Religion

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the annual Hajj pilgrimage demonstrates the power of the Islamic Ummah and boosts contacts among Muslims.

A ceremony was recently held in Tehran’s St. Georg church in commemoration of St. George, during which the Eucharist rite was also performed.

A Zoroastrian cleric from the city of Yazd says the Iranian followers of Prophet Zoroaster highly respect the third Shiite Imam, Hussein Ibn Ali, because of his historic defence of the oppressed and the truth.

Hesar Kharvan village in Qazvin province is among the places where Ta’zieh, the Iranian-Islamic passion play, has always been an integral part of mourning ceremonies held for the martyrdom of third Shiite Imam, Hussein ibn Ali, during the lunar month of Muharram.

The Finnish capital of Helsinki recently hosted an art exhibition with the main theme of mourning for the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, the third Shiite Imam.

Millions of mournful Shiite Muslims have taken to the streets and mosques across Iran and other parts of the world to mark Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad, who was martyred along with his family and companions some 14 centuries ago.

Islamic passion plays, known as Ta'zieh in Iran, are dramatic performances which depict battles between good and evil characters, who are clearly distinguished by wearing costumes with distinct, and meaningful, colours.

The rituals practiced in the lunar months of Muharram and Safar are not just basic traditions to Shiite Muslims. They rather impact all cultural and social dimensions of their lives, and their lessons can help believers solve many social and political problems.

Shah Hussein Gouyan is one of the most important religious ceremonies held in Iran’s Azarbaijan province during the holy month of Muharram.

A former Iranian diplomat says Riyadh is intensifying its crackdown on Shiite Muslims both in Saudi Arabia and in Bahrain as they have started mourning the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad.