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Shiite begin mourning from the first night of Muharram and continue for ten nights, climaxing on the 10th of Muharram, known as the Day of Ashura. The last few days up until and including the Day of Ashura are the most important because these were the days in which Imam Hussein and his family and followers (including women, children and elderly people) were deprived of water from the 7th onward and on the 10th, Imam Hussain and 72 of his followers were martyred or subjected to humiliation by the army of tyrant Yazid I at the Battle of Karbala on Yazid’s orders. The surviving members of Imam Hussein’s family and those of his followers were taken captive, marched to Damascus, and imprisoned there.

The Mourning of Muharram, Remembrance of Muharram, or Muharram Observances, is a set of rituals associated with Shia Islam, which takes place in Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Many of the events associated with the ritual take place in congregation halls known as Hussainia.

The commemoration of the event during yearly mourning season, from first of Muharram to twentieth of Safar with Ashura comprising the focal date, serves to define Shia communal identity. At present, Muharram Observances are carried around the world from East to West and from North to South.

The words Azadari (Persian: عزاداری) which mean mourning and lamentation; and Majalis-e Aza have been exclusively used in connection with the remembrance ceremonies for the martyrdom of Imam Hussain. Majalis-e Aza, also known as Aza-e Husayn, includes mourning congregations, lamentations, matam and all such actions which express the emotions of grief and above all, repulsion against what tyrant Yazid stood for.

The following photos are the first and second night of series of lectures for the mourning of the tragedy in Karbala with Sheikh Abu Mahdi at Imam Al Mahdi mosque of Zamboanga city, Philippines.

The full text of his address reads:

In the Name of God

Mr. President, allow me to begin by thanking you as well as the Spanish Presidency of the Council for convening this open debate. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Secretary-General and UN Women for their valuable inputs to the debate on women, Peace and Security.

Fifteen years ago, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1325, focusing on the specific impact of armed conflict on women, the positive role they can play in conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and peace building, and the inseparable links between empowerment of women and international peace and security.

Women are a key resource for promoting peace and stability. Research highlighted that women’s participation and inclusion makes humanitarian assistance more effective, strengthens the protection of civilians, contributes to the political settlement of disputes and maintaining sustainable peace and accelerates economic recovery.

Today, we find ourselves at a turning point for the cause of women and girls. The adoption of the agenda for sustainable development, the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 15th anniversary of the UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security all remind us that there is strong direct relation between sustainable peace and security and sustainable development, and the fact that women and girls must be at the forefront of programs designed to attain development, peace and security.

Mr. President, conflicts in the recent years, especially in the Middle East, have taken new and abhorrent forms and dimensions, and constitute unprecedented challenges to the stability in our region.

In some parts of our region women are grappling with the scourge of terrorism and extremist violence. The spread of violent extremism and takfiri ideology threatens in an unprecedented way the life and rights of women and girls in our region. News accounts and other reports in the past few years have indicated that women and girls have suffered the most and been targeted for systematic sexual violence and slavery and rape by extremists and terrorists. The international community should make clear at every step that there would never be any leniency for those who subject women and girls to the most inhumane acts of corporal and mental violence.

At the same time, it is already evident that this dangerous ideology and its consequences cannot be contained in one region and it will easily affect in one way or another other regions near and afar. It is also very unfortunate that women and girls are also fallen disproportionately victims to bombings in Yemen and violence in Syria and elsewhere.

Iran strongly condemns the barbaric acts of the terrorist and violent extremists groups as well as indiscriminate attacks against civilians, including women and children.

We support Secretary-General’s commitment to prepare and present his due “Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism” and his intention to include women’s participation, leadership, and empowerment as keys to address the drivers of extremist violence.

In closing, let me, Mr. President, stress that my Delegation believes that organizing such a debate in this Council should not undermine the work of the most relevant bodies for consideration of women related issues in the United Nations system namely CSW, ECOSOC as well as the General Assembly.

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