The Mourning Ceremonies of Muharram: Tasua and Ashura

The events of Tasua and Ashura trace back to the year 680 CE, when Imam Hussein and his small group of followers and family members were surrounded by the army of the Umayyad caliph Yazid in the desert of Karbala, in present-day Iraq. Refusing to pledge allegiance to what he viewed as a corrupt and unjust ruler, Imam Hussein stood firmly by his principles. His resistance culminated in a brutal siege and massacre on the 10th of Muharram, known as Ashura, where he and most of his companions were killed. The day before, Tasua, is remembered for the increasing pressure on Hussein’s camp and the final moments before the battle.