Tuwairij Mourning: Difference between revisions

'''Tuwairij Mourning''' is an annual [[mourning]] ceremony held by people of Tuwairij (al-Hindiya). They embark on a journey from their city to the [[Shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a)]] on the [[Day of Ashura']]. The ceremony is often done through jogging. The mourners travel the twenty kilometers of distance between Tuwairij and Karbala on foot, while grieving over Imam al-Husayn's tragedy.

[[Sayyid Salih al-Qazwini]] (d. 1304/1887) is credited as the first person to incorporate jogging into the Tuwairij mourning processions. However, this form of mourning in Tuwairij is said to date back to over 300 years ago as reminiscent of the men from [[Banu Asad]] from Tuwairij in [[61 AH|61]]/680 who jogged from Tuwairij towards Karbala in order to bury [[Imam al-Husayn]]’s (a) corpse.

The Tuwairij mourning ceremony is widely regarded as the largest commemoration of Imam al-Husayn (a) on the Day of Ashura' throughout the world.

The Tuwairij mourning ceremony is widely recognized as the largest commemoration of Imam al-Husayn (a) on the [[Day of Ashura']] globally.<ref>[https://imamhussain.org/persian/10823 A look at the Tuwairij mourning ceremony, the biggest mourning ceremony of Imam al-Hossein (a) in the world (Persian).]</ref> In addition, it is considered to be the largest human gathering worldwide.<ref>[https://imamhussain.org/persian/news/33208 The biggest mourning ceremony in the world on the day of martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a) in Karbala (Persian).]</ref> Since [[Saddam|Saddam's regime]] was toppled, millions of participants from [[Iraq]] and other countries, predominantly [[Iran|Iranians]], take part in the Tuwairij mourning ceremony.<ref>[https://www.irna.ir/news/84020924/%D8%A2%DB%8C%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%B7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AC-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D8%AF The Tuwairij mourning ceremony was held in Karbala (Persian).]</ref>

The Tuwairij mourning processions commence in the morning of the Day of Ashura, originating from the city of Tuwairij, situated 20 kilometers away from [[Karbala]]. The procession heads towards the shrine of [[Imam al-Husayn (a). Prior to noon, the participants halt at Qantarat al-Salam, which is approximately two kilometers away from Karbala, where they perform [[Zuhr Prayer|noon]] and [[Asr Prayer|afternoon prayers]]. While en route, other individuals and caravans also join in to accompany them to Karbala. Upon reaching Karbala, the mourning procession first enters the tenting ground ([[al-Mukhayyam]]) before proceeding inside the shrines of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] and [[Holy Shrine of al-Abbas (a)|'Abbas (a)]].<ref>[https://imamhussain.org/persian/10823 A look at the Tuwairij mourning ceremony, the biggest mourning ceremony of Imam al-Hossein in the world (Persian).]</ref>

[[Sayyid Salih al-Qazwini]] is credited with introducing the Tuwairij processions in the form of jogging, according to some sources. For two years during the [[Muharram month]], he turned his home into a place of mourning for Imam al-Husayn (a). On the Day of Ashura, Sayyid Salih recited [[Al-Luhuf ala qatla l-tufuf (book)|Sayyid b. Tawus's Maqtal]] (the story of Imam al-Husayn's martyrdom) while tens of thousands of people participated. After having breakfast, they walked towards Karbala<ref>Qazwīnī and Riḍāyī, ''Mawkib-i ʿazādārī-yi Ṭuwayrīj wa naqsh-i Sayyid Ṣāliḥ Ḥusaynī Qazwīnī dar iḥyāʾ wa tadāwum-i ān'', p. 2-3.</ref> and arrived at Bab al-Tuwairij (an entry gate of the city of Karbala), where they performed the noon prayer before carrying out the ceremony of Rakdat al-Tuwairij towards the shrines of Imam al-Husayn (a) and 'Abbas (a).<ref>[https://www.irna.ir/news/84020924/%D8%A2%DB%8C%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%B7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AC-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B4%D8%AF The Tuwairij mourning ceremony was held in Karbala (Persian).]</ref> One hour after noon, which is the exact time when Imam al-Husayn was martyred, the pilgrims entered Karbala barefooted, while Sayyid Salih rode on horseback among thousands of pilgrims. Following Sayyid Salih's passing in 1304/1887, his children continued the tradition of leading the procession. From then until the last decade of the fourteenth century AH, the caravan of Tuwairij was led by Sayyid Salih's descendants.<ref>Qazwīnī and Riḍāyī, ''Mawkib-i ʿazādārī-yi Ṭuwayrīj wa naqsh-i Sayyid Ṣāliḥ Ḥusaynī Qazwīnī dar iḥyāʾ wa tadāwum-i ān'', p. 2-3.</ref>

According to [[Sayyid Mahdi Bahr al-'Ulum]] (d. 1212/1798), there is a well-known story of [[Imam al-Mahdi (a)]] participating in Tuwairiji processions. The book ''Imam Zaman wa-Sayyid Bahr al-'Ulum'' states that in 1333/1914-5, a Shiite scholar in [[Najaf]] mentioned that he participated in the Tuwairij mourning ceremony because 'Allama Bahr al-'Ulum had done so before him. Bahr al-'Ulum even took off his shirt, following the tradition of other chest-beaters. When asked about his action, he explained that he had seen the Twelfth Shi'a Imam (a) within the procession.<ref>Rafiʿī, ''Imām Zamān wa Sayyid Baḥr al-ʿUlūm'', p. 194-197.</ref> This tale has been recorded in multiple sources.<ref>[https://imamhussain.org/persian/10823 A look at the Tuwairij mourning ceremony, the biggest mourning ceremony of Imam al-Hossein (a) in the world (Persian).]</ref>

The author of the book ''Tarikh al-niyaha'' (written in the fourteenth century AH) believes that Bahr al-'Ulum saw Imam al-Mahdi (a) in Tuwairiji processions in his dream.<ref>Shahristānī, ''Tārīkh al-nīyāha'', p. 45.</ref>

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