Iran’s Shiite Muslims commemorate the mourning day of Ashoura with processions

Iranian Shiite Muslims on Tuesday commemorated Ashoura, a remembrance of the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein. His death in battle at the hands of Sunnis at Karbala ingrained a deep rift in Islam and continues to play a key role in shaping Shiite identity. (AP video: Mohsen Ganji)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Shiite Muslims in Iran and elsewhere on Tuesday commemorated Ashoura, a remembrance of the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, that gave birth to their faith.

Over 1,340 years after Hussein’s death, Tehran and other cities across Iran were adorned with symbols of piety and repentance. Red flags represented Hussein’s blood, black funeral tents and clothes indicated mourning, and processions of chest-beating and self-flagellating men expressed fervor. Some sprayed water over the mourners in the intense heat.

Iranian state TV reported that 6 million Iranian pilgrims traveled to the Iraqi city of Karbala, where Hussein is entombed in a gold-domed shrine.

In the Omani capital of Muscat, a shooting at a Shiite mosque killed five people and wounded dozens on Monday night. Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack.

Shiites represent over 10% of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims and view Hussein as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad. Hussein’s death in battle at the hands of Sunnis at Karbala, south of Baghdad, ingrained a deep rift in Islam and continues to this day to play a key role in shaping Shiite identity.

In some of Pakistan’s largest cities, thousands of Shiite Muslims rallied and were seen beating their chests and flagellating themselves with knives attached to chains. Authorities deployed additional police along the routes where processions will pass on Wednesday.

Shiites are a minority in predominantly Sunni Muslim Pakistan, and Sunni militants view them as apostates deserving of death. Shiites have been attacked by extremist Sunni militants in recent years.

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This story corrects the day of the shooting in Oman. Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.