Imam Al-Hussein mausoleum closed in Cairo for Ashura 'To prevent Shia celebrations', religious endowments ministry

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, OCTOBER 22 - The Egyptian Ministry for Religious Endowments (Waqf) has ordered the closing of the Imam Al-Hussein mausoleum in the Egyptian capital during the Ashura holiday. The decision was made to prevent Shia rituals from being celebrated in it during the holiday, which marks the tenth day of the holy month of Muharram on the Hejira calendar. A ministry statement noted that the mausoleum would be closed from Thursday until Saturday and that legal measures would be taken if any violations were to occur. Shia Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Hussein during Ashura. Hussein is their most revered imam and is thought to have been killed and beheaded in the seventh century in Kerbala.



The Kerbala massacre is at the origin of the break between the Sunni and Shia sects of the Muslim religion. The latter believe that Prophet Mohamed's grandson Hussein should have succeded him instead of Yazid. (ANSAmed).



