Tonight has been a little noisy.
On my way to the grocery store tonight I noticed several large gatherings going on. There are several places north of town where outdoor events often take place.
On my way home after sunset I started hearing fireworks and wondered if there was a holiday.
I checked my phone when I got home to see what special days might be observed this weekend. I didn’t find anything, but when I looked at my calendar found that Ashura starts on Sunday at sundown.
I wondered what Ashura was.
I had noticed that there were a lot of cars parked on the road near a mosque north of town so checked to see if this was related.
Ashura is an important Islamic holy day which commemorates the Battle of Karbala and is a time of mourning for Shia Muslims. Ashura is on the 10th of Muharram which is the first month of the Islamic Calendar. The time of mourning started on the 1st and many gatherings take place in the following weeks.
Ashura also marks the parting of the Red Sea by Moses.
It was interesting to read some of the history of this event.
Steven
Braman's Wanderings 