SATURDAY THE 19th of February, day of Ashura, witnessed the streets of Rusholme filled with grieving followers remembering fourteen-hundred year old martyrdoms.
Puzzled bystanders stood by as men and women in all-black walked through the streets accompanied by children carrying flags and a horse draped in cloth bearing Arabic scripture.
Ashura is the tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram and on that day in 680 AD, at the battle of Karbala in Iraq, the Prophet’s nephew, together with seventy of his family members and associates, were martyred.
While some Muslims choose a peaceful recollection with a day of fasting and extra prayers, others turn to chest-thumping and back-whipping; an act they justify by claiming that if the Prophet’s nephew, and his followers, suffered greatly and gave up their lives to keep Islam’s banner upright, so should we, as a sign of tribute and remembrance.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the whole procession was peaceful and no reports of any incidents were received.
© Faras Ghani 2005
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