Rocket Talk: When's the TTC Going to Roll Out More Fare Collection Methods?
Newsstand: November 9, 2009
The Daily Photoist: November 9, 2009
Elsewhere in the Ist-a-Verse
Urban Planner: November 9, 2009
A procession marking the Mourning of Muharram took place Sunday in Toronto. This annual event during Muharram—the first month of the Islamic calendar—marks the anniversary of the death of Husayn ibn Ali, an important Shia Imam. The particular part of the event captured in these photographs shows how devout men repeatedly strike their chests in remembrance of Imam Husayn and his suffering.
All photos by Miles Storey
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Was there anyone there doing matam? I've seen pictures of that and it is not for the slight of stomach.
Taken from Wikipedia:
Most Muslims, particularly Sunnis, believe that the Shia practice of mätam constitutes “Bidat” (change) and goes against the Quran and Islam.
Matam, or as it's sometimes spelt Matham, also refers to the beating of the chest. If you take a look at the sentence before the text of your quote you'll see it reads:
I have seen people being cut on their heads, by an imam, and then slapping their heads in a another Ashura ceremony in the middle east but I was too young to know what it was. It really made an impression on me though.
While the event I witnessed yesterday was certainly less bloody there was an equal amount of fervour and intensity. It was quite something to see.
I know but you already covered that in your article. I was curious about this aspect of matam because in one of your photos a man's chest looks a little bloodied and I thought maybe the were doing that.
They were only beating their chests, the bloodied area on that man's chest was just from that.
Where was this procession?
I should have mentioned that. I only saw the end of the procession, it was at the side of Nathan Phillips Square, in the underpass next to the courts building.
In the second picture, it looks like they're at a rave.
Indeedy. Looks like a shirtless night at the Babylon. Come out come all to this spectacular all-men event...