Achoura

Nabatiye, in southern Lebanon, is known as “the city of Imam Hussein.” Every year, on Ashura—the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar—the city hosts the darb procession, one of the country’s most striking Shia rituals. The name Ashura comes from the Arabic word “ashara,” meaning “ten.” This day is of great significance to Shiites: it commemorates the massacre of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions in Karbala, in present-day Iraq, in 680, by the Umayyad army commanded by Omar bin Saad, under the authority of Caliph Yazid I. The darb, or tatbir, involves cutting the scalp and then striking it rhythmically with the flat of the hand or a sword while marching, to draw blood as a tribute to the Imam.

Nabatiye is one of the few places in Lebanon where this practice continues. The fervor of the faithful and the bloodshed lend the event exceptional visual power. This is a visually intense subject that must be approached within its historical and religious context.

This report documents the procession in detail for newsrooms and photo editors covering Lebanon, Shi’ism, and the traditions of the Muslim world. Images alone, or images with text, are available for publication.

Click here for more images.

Text: Tarek Charara
Photos: Laurent Abad

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