Communities across Iraq continue to uphold distinctive rituals in Ashura, blending faith and culture.

Karbala province

In Karbala province, the largest ceremonies unfold at the shrines of Imam Hussain(AS), who was killed along with his family and companions in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, where crowds pray, mourn, and distribute free food and water. Elsewhere across the province, smaller local observances persist. Each morning during the Islamic month of Muharram, residents set up mourning tents outside their homes and businesses, reciting religious poetry and retelling the Karbala narrative before returning to work, maintaining a balance between spiritual devotion and daily life.

Babil’s Al-Qasim district

In Babil’s Al-Qasim district, residents revived the centuries-old Torch-Raising Ceremony during the first ten days of Muharram. Young men paraded with flaming torches alongside large-scale public processions, known as Husseini marches, featuring rhythmic chest-beating (Latm), religious chants, and elegies recalling the Karbala tragedy.

They also performed Sword Drills — a martial display of choreographed blade movements symbolizing courage and unity, paying tribute to those who fought alongside Imam Hussein.

So far this week, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have arrived in Karbala through border crossings and via Najaf and Baghdad international airports. The total number of visitors is expected to exceed 20 million, consistent with previous years. The event ranks among the largest annual religious gatherings globally.

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