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What is Ashura? Tuesday, 6th, December, 2011 The day of Ashura is marked by Muslims as a whole, but for Shi’a Muslims it is a major religious commemoration of the martyrdom at Karbala of Husayn, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. It falls on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is mainly celebrated in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan with a national holiday. It is marked by Muslims with a voluntary day of fasting which commemorates the day Noah left the Ark, and the day that Moses was saved from the Egyptians by God. For Shia Muslims, Ashura is a solemn day of mourning the martyrdom of Husayn in 680 AD at Karbala in modern-day Iraq. Husayn and around 70 men fought the army of Caliph Yazin I. Vastly outnumbered Husayn was captured and killed, their property looted and camps set on fire. It is marked with mourning rituals and passion plays re-enacting the martyrdom. Shi’a men and women dressed in black also parade through the streets slapping their chests and chanting. Some Shi’a men seek to emulate the suffering of Husayn by flagellating (whipping and cutting) themselves with chains or cutting their foreheads until blood streams from their bodies. Some Shi’a leaders and groups discourage the bloodletting, saying it creates a backward and negative image of Shi’a Muslims. Such leaders encourage people to donate blood. Islamic schism The killing of Husayn was an event that led to the split in Islam into two main sects - Sunnis and Shi’as. In early Islamic history the Shi’a were a political faction (known as the "party of Ali") that supported Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed and the fourth caliph (temporal and spiritual ruler) of the Muslim community. The great schism between Sunnis and Shi’as occurred when Imam Ali did not succeed as leader of the Islamic community at the death of the Prophet. Ali was murdered in AD 661 and his chief opponent Muawiya became caliph. Caliph Muawiya was later succeeded by his son Yazid, but Ali's son Husayn refused to accept his legitimacy and fighting between the two resulted. Husayn and his followers were massacred in battle at Karbala. Both Ali's and Husayn's deaths gave rise to the Shi’a cult of martyrdom and to their sense of betrayal and struggle against injustice, oppression and tyranny. Today, Shias comprise about 15% of the total worldwide Muslim population. For Suni Muslims it is a day where they fast voluntarily, give to charity, show kindness to thier family, it is not as important or solemn occasion for Sunni Muslims.