Muharram is considered to be the first month in the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar is 11 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian (Standard U.S.) calendar, which causes certain Islamic events like celebrations of a happy day such as Eid, grievances for the death of a holy figure, and the holy month of Ramadhan happen to fall on different dates each year. In reality, they happen on the same day each year, but because of the difference in days between the Islamic and the Gregorian calendar people use, these changes in dates occur. This year, The Mourning of Muharram started in mid October and ended in mid November. But these changes in dates do not stop Muslims from observing this important month as Muslims everywhere have learned to cope and adjust to the differing dates every year.

During the month of Muharram, millions of Shia Muslims around the world hold mourning ceremonies as a way to commemorate and remember the holy people who had sacrificed themselves during this time in the name of justice and Islam. One of those people is Imam Hussein, one of the grandsons of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). Him and his companions were martyred in the battle of Karbala, which is located in present-day southern Iraq. The occurrence happened in 680 AD after fighting bravely and gallantly for justice against the Umayyad Caliph, Yazid I, who had a much larger army. Tasu’a, which is known as the Day of Loyalty and Resistance is dedicated to Imam Hussein’s half-brother, Abbas ibn Ali, because of his valuable sacrifices in the Battle of Karbala, as well. As a result, every year, Muslims take time to grieve and appreciate the sacrifices that they made in order to keep other Muslims safe and alive.