What is the Islamic occasion of Ashura?

When is it?  According to the hijri calendar, Ashura falls on the 10th day of Muharram. This year, according to the Gregorian calendar, it falls on Friday, October 23.

What does it mark? It marks the day that Moses was freed from the Pharaohs. It also commemorates the day Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) grandson, Imam Hussein, was murdered.

What is done?  Some Muslims fast on this day but it is not obligatory.

Is it a Public Holiday? No. It is not a public holiday in the UAE. Some countries, including India, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Oman have made it a national holiday.

How do Muslims celebrate it? Muslims in some countries such as Egypt, Morocco, and Turkey associate some customs with ‘Ashura Day’ such as cooking and eating certain foods. Muslims in other countries like Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, and Oman commemorate this day as a grieving and mourning occasion. With the UAE being a melting pot of many nationalities, Ashura is celebrated in many ways here.