AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): During the first ten days of the lunar month, culminating on Ashura (July 16), 482 foreign travelers participated in Muharram's mourning rituals in Yazd province, an official says.
According to Mehdi Rajaeifard, head of Yazd’s Spiritual and Religious Tourism Committee, the travelers hailed from diverse countries, including Turkey, the UAE, China, Russia, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Poland, Lithuania, and the Philippines.
They participated in religious sessions and rituals commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and his loyal companions in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
They paid visits to local ceremonies, gaining insight into the spiritual and historical significance of these rituals.
“These foreign tourists are engaged deeply with the mourning ceremonies, visiting religious sites and experiencing significant events like the Ashura noon prayer, Nakhl Gardani (palm-carrying), and Ta’zieh (passion plays),” said Rajaeifard. He noted that the visitors also explored various parts of Yazd province, including Ardakan, Taft, and Mehriz.
The initiative to attract foreign visitors during Muharram began in 2016 with the establishment of the Spiritual and Religious Tourism Committee. This committee, comprising experienced tour guides, skilled clergymen, custodians of religious sites, aims to counteract negative perceptions about Iran and Islam.
Muharram is the first month in the lunar Hijri calendar.
Shia Muslims, and others in different parts of the world, hold ceremonies every year in the month of Muharram to mourn the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions.
The third Shia Imam (AS) and a small group of his followers and family members were martyred by the tyrant of his time - Yazid Bin Muawiya, in the battle of Karbala on the tenth day of Muharram (known as Ashura) in the year 680 AD.
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