Mourning Ceremonies Mark Martyrdom Anniversary of Imam Sajjad Across Iraq, Iran, and Bahrain

Mourning Ceremonies Mark Martyrdom Anniversary of Imam Sajjad Across Iraq, Iran, and Bahrain
—————————————–
Large mourning ceremonies were held in several cities and holy sites to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein Zain al-Abidin, peace be upon him. The commemorations included processions, symbolic funerals, religious lectures, elegies, and mourning gatherings in Karbala, Nineveh, Salahuddin, Qom, and Bahrain.

Mourners in Iraq, Iran, and Bahrain commemorated the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein Zain al-Abidin, peace be upon him, on the 25th of Muharram, through widespread mourning ceremonies and religious gatherings.

In Iraq’s holy city of Karbala, the shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Aba al-Fadl al-Abbas, peace be upon them, were draped in black as mourning banners and signs bearing the name of Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, were raised across the holy courtyards. The two holy shrines prepared a full mourning program that included majalis, religious lectures, and recitations of Husseini elegies highlighting the Imam’s suffering after Karbala and his role, alongside Lady Zainab al-Kubra, peace be upon her, in preserving the message of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him.

Large numbers of visitors also arrived at the shrine of Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein Zain al-Abidin, peace be upon him, in the Ali Rash area of Bartella district in the Nineveh Plain, northern Iraq.

In Sinjar district of Nineveh province, a large mourning procession was held at the shrine of Lady Zainab al-Kubra, peace be upon her, and the shrine of Lady Zainab al-Sughra, daughter of Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein, peace be upon them, along the historic route of the captives. Mourners raised Husseini banners, recited elegies, and carried a symbolic coffin in the Sinjar Mountains. Husseini service processions provided food, drinks, and rest areas for visitors, while security forces were deployed along roads leading to the shrines.

In Tuz Khurmatu, Salahuddin province, members of the Shia Turkmen community held mourning gatherings for three consecutive nights, on the 25th, 26th, and 27th of Muharram. The programs included lectures by religious speakers and elegies by Husseini reciters in local Husseiniyas and community gatherings.

In the holy city of Qom, the house of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq al-Husseini al-Shirazi hosted a mourning ceremony for the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him. The gathering was attended by Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, scholars, representatives of religious authorities, seminary students, cultural figures, and believers.

In Bahrain, mourning processions and Husseini gatherings were held across several cities and villages. Participants raised black banners and recited elegies recalling the life of Imam Sajjad, peace be upon him, his suffering after the tragedy of Karbala, and his role in preserving the teachings of Ahlulbayt, peace be upon them. In Diraz, a unified mourning procession was held on Saturday, July 11, 2026, with wide participation from local residents and mourners.