Taziyeh

Taziyeh

Ninth day of Islamic month of MuharramFor Shi'ite Muslims, the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Hussein, is one of the more critical events in Islamic history. In 680 c.e., Hussein and a small group of Shi'ite supporters clashed with Sunnis in Karbala, a city in present-day Iraq, and were killed. The Shi'ite holiday of Ashura commemorates Hussein's death and the days leading up to it. The 10 days make up the initial days of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic year.
Iranian Shi'ites mark the eve of Ashura by celebrating Taziyeh, which is named after the passion play of the same name. Performances of taziyeh are common in Iraq, Pakistan, and India, as well as in Iran, but only in Iran has the tradition developed into a formal holiday. The word taziyeh means "consolation" and signifies the blessing that performers are believed to receive by imitating the sacred events that befell the prophet's family. Sometimes the shows coincide with religious processions.
After experiencing its heyday in the 19th century, taziyeh performances dropped off since they were written off as a folk custom for the lower classes. During the Iranian Revolution in 1979, clerics re-authorized the tradition and taziyeh experienced a resurgence, with more elaborate productions and greater attendance numbers.
CONTACTS:
Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Imam Khomeini Sq.
Tehran, Iran
SOURCES:
CultureCustomsIran-2006, p.184
RelHolCal-2004, p. 144