Muharram Ceremonies Continue Across Kashmir, Karbala and Herat as Kabul Sees New Restrictions
Muharram Ceremonies Continue Across Kashmir, Karbala and Herat as Kabul Sees New Restrictions
———————————————-
Muharram commemorations were held in several regions, including Jammu and Kashmir, Karbala and Herat, while reports from Kabul pointed to new restrictions, arrests of mourners and the cancellation of some Husseini gatherings ahead of Tasu’a and Ashura.
Tens of thousands of mourners took part in Muharram processions in Jammu and Kashmir, where mourning ceremonies and Alam processions were organized by Anjuman Sharie Shian across different parts of the Kashmir Valley.
According to Shia Waves Agency, the main procession moved from Zorigund toward the Budgam Imambara, with large crowds of Husseini mourners participating. During the ceremony, Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid Mujtaba Abbas al-Mousavi al-Safavi addressed the mourners and spoke about the objectives of the tragedy of Karbala, stressing that commitment to Islamic teachings and Sharia principles is a sign of true love for the martyrs of Karbala.
In the holy city of Karbala, the Maqam of Tal Zainabiyyah was opened after years of construction. The site is believed to be the place where Lady Zainab, peace be upon her, stood on the day of Ashura and witnessed the events of Karbala.
The previous one-floor structure, which covered only 380 square meters, was demolished to make way for a new four-floor building with a total area of 4,400 square meters. The new design includes a dome more than 11 meters high, built in a way that does not exceed the height of the dome of the shrine of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him. The Hussaini Holy Shrine announced that, from the 7th to the 13th of Muharram, the doors of Tal Zainabiyyah would be open only to female visitors to increase capacity and regulate access.
In Afghanistan’s Herat province, hundreds of mourners attended Husseini gatherings in mosques and Husseiniyas in Jibrail, where elegies and mourning poems recalled the sacrifice and steadfastness of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, his family and companions.
Meanwhile, reports from Kabul said Taliban security forces imposed new restrictions in Shia-majority areas, including Dasht-e-Barchi, arresting some mourning groups and halting processions ahead of Tasu’a. Local sources said some mourning gatherings in homes and religious centers were cancelled or cut short over alleged permit requirements, while clerics and organizers said they had applied for permission but received no response.
