3,000 Shrines and 70,000 Servants Ready to Host Muharram Mourners Across Iran

IQNA – Over 3,000 shrines and 70,000 volunteers across Iran are prepared to host mourning ceremonies and cultural programs during the month of Muharram, an official said.

This is according to the Director-General of Cultural and Social Affairs at the Awqaf and Charity Affairs Organization, Reza Moa'mami-Moqaddam, who made the statement in an interview with IQNA.

“Imamzadeh shrines are not just destinations for pilgrimage,” he said, adding, “during Muharram, these sacred spaces transform into strongholds of culture, resistance, spiritual development, and mourning. With the active presence of the people, they become the beating heart of Ashura commemorations and the culture of Imam Hussein (AS).”

Moa'mami-Moqaddam emphasized the educational and cultural goals behind the organization’s Muharram programming. “This year, the shrines will do more than just hang black banners. They will come to life with a variety of programs designed for all generations,” he said.

These include initiatives such as booths offering answers to religious questions, Ashura-themed exhibitions, artistic installations, and open-air ta’ziyeh performances—traditional passion plays that recount the story of Karbala.

Among the new initiatives is the Children’s Hosseiniyah, a dedicated space where children can learn about the values of Ashura, the love of Ahl al-Bayt (AS), and the culture of sacrifice in an age-appropriate environment. “This is one of the key innovations for this year,” Ma'mami-Moqaddam noted. “It’s a gift to the future generation of Ashura.”

He also reported growing public interest in these activities. “Families, youth, and community-run mourning groups are all enthusiastically engaging with the programs,” he said. “In these days, the shrines become centers not only for mourning but also for education, spiritual insight, and meeting the intellectual needs of the public.”

According to Moa'mami-Moqaddam, the success of the initiative depends heavily on collaboration. “With the strong support of shrine trustees and both permanent and volunteer servants, we’ve aimed to create a vibrant, inspiring, and enlightening atmosphere—one where commemorating Imam Hussein (AS) is accompanied by cultural awareness and the promotion of religious knowledge.”

He noted that the activities and programs at the shrines will continue nationwide through the end of the month of Safar, the second month in the Islamic calendar, which follows Muharram.

Shia Muslims, and others around the world, commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) every year during Muharram.

The third Shia Imam (AS) and a group of his family and companions were martyred in Karbala on the 10th of Muharram (Ashura), 680 AD, by the army of Yazid bin Muawiya.

This year Ashura will be observed on Sunday July 6.

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