Black Banners Being Readied at Imam Ali Holy Shrine Ahead of Muharram

IQNA – The tailoring and embroidery workshop at the mausoleum of Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf, Iraq, has been preparing black flag and banners ahead of the lunar Hijri month of Muharam.

Muharram, which will start on June 7 this year, 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.

The walls, pillars and other parts of holy shrines in Iraq, Iran and other countries are covered with black in Muharram as a sign of mourning.

Haidar Abdul Wahhab, a worker in the tailoring and embroidery of Imam Ali (AS) holy shrine, said they are making banners, flags, black strips of cloth to cover different parts of the mausoleum.

He said they include ten banners on which the phrase Assalamu Alayka Ya Amir al-Muminin (AS) has been written.

They will be hung on the gates of the holy shrine as Muharram approaches, he noted.

According to Abdul Wahhab, the workshop has used 3,000 square meters of black cloth to make the flags and banners.

4224923