Imam Hussein Holy Shrine Being Prepared for Mourning Rituals
According to the spokesman for the Iraqi interior ministry, Khaled al-Mahna, the preparations include sending equipment and enhancing security measures.
The carpets covering the floors of the mausoleum have also been replaced.
Like in previous years, the carpets were collected and taken to a warehouse and the floors were covered with red moquettes for the ritual of Rakdha Tuwairaj.
After the ritual of Rakdha Tuwairaj on the afternoon of Ashura, the red moquettes will be collected and divided into pieces to be distributed among groups of mourners and the carpets will again cover the floors.
Rakdha Tuwairaj is a ritual on Ashura in which mourners walk barefoot from the town of Hindya (formerly known as Tuwairaj) to the holy shrines of Imam Hussein (AS) and Hazrat Abbas (AS) while beating their head and chest and then leave the shrines within a short time.
A large number of pilgrims are expected to arrive in Karbala on the day of Ashura, the tenth day of the lunar Hijri month of Muharram, to mourn the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS).
Muharram, which began on Thursday, is the first month in the lunar Hijri calendar.
Shia Muslims, and others in different parts of the world, hold ceremonies every year in the month of Muharram to mourn the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions.
The third Shia Imam (AS) and a small group of his followers and family members were martyred by the tyrant of his time - Yazid Bin Muawiya, in the battle of Karbala on the tenth day of Muharram (known as Ashura) in the year 680 AD.
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