Suvra Kanti Das

Ashura

 

The Day of Ashura  is on the tenth day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram. Shiite celebrations of the day of Ashura have traditionally included masochistic rituals which have been condemned by many religious authorities recently under the claim that such practices are wrong or unislamic. This day is commemorated by Sunni Muslims (who refer to it as The Day of Atonement) as the day on which the Israelites were freed from the Pharaoh (called 'Firaun' in Arabic) of Egypt. According to Sunni Muslim tradition, Ibn Abbas narrates that Muhammad came to Medina and saw the Jews fasting on the tenth day of Muharram. Bangladeshi Shiite Muslims gathered for praying at Hoseni dalan on the eve and holy day of Ashura. Shiites mark Ashura on the tenth day of the month of Muharram to commemorate the Battle of Karbala when Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was killed. Dhaka, Bangladesh.