Imam Reza shrine prepares to host millions of Muharram mourners

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan and several other countries have flocked to Mashhad in the northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi to mark the mourning ceremonies of Muharram at the holy shrine of eighth Shia Imam.

The holy shrine’s administration has drawn up a solid service plan and employed all its capabilities to facilitate the citizens and arriving visitors for attending the mourning ceremonies of Muharram.

Black flags of mourning ceremonies have widely been fixed at different places of the holy shrine and on top of the golden dome and the courtyards Enghelab-e Eslami and Azadi have been clad in black for the occasion.

The holy complex has also announced scientific, cultural, and religious programs for the one-month occasion, including religious meetings, sermons and eulogies by scholars, which are held under full health protocols in the holy shrine.

These programs have been categorized for different groups of people including families, men, women, children and teenagers.

Also, some other programs will be held in Arabic and Urdu languages for people from Arabic and Urdu speaking countries in separate places of the holy shrine such as Dar al-Rahmah and Ghadir porticos. All ceremonies are covered by tens of national and international TV channels and social networks in English, Arabic, Urdu, Persian, and Azeri languages.

Due to new outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, mourning ceremonies for the months of Muharram and Safar will mostly be held outdoors in shrines, streets, parks, schools, and stadiums, in accordance with health protocols and social distancing.

Muharram is the first month in the lunar Hijri calendar and a landmark in Shia history. It is the time when millions of Muslims all over the world mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) together with his 72 companions in an uprising against the tyrant ruler of his time Yazid ibn Muawiyah back in 680 AD.