Harwala (ritual)

Harwala (ritual)

Performing Harwala ritual in Karbala
Time	During Mourning of Muharram, especially the Day of Ashura
Place	Mourning Hay'ats and Mourning procession, especially in Karbala
Symbolic Meaning	The hurried movement of the Banu Asad to bury the body of Imam al-Husayn (a)
Hymns and Litanies	Slogans such as Labbayk ya Husayn and Wā Husayna

Harwala (Arabic: هَرْوَلَة) is a ritual performed during the mourning of Imam al-Husayn (a) and is considered a type of mourning. This movement is a state between normal walking and running. In this ritual, mourners traverse a specific path with a Harwala-like motion while simultaneously performing recitation of elegies and Chest-beating.

One of the most prominent examples of this ritual is the Harwala of Tuwayrij, which is considered the largest mourning ceremony in the world. This ceremony is held annually on the Day of Ashura along a 20-kilometer route from the city of Tuwayrij to the Holy Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a) and mourners chant slogans such as "Labbayk ya Husayn" and "Wa Husayna" along the way. Its history is estimated to be over 300 years old, and it is regarded as a symbol of the hurried movement of the men of Banu Asad in the year 61/680 to bury the body of Imam al-Husayn (a) from Tuwayrij to Karbala.

Shi'a Marja's believe that Harwala during mourning is permissible provided it does not cause defamation of the school of thought, insult to the religion and does not exceed conventional bounds. However, from a fiqhī perspective, Harwala is only recommended in certain rituals of Hajj and 'Umra and performing it outside these rituals is not considered a religious recommendation.

According to Husayn Wahid Khorasani, Harwala in mourning might be regarded as a religious ritual and a sign of revering the symbols in some regions, while not being common in others. In the former case, performing it is correct.