The Cultural Consulate and the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran organized an Ashura program at the Iranian House in Johannesburg on Wednesday to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Iranian diplomats, the Iranian community living in South Africa, South Africans, and people from other nations attended the mourning.
Iranian Ambassador to South Africa H.E. Mansour Shakib Mehr attended the Ashura program, and Dr. Morteza Karimi, Sheikh Masoud Mustapha, and Hajj Agha Rezaei were the speakers. During the Ashura 2024 program, people mourned for Imam Hussein while listening to Ziarat Ashura, a prayer that is part of the liturgy used in pilgrimages to the shrine of Husayn in Karbala. The program also included Maddahi, a ceremonial singing or eulogy recitation especially for Shia Muslims, and recitation of the Quran.
The Embassy staff who talked to Diplomatic Inside explained the significance of Ashura Day for the Shia community, “Ashura is the 10th of Muharram, where Imam Hussain and his companions were in Karbala, and they were confronted by the injustice army, Yazid army, actually. This day is very, very important for us as Shia. Shia people every year celebrate this day because we believe that Ashura saved our religion. Ashura saved Islam. So it’s very important for us to celebrate this day and, mourning for Imam Hussein and his family and his companions that they were trying to fight with injustice and cruelty.”
“Embassy of Iran in South Africa, every year celebrates this day. Usually we hold this gathering in Iran house in Johannesburg. And the Iranians living in Johannesburg and Pretoria, the embassy staff, the community of Shia in Johannesburg and those that they love Imam Hussain like us, they come to this gathering and we, all of us together, we do Matam (an Arabic term for the Shia Mourning of Muharram), as we say, or we do mourn for Imam Hussain and we honor this day. And usually after the speech and after our matam and our ceremony. Imam Hussain hosts actually all the guests here with the lunch and, this is how we celebrate it usually.” he continued.
Seyed Mostafa Daryabari, Cultural Counseller of Iran in South Africa explained that the Cultural Consulate, the embassy and some of the Iranians living here in Johannesburg organized the program. “The people that are participating in this event are all Shias living in Johannesburg because it’s an open gathering. It is not by invitation. All those that they love Imam Hussein and they want to do mourning together with the other friends and other people, they come here. And, so as I told you, Pakistani people, Indian people, African brothers, friends, my brothers from other Islamic countries, Turkey, they come, all of them that they love, they come, and they gather here and they do this morning.” Daryabari explained.
“One of the programs of this ceremony is blood donation. Donating blood is a form of charity and zakat for health and is considered a life-saving work. Based on the teachings of Hosseini’s Ashura and Ahl al-Bayt’s emphasis on the necessity of helping the people, we perform this great movement on the day of Ashura to portray a scene of sacrifice, altruism, and human unity. We are grateful to everyone who donated blood and took part in the event! Your contributions have significantly impacted, with 24 donations saving 72 lives – an impressive accomplishment. Labayk Ya Hussain (a.s)”, Daryabari continued.
After the official mourning program ended, all the participants attended Zuhur Salah. After praying, the Ambassador Mehr, the embassy staff, imams, and all the guests had lunch together in the garden.
