Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is one of the four sacred months of the year in which violence is prohibited.
On Muharram, Muslims mourn and commemorate the sacrifice of Hussain ibn Ali, grandson of Prophet Mohammad, who was killed in the battle of Karbala, the present Iraq.
The 10-day mourning period starts from first of Muharram and concludes on the Day of Ashura.
Shia muslims remember the sacrifice of their Imam by reading verses, known as Noha and Souz, in his memory.
On the Day of Ashura, replicas of the shrine of Imam Hussain, known as Tazias, are brought to Karbala from all corners of the city and buried as a mark of Imam Hussain’s martyrdom.
Muslims abjure all forms of celebration and wear black attires. People even display black flags on the tops of their houses to commemorate Hussain's sacrifice.
The word Muharram has been derived from the word 'haram' which means 'forbidden'.
source : http://abna.ir
