AhlulBayt News Agency: Shia Muslims across Nigeria have begun commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Husain (AS), the third Shia Imam and grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), through a series of mourning ceremonies held during the first ten days of Muharram.
The solemn rituals, observed annually to honor the events of Ashura—the day Imam Husain and his companions were martyred in Karbala in 680 AD—are drawing large crowds in cities including Bauchi, Katsina, and Potiskum.
According to Iran Press, in Bauchi State, hundreds of mourners gathered at Husainiyya Aali Muhammad for lectures led by both Shia and Sunni scholars. Sheikh Ahmad Yusuf Yashi of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria addressed the crowd, linking Imam Husain’s resistance against injustice to Iran’s recent retaliatory actions in defense of its sovereignty. “The message of Ashura is alive today wherever oppression is challenged,” he said.
Parallel ceremonies were held in Madrasatu Sumayya by the Rasoolul A’azam Foundation and in Katsina State under the leadership of Sheikh Yakubu Yahaya. In Potiskum, Yobe State, men, women, and children participated in processions and religious gatherings.
The rituals have included Quran recitations, elegiac poetry, and chest-beating—symbolic acts expressing grief and solidarity with Imam Husain’s sacrifice.
Organizers emphasized that Ashura processions are being conducted in over 22 towns and cities nationwide, reaffirming Nigeria’s Shia community’s commitment to the values of justice, resistance, and spiritual unity exemplified by Karbala.
Religious scholars also highlighted a well-known narration from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), “Husain is from me, and I am from Husain,” reflecting the deep spiritual bond between the Prophet and his grandson—a sentiment shared by millions of mourners worldwide.
Ashura will be observed on Sunday, July 6.
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