Friday, July 4, 2008

Ashoura


Ashoura in Shiraz, Iran, 2007.

"Every year on the tenth day of the holy month of Muharram, the first on the Islamic lunar calendar, Shia Muslims show a distinctive face of Islam, one that sees spirituality in passion and rituals rather than in the law and the familiar practices that punctuate Muslim lives. . . . No observer of this day, the festival of Ashoura, will remain unaffected by the Shias' display of fealty to their faith."

Vali Nasri, The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you know what they are flagellating themselves with?

James said...

I really have no idea.