La celebración tiene lugar el décimo día del primer mes del calendario lunar islámico. Recuerda los acontecimientos que desencadenaron la división del islam entre Chiíes y Suníes en el año 61 de la Hégira.
YANGON, BURMA - NOVEMBER 04: A Shi'ite Muslim man cleans himself after the self-flagellation ritual during Ashura on November 4, 2014 in Yangon, Burma. Ashura is a Shi'ite Muslim commemoration of the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad. Ashura is on the tenth day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)Lauren DeCicca (Getty Images)LB01 RANGÚN (BIRMANIA) 04/11/2014.- Un joven sostiene su mano ensangrentada en el aire durante las celebraciones del Ashura en Rangún (Birmania) hoy, martes 4 de noviembre de 2014. El ashura se celebra en el décimo día del mes de muharram, el primer mes del calendario islámico cuando tienen lugar las jornadas más festivas para los chiíes. EFE/Lynn Bo BoLYNN BO BO (EFE)LB03 RANGÚN (BIRMANIA) 04/11/2014.- Un joven permanece entre varios hombres que se flagelan durante la celebración del Ashura en Rangún (Birmania) hoy, martes 4 de noviembre de 2014. El ashura se celebra en el décimo día del mes de muharram, el primer mes del calendario islámico cuando tienen lugar las jornadas más festivas para los chiíes. EFE/Lynn Bo BoLYNN BO BO (EFE)LB04 RANGÚN (BIRMANIA) 04/11/2014.- Un grupo de niñas asisten a las celebraciones del Ashura en Rangún (Birmania) hoy, martes 4 de noviembre de 2014. El ashura se celebra en el décimo día del mes de muharram, el primer mes del calendario islámico cuando tienen lugar las jornadas más festivas para los chiíes. EFE/Lynn Bo BoLYNN BO BO (EFE)YANGON, BURMA - NOVEMBER 03: Shi'ite Muslim boys do a fire walk during the second night of Ashura, a commemoration involving running over fiery coals to mourn the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad on November 3, 2014 in Yangon, Burma. Ashura is on the tenth day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)Lauren DeCicca (Getty Images)YANGON, BURMA - NOVEMBER 04: Shi'ite Muslim men participate in Ashura, a commemoration involving self-flagellation to mourn the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad on November 4, 2014 in Yangon, Burma. Ashura is on the tenth day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)Lauren DeCicca (Getty Images)A Myanmar Shiite Muslim man washes the blades after flagellating himself during a procession ahead of the Ashura festival at a mosque in Yangon on November 4, 2014. Ashura marks the peak of 10 days of mourning for the death of Imam Hussein, one of the most revered figures in Shiite Islam. AFP PHOTO / Ye Aung THUYe Aung Thu (AFP)Iraqi Shiite Muslims gather in front of the shrine of Imam Hussein -one of Shiite Islam's most revered figures- during the Ashura commemorations that mark his killing on November 4, 2014 in the central city of Karbala 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad. Hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims packed the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala Tuesday, braving the threat of jihadist attack to mark one of the holiest days of their faith. AFP PHOTO /MOHAMMED SAWAFMOHAMMED SAWAF (AFP)KAB02. KABUL (AFGANISTÁN), 03/11/14.- Musulmanes chiitas asisten hoy, 3 de noviembre de 2014, a la conmemoración del Día de Ashura en Kabul (Afganistán). EFE/HEDAYATULLAH AMIDHEDAYATULLAH AMID (EFE)TOPSHOTS Shiite Muslims take part in a traditional mourning event to mark Ashura in the northern Iraqi holy city of Najaf on November 3, 2014. Ashura mourns the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, who was killed by armies of the Yazid near Karbala in 680 AD. A AFP PHOTO / HAIDAR HAMDANIHAIDAR HAMDANI (AFP)YANGON, BURMA - NOVEMBER 04: Shi'ite Muslim men participate in Ashura, a commemoration involving self-flagellation to mourn the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad on November 4, 2014 in Yangon, Burma. Ashura is on the tenth day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)Lauren DeCicca (Getty Images)Shi'ite Muslims perform with fire during commemorations Ashura in Najaf, November 3, 2014. Ashoura, which falls on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram, commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of Prophet Mohammad, who was killed in the seventh century battle of Kerbala. REUTERS/ Alaa Al-Marjani (IRAQ - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY)STRINGER/IRAQ (REUTERS)A picture taken on November 3, 2014 shows the shrines of Shiite Muslim Imam Hussein (front) and Imam Abbas (background) in the central city of Karbala 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad. Millions of Shiite Muslims pilgrims will pour into the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala for the peak of commemorations for Ashura which commemorates the 7th century killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed, in the Battle of Karbala. AFP PHOTO / MOHAMMED SAWAFMOHAMMED SAWAF (AFP)