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Abstract: 'Ashura is an annual Shi'i ritual commemorating the death of Imam Husayn at the Battle of Karbala in AD 680. In Bahrain, the ritual runs for two weeks and involves processions with more than 100,000 participants. Bahrain is a small but ethno-sectarian heterogeneous island state, where a Sunni minority dominates a Shi'i majority. The religious ritual of 'Ashura therefore has deep political connotations, and a variety of analyses, aspirations, and actions are played out in the context of the ceremonies. This article discusses 'Ashura from the various viewpoints of participants and observers, thereby raising the question of the relationship between analysis and event. I argue that the ritual itself includes an interpretation of the relationship between the Sunni and Shi'i sects, and that this leads to a variety of reflections among Bahrainis on what 'Ashura is and should be.
Keywords: Bahrain, event analysis, Islam, politics, rituals, Shi'a, Sunni
'Ashura, an annual event in the Shi'i Muslim world, is devoted to commemorating the early Shi'i leader Imam Husayn and his death in the Battle of Karbala. This crucial event in the history of Islam took place on 10 Muharram (the first month in the Islamic Hijri calendar) in the year ah 61 (ad 680 in the Gregorian calendar). 'Ashura is therefore a double event: an event in the past and an event in the present. In this article I will discuss its contemporary manifestation and significance in the Arab Persian Gulf state of Bahrain, where 'Ashura continues to play an important role-socially, religiously, and politically. It was a key event during my fieldwork there in 2004 and 2008, when I discussed it with the many people who are involved in this annual remembrance.
This article examines the different ways in which various parties and participants view 'Ashura and how they perceive its significance in today's society. 'Ashura is a matter of ongoing debate in modern Bahrain, much of which is concerned with the trichotomy above: whether it is primarily a religious, political, or social event. This analysis presents various local viewpoints-especially shedding light on the discussion of religious and political issues-in order to discuss the broader significance of the event. As a contested interpretation of a crucial occurrence in Islamic history, 'Ashura brings into...