Ashura Ceremony

Tehran, Iran: Islamic Republic banknotes with picture of Ayatollah Khomeini on them, are pinned on a dummy coffin carried by mourners with a shield placed on a poster of Hussein, in a re-enactment act of The Day of Ashura which is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram, in south Tehran. The day is commemorated by the Shi�a as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH. This day is of particular significance to Shi'a Muslims, who consider Hussein (the grandson of the Prophet) Ahl al-Bayt the third Imam and the rightful successor of Muhammad. Sunni Muslims believe that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberation of Israelites from Egypt. (Photo by Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images)