Fayli Kurds in Baghdad mourn Imam Hussein in "Tashabeeh" processions

Shafaq News/ As the first ten days of the Islamic month of Muharram comes to a close, Baghdad has been awash in processions and gatherings to commemorate the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

The streets and alleyways of the Iraqi capital have echoed with Latmiyat, religious songs that lament the death of Imam and his companions. These songs are usually associated with the rhythmic beating of chests. The image becomes more ubiquitous in Baghdad as Ashura, the culmination of the mourning period, approaches. 

One of the most striking aspects of the Ashura commemorations in Baghdad is the "Tashabeeh" processions, in which actors reenact the 7th-century battle between Imam Hussein and a massive Ummayad army. 

These processions are particularly poignant in al-Kifah district of central Baghdad, an area that was once home to a large community of Fayli Kurdish Muslims.

The Faili Kurds were subjected to a brutal campaign of forced displacement and persecution by the former Iraqi regime in the 1980s, and their numbers in Baghdad have dwindled significantly since then.

Despite their reduced presence, the Fayli Kurds continue to play a prominent role in the Ashura commemorations in Baghdad, and their Tashabeeh processions are some of the most moving and powerful spectacles of the event.

Shiite Muslims believe that Ashura commemorations are a time to reflect on the sacrifices of Imam Hussein and his companions and to reaffirm their commitment to the values of justice, equality, and compassion.