Significance of the Festival

The Shia Muslim community mourns the demise of Hussain Ibn Ali, the son of Ali and the grandson of Prophet Muhammad from the Karbala battle. Karbala is a famous destination of pilgrimage in Iraq. Hussain Ibn Ali was killed in Karbala in 680 AD. Till the end, he fought the army of Yazid I and was finally killed in the battle. The 10th day of Muharram, the Day of Ashura, is an occasion to remember the brave sacrifice of Imam Hussain. The Day of Ashura is also important to Muslims because it is reported that on this day Moses and his followers obtained victory over the Egyptian Pharaoh.