings recount Karbala and sustain Ashura remembrance.
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