The Iranian Ta'zieh, or passion play, is a unique dramatic expression within Islamic culture, occurring during the annual ten day mourning period observed by the Shi'yah sect during Muharram, the first month of the Muslim lunar calendar.

The mourning commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBAH). Although the entire Muslim world grieves for the death of Imam Hussein, mourning accompanied by extensive ritual such as processions, Ta'ziehs, and self-flagellation is peculiar to the Shi'yah sect and enjoys its most elaborate expression in Iran. 

The Ta'zieh tradition (dramatized version of the martyrdom of Hussein) represents the final phase in a long history of commemorative mourning rituals which began in the middle of the tenth century in Baghdad. This first Muharram mourning festival consisted of Shi'yah participants who, with faces painted black and hair disheveled, processed through the city wailing songs of lament and beating their chest. Although mourning processions enjoyed general usage among the scattered pockets of Shi'yah population in the Middle East, it was the sixteenth-century reestablishment of Persia as a nation (rather than a province of the Muslim empire) and its adoption of Shi'ism as the official religion which introduced the next element and caused the Iranian development of the Muharram rituals to outstrip all others.

The new element consisted of elegiac recitations of the passion of Hussein and its addition produced the second phase. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the processions and recitations in Iran had developed a tradition of symbols and conventions rich and complex enough to result in the birth of Ta'zieh, the third phase of the mourning rituals. However, the impetus for and the focus of this eight-century tradition of mourning rituals which finally produced the Ta'zieh in Iran lies in the historic events which took place in Arabia and what is now Syria and Iraq during the latter half of the seventh century. 

In 1502, the Safavid dynasty established itself as the ruling power of a new Persian empire, which was separate and independent of Arab rule and the Islamic Caliphate system, and declared Shi'ism the official religion of the new nation. 

Thus, the Shi'yah sect and Persian nationalism officially were bound together. Muharram ceremonies in Iran flourished under Safavid patronage and encouragement. 

Additionally, court poets, who had previously maintained favor by praising their royal patrons, were encouraged to concentrate their literary efforts to elevate their narration of the tragedy of Karbala.

Thus these recitation sessions, called Rowzeh-khani, became an additional feature of the Muharram ceremonies in Iran. Keeping pace with the development of a narrative, elegiac tradition, the processions continued to accumulate further elements.

Symbols of the tragedy such as riderless horses and coffins were added, followed by the inclusion of mourners dressed to represent the martyrs. Tableaux representing key events became a standard feature and by 1704 the tableaux were organized in chronological order with respect to the events they represented.

Both traditions were designed to arouse a profoundly emotional response from the audience/participants which often found release in varying degrees of self-flagellation. 

The ritual mourning not only functioned as an annual reaffirmation of Shi'yah belief as separate from Sunni orthodoxy, but to reaffirm Persian identity as separate from

Arab dominance, and thus also reaffirmed the importance of the Safavid dynasty.

The Safavid dynasty disintegrated, however, during the first quarter of the eighteenth century and it was not until 1786 that another strong Persian dynasty, the Qajar, established itself. Interestingly enough, at this very time the two parallel traditions of the processions and recitations seemed finally to merge and produce the actual dramatic representation of tragedy at Karbala.

The first mention of a permanent structure (Takiyah Khana) specifically built to house the mourning rituals is also from this time. During the next century the Ta'zieh reached its fullest development under the Qajar rulers and attained its zenith during the reign of Nasir-al-din Shah. This Qajar ruler was responsible for the construction of Takiyah-I Dawlat (the Takiyah of the State), modeled after London's Albert Hall and capable of housing three thousand spectators. This expensive structure exemplified the height of state support for the Ta'zieh performance tradition. The performances, as described by Western visitors during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, were ostentatiously lavish.

When the Pahlavi dynasty established its control during the early part of the twentieth century, however, the attitude toward the Muharram rituals changed and officially discouraged, the Ta'zieh declined and was finally banished in 1932.

The desire to separate the close relationship between church and state and the attempt to thrust Iran into the mainstream of the present century are probably related factors with respect to the Pahlavi attitude. 

Today, the method of holding Ta’zieh sessions has changed to some extent. No longer is Ta’zieh held in streets. The implications of modern life necessitate that Ta’zieh is held regularly at special venues. Moreover, the national TV broadcasts programs on Ta’zieh to keep alive the interest of viewers, but a live performance affects the audience more deeply.

Furthermore some people and private sponsors are regarding Ta’zieh mostly for fulfilling their ‘nazr’ (wherein a Muslim vows to do something in exchange for Allah fulfilling his/her wish). So one may have a nazr to hold a Ta’zieh performance, but in this case its artistic aspects are not taken into account. Private sponsors do not have any plans for systematically supporting Ta’zieh. They are not aware of the harm that may be done to Ta’zieh and this is a duty of the veterans and those who are more familiar with Ta’zieh to safeguard it for future generations.