Forgive the tardiness, ModBloggers, but your editor has thrown out his stupid shitty back and has been laid up on the couch in substantial pain for the past 15 hours or so, because he is the oldest man alive. Please accept, as penance, this intense series of photos from Chris of Shi’a Muslims in Nabatiyya, Lebanon, participating in traditional rites in observance of Ashura, the “holiest day of the Shiite Muslim calendar.” According to Chris (and Wikipedia!), it “marks the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.” Apparently, this sort of bloodletting (which the men are doing to themselves with those large machetes*) is frowned upon by some Muslim clerics, but…well, not all of them, I guess. More photos after the jump.
*Says Chris: “They actually cut their scalps with straight razors and chant with the machetes. Only the really hard-core guys cut themselves with the machetes (and chains).”
See more in “Cultural Rituals“ (Culture)
Comments
207 responses to “Electric Relaxation”
@Aly
clearly, you didn’t grow up in a strongly religious family, the courage that it can take to come out and say that you don’t believe in god can require such strength. there are areas where atheism is considered akin to insanity. but if you want to believe in god, that’s cool with me.
Clearly I should look elsewhere if I actually want more info about the ritual….
Clearly I should look elsewhere if I actually want more info about the ritual….
Clearly I should look elsewhere if I actually want more info about the ritual….
@almost everyone
especially some people out there, who jumped the moment they saw “muslim” written all over the article to make referencre to some other sh*t that’s going on in the world. Shame on you.
Muslim DOES NOT equal terrorist, i quote Will “But I prefer to see these Muslims drawing their own blood rather than the blood of others”, for f*ck’s sake. As far as I’m concerned, I’m a muslim and so far in my life I have witness greater terrorism against me, my country and my people than muslim against you. so SHUT UP.
I am not religious. However, I have witnessed this ritual many times in my life knowing that I come from a place in Lebanon concentrated with shia muslims. It is pretty impressive and the cause behind it is beautiful, because not only does it refer to the betrayal of Husayn but also expresses today’s betrayal of the muslim world (and especially of Shias)..
Peace.
@almost everyone
especially some people out there, who jumped the moment they saw “muslim” written all over the article to make referencre to some other sh*t that’s going on in the world. Shame on you.
Muslim DOES NOT equal terrorist, i quote Will “But I prefer to see these Muslims drawing their own blood rather than the blood of others”, for f*ck’s sake. As far as I’m concerned, I’m a muslim and so far in my life I have witness greater terrorism against me, my country and my people than muslim against you. so SHUT UP.
I am not religious. However, I have witnessed this ritual many times in my life knowing that I come from a place in Lebanon concentrated with shia muslims. It is pretty impressive and the cause behind it is beautiful, because not only does it refer to the betrayal of Husayn but also expresses today’s betrayal of the muslim world (and especially of Shias)..
Peace.
@almost everyone
especially some people out there, who jumped the moment they saw “muslim” written all over the article to make referencre to some other sh*t that’s going on in the world. Shame on you.
Muslim DOES NOT equal terrorist, i quote Will “But I prefer to see these Muslims drawing their own blood rather than the blood of others”, for f*ck’s sake. As far as I’m concerned, I’m a muslim and so far in my life I have witness greater terrorism against me, my country and my people than muslim against you. so SHUT UP.
I am not religious. However, I have witnessed this ritual many times in my life knowing that I come from a place in Lebanon concentrated with shia muslims. It is pretty impressive and the cause behind it is beautiful, because not only does it refer to the betrayal of Husayn but also expresses today’s betrayal of the muslim world (and especially of Shias)..
Peace.