Ya Libnan

Lebanese Shiites mark the day of Ashura- pictures

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Tens of thousands of Hezbollah supporters lined the streets of Beirut’s southern suburbs, holding pictures of Nasrallah and Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to mark holy day of Ashura, responding in force to calls by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah .

Nasrallah urged his supporters during his speeches ( last night and this morning) to commemorate Ashura.

Crowds also gathered in mainly Shiite Muslim areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, raising pictures of Nasrallah and Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Dressed uniformly in black, Shiite worshippers chanted slogans in support of the imam as well as Nasrallah in gender-segregated processions marked by strict organization and security measures by Hezbollah.

Ashura is commemorated by Shiite Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala ( 80 KM south of Baghdad , Iraq) on 10 Muharram in the Hijra ( Islamic) year 61 (October 10, 680 AD. Imam Hussein, was reportedly killed by the armies of the caliph Yazid.

Elsewhere in the region

Millions of Iranians, beating themselves with fists and chains, also marked the the day of Ashura on Thursday, a day after a suicide bomber killed 33 people taking part in a procession for Shiite Islam’s most revered mourning ritual.

Last year’s Ashura celebrations were overshadowed by the killing in Tehran of eight opposition demonstrators trying to keep alive street protests against disputed official election results which gave President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a new term last June.

Iraq arrested 80 Al-Qaeda-linked militants a general said were plotting attacks during Ashura ceremonies in Karbala, where the streets were crowded with 1.5 million pilgrims Thursday.

The arrests underscored fears of violence during the 10-day rituals in the shrine city that culminate on Friday, in a key test for Iraq’s security forces ahead of a complete withdrawal of American troops in a year.

Like their Shi’ite brethren across the Middle East Hundreds of black-clad Shi’ites in the small Gulf town of Qatif, in Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich Eastern Province, rose early to join once-forbidden processions to mark the day of Ashura.

Six suspected suicide bombers were arrested from two places in Pakistan and a huge cache or arms, including suicide jackets, recovered from them, ahead of the processions to mark the day of Ashura in Pakistan.

Brigadier Shahzad, deputy inspector general (DIG) of the Frontier Corps, Thursday said the suspected terrorists were arrested from near the Chaman border while trying to cross over to the Pakistani side from Afghanistan.

“Initial investigations reveal that the suspects wanted to carry out suicide bombings at Ashura processions in Quetta,” he said.

Shiites make up around 15 percent of Muslims worldwide. They represent the majority populations in Iran, Iraq and Bahrain and form significant communities in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Here are some more pictures of the ceremonies in Lebanon( courtesy of Reuters)

Lebanon's Hezbollah members mourn Imam Hussein during a Muharram procession to mark Ashura in Beirut's suburbs December 16, 2010.
A Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim flagellates himself during a ceremony marking Ashura in Nabatiyeh, southern lebanon, December 16, 2010.
A Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim child is seen bleeding after he was cut on the head with a razor during a ceremony marking Ashura in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, December 16, 2010.
A Lebanese supporter of the Shi'ite Amal movement gashes his head with a sword during a Muharram procession to mark Ashura in Beirut, December 16, 2010.
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Comments

21 responses to “Lebanese Shiites mark the day of Ashura- pictures”

  1. nabilabuzaid Avatar
    nabilabuzaid

    What a bunch of idiots and morons. Why so scared of the STL yet they hurt each other with knives and blades and swords. What kind of memory you bringing to your children and grandchildren by doing stupid and unlawful acts like this? only idiots and hoodlums beat themselves to death. I am all for celebrating and keeping a memory of any leader religious or not. But to hurt yourselves and cut your children heads with blades is totally unwarranted and barberic. Is this how the Shiites portray themselves? i know deep down there are many good Shiites who do not wish to be portrayed like this and this is very demeaning to their religion frankly and having outside visitors to Lebanon see these ugly scenes do not look good at all. Besides the gov’t should step in and prevent at least the cutting of the forehead of the children. Who do you think you are doing it just because they’re your children? that don’t give you the rights to risk their lives? you’re nothing but bunch of crazy zeolots who could careless about themselves let alone about Lebanon. I am sure Isrealis are laughing at you now. You complain about getting shot by them but its okay to kill yourself. Well maybe all hezbollah will do is kill themselves to mourn the death of the Imam and rid Lebanon from them. Inshallah soon!

    1. riro Avatar
      riro

      hezbollah are against cutting and bleeding and it is HARAM (forbidden ) but there are some old fashion people who are shiites but not hezbollah, they think this way is a way to feel the pain of HUSSEIN and its a very bad habit we should get rid off!!! but anyway respect their point of view even if its wrong we cant say (bunch of idiots) you dont know what they feel or think we need to improve this way of thinking but not in this way!!!

  2. nabilabuzaid Avatar
    nabilabuzaid

    What a bunch of idiots and morons. Why so scared of the STL yet they hurt each other with knives and blades and swords. What kind of memory you bringing to your children and grandchildren by doing stupid and unlawful acts like this? only idiots and hoodlums beat themselves to death. I am all for celebrating and keeping a memory of any leader religious or not. But to hurt yourselves and cut your children heads with blades is totally unwarranted and barberic. Is this how the Shiites portray themselves? i know deep down there are many good Shiites who do not wish to be portrayed like this and this is very demeaning to their religion frankly and having outside visitors to Lebanon see these ugly scenes do not look good at all. Besides the gov’t should step in and prevent at least the cutting of the forehead of the children. Who do you think you are doing it just because they’re your children? that don’t give you the rights to risk their lives? you’re nothing but bunch of crazy zeolots who could careless about themselves let alone about Lebanon. I am sure Isrealis are laughing at you now. You complain about getting shot by them but its okay to kill yourself. Well maybe all hezbollah will do is kill themselves to mourn the death of the Imam and rid Lebanon from them. Inshallah soon!

  3. Avatar
    Anonymous

    What a bunch of idiots and morons. Why so scared of the STL yet they hurt each other with knives and blades and swords. What kind of memory you bringing to your children and grandchildren by doing stupid and unlawful acts like this? only idiots and hoodlums beat themselves to death. I am all for celebrating and keeping a memory of any leader religious or not. But to hurt yourselves and cut your children heads with blades is totally unwarranted and barberic. Is this how the Shiites portray themselves? i know deep down there are many good Shiites who do not wish to be portrayed like this and this is very demeaning to their religion frankly and having outside visitors to Lebanon see these ugly scenes do not look good at all. Besides the gov’t should step in and prevent at least the cutting of the forehead of the children. Who do you think you are doing it just because they’re your children? that don’t give you the rights to risk their lives? you’re nothing but bunch of crazy zeolots who could careless about themselves let alone about Lebanon. I am sure Isrealis are laughing at you now. You complain about getting shot by them but its okay to kill yourself. Well maybe all hezbollah will do is kill themselves to mourn the death of the Imam and rid Lebanon from them. Inshallah soon!

    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      hezbollah are against cutting and bleeding and it is HARAM (forbidden ) but there are some old fashion people who are shiites but not hezbollah, they think this way is a way to feel the pain of HUSSEIN and its a very bad habit we should get rid off!!! but anyway respect their point of view even if its wrong we cant say (bunch of idiots) you dont know what they feel or think we need to improve this way of thinking but not in this way!!!

  4. Leborigine Avatar
    Leborigine

    You can do what you want to yourself, flagellate, cunnilung, finger, stab, cut, piss, scar, deform, amputate, shoot, stand infront of a train, hang, play Russian roulette, shit, or even cut your freakin fingers off, BUT (and I stress on BUT), no one has any right to do any harm to any child for any bloody reason expecially under the age of 16. How is a 4 year old going to feel the pain of Hussein, please give me a break!!

    1. Hannibal Avatar
      Hannibal

      Leborigine,
      Although I agree with you in principle but the way you put it is disrespectful to a religion and in my opinion you are crossing the line. As a child myself with hypoglycemia I was forced by nuns to attend 10 o’clock masses without food to accept the eucharist although they knew that without food I would have syncope and faint. Penance and suffering is a concept that Islam got from Christianity and many monks in the old days wore devices that ate into their flesh and used to flagellate themselves to walk in the steps of Jesus. I know it looks from the outside awful specially for a child incapable of consenting but Hezbollah and religious leaders from the Shiite community discourage the practice. I believe with a little education it can become a thing of the past. At the end we all belong to the same nation, families adopted different religions through the ages. The Chehabs became Christians and some kept Islam as their faith. The Abdullahs adopted Christianity although many of their relatives remained Shia moslems. Abi el lama3 were Sunnis and then half adopted Christianity and the other half the Durzi faith and so on… I wish the political parties tugging and twisting on the lines of power shed their masks and adopt nationalism instead. Peace.

      1. Leborigine Avatar
        Leborigine

        Hannibal
        I did not cross the line at all, I meant it at anyone and everyone.
        The only reason I used the 4 yo boy was because it was a pictured example.
        No malice or disrespect was intended to my Shiite brothers, but if it was taken that way, then I apologise.
        As you probably have noticed in my previous posts, I do not attack or disrespect any religion unless an individual attacks mine. I do not attack the whole religion either, just the individual. LOL
        I understand your situation clearly as I was subjected to the same treatment, but I am not a hypoglecemiac. I was repeatedely caned and punished just for being a terror, and on my First Communion, in practise and in the actual ceremony I blatently refused to kiss the Mitrans ring as I did not see any relation to kissing his ring and believing in Jesus Christ. I was punished severly for such a lame misbehaviour.
        Anyway, my point is, in any religion, as an adult you can make a choice, whether you stab youself, or take communion and kissing a ring or headbutt a wall, whatever tickles your fancy, but you do not force, bash or injure your children, instead you can guide them and teach them.
        Hannibal, is it acceptable in todays day and age to throw your child from a 2 storey building. In India, to this day, some cultures throw their 1-2 year olds onto a blanket from 6-7 metres high to prove their manhood, ok, 97% do not get severly injured or fatal, but what about the other 3%???? Please explain?
        I really appreciate the historical facts you have pointed and I really mean it, but for the record, I did not and will never disrespect any religion, and I have always supported and highly agreed with your comment on an earlier post, – I will always support or take in a Muslim or Druze Lebanese over a Xtian syrian at any given day. I have said that all my life in opposition to some Lebanese who preferred to side with the Palestinian muslims than their Xtian counterparts!!

  5. Avatar
    Anonymous

    You can do what you want to yourself, flagellate, cunnilung, finger, stab, cut, piss, scar, deform, amputate, shoot, stand infront of a train, hang, play Russian roulette, shit, or even cut your freakin fingers off, BUT (and I stress on BUT), no one has any right to do any harm to any child for any bloody reason expecially under the age of 16. How is a 4 year old going to feel the pain of Hussein, please give me a break!!

    1. Hannibal Avatar
      Hannibal

      Leborigine,
      Although I agree with you in principle but the way you put it is disrespectful to a religion and in my opinion you are crossing the line. As a child myself with hypoglycemia I was forced by nuns to attend 10 o’clock masses without food to accept the eucharist although they knew that without food I would have syncope and faint. Penance and suffering is a concept that Islam got from Christianity and many monks in the old days wore devices that ate into their flesh and used to flagellate themselves to walk in the steps of Jesus. I know it looks from the outside awful specially for a child incapable of consenting but Hezbollah and religious leaders from the Shiite community discourage the practice. I believe with a little education it can become a thing of the past. At the end we all belong to the same nation, families adopted different religions through the ages. The Chehabs became Christians and some kept Islam as their faith. The Abdullahs adopted Christianity although many of their relatives remained Shia moslems. Abi el lama3 were Sunnis and then half adopted Christianity and the other half the Durzi faith and so on… I wish the political parties tugging and twisting on the lines of power shed their masks and adopt nationalism instead. Peace.

      1. Avatar
        Anonymous

        Hannibal
        I did not cross the line at all, I meant it at anyone and everyone.
        The only reason I used the 4 yo boy was because it was a pictured example.
        No malice or disrespect was intended to my Shiite brothers, but if it was taken that way, then I apologise.
        As you probably have noticed in my previous posts, I do not attack or disrespect any religion unless an individual attacks mine. I do not attack the whole religion either, just the individual. LOL
        I understand your situation clearly as I was subjected to the same treatment, but I am not a hypoglecemiac. I was repeatedely caned and punished just for being a terror, and on my First Communion, in practise and in the actual ceremony I blatently refused to kiss the Mitrans ring as I did not see any relation to kissing his ring and believing in Jesus Christ. I was punished severly for such a lame misbehaviour.
        Anyway, my point is, in any religion, as an adult you can make a choice, whether you stab youself, or take communion and kissing a ring or headbutt a wall, whatever tickles your fancy, but you do not force, bash or injure your children, instead you can guide them and teach them.
        Hannibal, is it acceptable in todays day and age to throw your child from a 2 storey building. In India, to this day, some cultures throw their 1-2 year olds onto a blanket from 6-7 metres high to prove their manhood, ok, 97% do not get severly injured or fatal, but what about the other 3%???? Please explain?
        I really appreciate the historical facts you have pointed and I really mean it, but for the record, I did not and will never disrespect any religion, and I have always supported and highly agreed with your comment on an earlier post, – I will always support or take in a Muslim or Druze Lebanese over a Xtian syrian at any given day. I have said that all my life in opposition to some Lebanese who preferred to side with the Palestinian muslims than their Xtian counterparts!!

  6. BigSami Avatar
    BigSami

    Nice……..A Lebanese Shi’ite Muslim child is seen bleeding after he was cut on the head with a razor during a ceremony marking Ashura in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, December 16, 2010.

    How do you expect to improve one’s lifestyle (people) let alone image in the world if you froze in barbaric time? And this folks is the way of HA, Iran and Syria.

    (Should hear some derogatory response from our friend prophet any moment commending these practices…..)

  7. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Nice……..A Lebanese Shi’ite Muslim child is seen bleeding after he was cut on the head with a razor during a ceremony marking Ashura in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, December 16, 2010.

    How do you expect to improve one’s lifestyle (people) let alone image in the world if you froze in barbaric time? And this folks is the way of HA, Iran and Syria.

    (Should hear some derogatory response from our friend prophet any moment commending these practices…..)

  8. jnoubi90 Avatar
    jnoubi90

    all u need to show some respect for the religion of islam. its not like christians or druze or jews are any better. no disrespect to my christian friends on here but its true. every religion is special and better in there own way.

    1. PROPHET.T Avatar
      PROPHET.T

      Juoubi,
      Take my advice,and do not respond to any comment that has to do with religion, even if it is offensive in your views..
      It does nothing , but open the door for someone else to offend another religion.All faiths are open for criticism,but not insults.So take the high ground buddy.You can’t loose by being the better person.
      As much as I oppose some of the rituals practiced on Ashura, I ‘d say some people will always find something to criticize , or attack regardless .
      .Some will look for any opportunity, Justified or not, to say something that could be seen offensive.That goes for all religions.

    2. nabilabuzaid Avatar
      nabilabuzaid

      We’re not condemning the Shiite religion in any way and i don’t see anyone here doing it. All we’re saying its crazy to behave like that and hurt your children in the Process. Besides talking about Religion what made Hezbollah haul their own gangs into Christian areas to celebrate Ashura? do you see us christian going into your streets to celebrate Christmas and Easter and setting up roadblocks and telling people what to do and checking their id’s. What business are you to antagonize the Christian populations? you’re the one who are disrespecting religion. To celebrate is one thing but for you to go into these areas and take control of it. its enough we have you controlling every decision of peace and war. its enough we have you sending your thugs in the streets to create scare tactics and intimidate all the populations that do not support you. You talking about religion. Your damned Leader Nassrallah telling christians not to bank on sunnis-shiites strife.. we don’t even think about that and those who do its bad for lebanon no matter who fights who. Its not like the Christians are all on one side and they like to see you fighting each other. We’re split in so many ways its prosperous to even for nassrallah to mention it. He’s trying to corner every one to create diversion from the STL. The STL in not in the control of Lebanese period and they will issue indictment even if Hariri condemned it. All you care about false witnesses but you don’t give a damn about the people who were killed in the process as if you guys definitely behind it. You’re barbarians and bunch of animals and have no regard not only for other religion but for your own religion. We’re not against any Shiites and most of them are descent and hard working and intelligent people. We’re condeming hezbollah acts and behavior and they’re acting no different than the syrians, israelis. all seek the destruction of Lebanon. I am not saying or implying that Christians are better but we’re condeming the violance of the celebration and it have no place in our civil society. We certainly do not welcome it in general and most of all in Lebanon. But you’re seeking your own self destruction and Lebanon in the process. If you want to kill yourself go ahead do it, but not in my place damn it.

  9. Avatar
    Anonymous

    all u need to show some respect for the religion of islam. its not like christians or druze or jews are any better. no disrespect to my christian friends on here but its true. every religion is special and better in there own way.

    1. PROPHET.T Avatar
      PROPHET.T

      Juoubi,
      Take my advice,and do not respond to any comment that has to do with religion, even if it is offensive in your views..
      It does nothing , but open the door for someone else to offend another religion.All faiths are open for criticism,but not insults.So take the high ground buddy.
      As much as I oppose some of the rituals practiced on Ashura, I ‘d say some people will always find something to criticize , or attack regardless ..Some will look for any opportunity, Justified or not, to say something that could be seen offensive.That goes for all religions.

    2. Avatar
      Anonymous

      We’re not condemning the Shiite religion in any way and i don’t see anyone here doing it. All we’re saying its crazy to behave like that and hurt your children in the Process. Besides talking about Religion what made Hezbollah haul their own gangs into Christian areas to celebrate Ashura? do you see us christian going into your streets to celebrate Christmas and Easter and setting up roadblocks and telling people what to do and checking their id’s. What business are you to antagonize the Christian populations? you’re the one who are disrespecting religion. To celebrate is one thing but for you to go into these areas and take control of it. its enough we have you controlling every decision of peace and war. its enough we have you sending your thugs in the streets to create scare tactics and intimidate all the populations that do not support you. You talking about religion. Your damned Leader Nassrallah telling christians not to bank on sunnis-shiites strife.. we don’t even think about that and those who do its bad for lebanon no matter who fights who. Its not like the Christians are all on one side and they like to see you fighting each other. We’re split in so many ways its prosperous to even for nassrallah to mention it. He’s trying to corner every one to create diversion from the STL. The STL in not in the control of Lebanese period and they will issue indictment even if Hariri condemned it. All you care about false witnesses but you don’t give a damn about the people who were killed in the process as if you guys definitely behind it. You’re barbarians and bunch of animals and have no regard not only for other religion but for your own religion. We’re not against any Shiites and most of them are descent and hard working and intelligent people. We’re condeming hezbollah acts and behavior and they’re acting no different than the syrians, israelis. all seek the destruction of Lebanon. I am not saying or implying that Christians are better but we’re condeming the violance of the celebration and it have no place in our civil society. We certainly do not welcome it in general and most of all in Lebanon. But you’re seeking your own self destruction and Lebanon in the process. If you want to kill yourself go ahead do it, but not in my place damn it.

  10. jnoubi90 Avatar
    jnoubi90

    prophet i no wat u mean but disrespecting another persons relgion is wrong espically the situation were in now. i have no problem with christians. most of my friends are lebanese christians who are more than brothers to me. yea we joke around about whos religion is better but we NEVER disrespect each others religion. so ima listen to u and im gonna ignore them.

  11. Avatar
    Anonymous

    prophet i no wat u mean but disrespecting another persons relgion is wrong espically the situation were in now. i have no problem with christians. most of my friends are lebanese christians who are more than brothers to me. yea we joke around about whos religion is better but we NEVER disrespect each others religion. so ima listen to u and im gonna ignore them.

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