A small number of #Shia Muslims around the world have been commemorating #Ashura by tearing their own flesh to shreds. A #ritual of self-flagellation is carried out by some Shia men, in which they beat their own backs with sticks and chains, often causing wounds that require medical treatment. For Shia Muslims, Ashura marks the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala. It’s a day of mourning and joyous events like weddings and parties are avoided. Self-flagellation is one of five rituals that have evolved around Ashura and is, without doubt, the most painful of those.
Shia Muslims commemorate Ashura by tearing their own flesh to shreds
