Total:44
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2025-08-24 16:43
Isfahan, birthplace of Alam making, one of Iran's ritual crafts
TEHRAN—Isfahan is the origin of one of Iran’s ritual crafts: Alam making. Processional Standards (Alams) are used in many parts of the Muslim world by the Shia community in processions marking the martyrdom of Imam Husain (A.S.), grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who died at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
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2025-08-16 17:42
Mashhad is to host over 6.5 million pilgrims, governor-general says
TEHRAN – Mashhad, Iran’s holiest city, is expected to host between 6.5 million and 7 million pilgrims during the last ten days of the Islamic lunar month of Safar, the governor-general of Khorasan Razavi province said.
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2025-07-07 15:56
Muharram rituals: thousands of pilgrims walk to Imam Reza shrine
TEHRAN – Around 7,000 pilgrims traveled on foot to the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad to commemorate Tasu’a and Ashura, two of the most significant days in the Islamic calendar, at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam.
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2025/02/13
In his name the most high
”The Last Era for the Pious men”
”We are not negligent of your affairs and are not forgetful of your remembrance. Had it been so, then terrible calamities would have struck you and your enemies would have destroyed you. Fear Allah and strengthen your hands so that He may relieve you of the tribulations that have afflicted you.” (Imam Mahdi (A.S.) quotation from Baharul-Anvar, Vole 53, Chap.21)
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2025-01-31 17:38
Ways to facilitate Mashhad pilgrimage discussed for Pakistani travelers
TEHRAN - A recent business-to-business (B2B) meeting between a tourism delegation from Iran and officials from Pakistan’s Department of Culture and Tourism, Government of Sindh, focused on facilitating travel for Pakistani pilgrims to Mashhad.
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2025-01-04 21:57
Ayatollah Khamenei urges increased focus on Imams Jawad, Hadi, and Askari in literature and art
TEHRAN – During a meeting on Saturday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei highlighted the importance of Imam Jawad (AS), Imam Hadi (AS), and Imam Askari (AS) in the history of Islam.
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2024-11-24 22:33
By Shahrokh Saei
Parachinar faces “genocide and terrorism”
Dozens of Shia Muslims in Pakistan's northwest have been killed by extremist groups
TEHRAN - The plight and sufferings of Shia Muslims in Pakistan’s restive northwest have come to the fore in the wake of the recent deadly attacks in the region.
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2024-09-08 17:38
Efforts underway for UNESCO registration of Varamin’s 14th-century mosque
TEHRAN - The head of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Office of Varamin county has announced the preparation of a dossier for the Jameh Mosque of Varamin to seek UNESCO World Heritage status.
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2024-09-04 13:27
Over 400,000 pilgrims expected to walk to Imam Reza shrine for martyrdom anniversary
TEHRAN - Today marks the 30th day of the lunar month of Safar, commemorated as the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam. In observance of this solemn occasion, a significant number of pilgrims have embarked on a spiritual journey on foot to his holy shrine in Mashhad.
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2024-09-02 17:59
Shiraz citadel hosts intl. mourning festival with enthusiastic reception
TEHRAN - Arg-e Karim Khan, the iconic citadel in Shiraz, has commenced an international mourning heritage festival, a four-night event celebrating global mourning rituals.
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2024-09-02 11:28
By Afshin Majlesi
Echoes of devotion: Iran’s mourning traditions for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Imam Hassan (AS)
In Iran, the 28th of Safar, the second month of the lunar Hijri calendar, is a deeply significant day of mourning for Muslims. It is marked by rich observances and cultural practices that vary across different regions of the country.
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2024-08-13 17:55
Tehran festival delves into Arbaeen heritage among nations
TEHRAN – The first international event dedicated to Arbaeen heritage took place in Tehran, bringing together scholars, researchers, and experts to explore the cultural and historical significance of the religious occasion which marks the culmination of 40 days of mourning for Imam Hussain (AS), the third Shia Imam.
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2024-08-05 18:00
4.5m Iranians expected to attend Arbaeen pilgrimage
TEHRAN - Over 4.5 million Iranian pilgrims have been estimated to attend this year’s Arbaeen pilgrimage destined for the holy city of Karbala, an official said on Monday.
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2024-07-19 17:19
Discover spiritual serenity of Bibi Hakimeh mausoleum
TEHRAN - Nestled deep within the rugged Zagros Mountains, the mausoleum of Imamzadeh Bibi Hakimeh, attracts domestic visitors and pilgrims from countries like Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria.
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2024-07-19 17:07
482 foreign travelers attend Muharram rituals in Yazd province
TEHRAN - A total of 482 foreign travelers attended Muharram's mourning rituals in their visits to Yazd province during the first ten days of the lunar month, which ended on the day of Ashura (July 16).
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2024-07-16 17:29
Special Exhibition at National Museum celebrates Muharram symbols
TEHRAN- The National Museum of Iran has unveiled the exhibition, “Alam and Tuq: Symbols and Allegory of Muharram,” in honor of the Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which was martyred on the tenth day of the lunar month in 680 CE.
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2024-07-16 16:48
Flames of faith: the enduring Muharram ritual of Mashal Gardani
TEHRAN - Mashal Gardani, or the “rolling of the torch,” is an annual religious event deeply embedded in the cultural and spiritual fabric of parts of Iran and Iraq. This profound ritual is one of the many shared heritages between the two nations, reflecting the enduring legacy of their historical and religious ties.
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2024-07-07 17:47
Echoes of Karbala: Glimpses of Muharram mourning rituals
TEHRAN – Every Muharram, hundreds of foreign nationals flock to Iran to experience its profound mourning traditions firsthand despite the language barrier.
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2024-01-02 17:50
Sunni lawmakers laud cultural coexistence, minister’s efforts for inclusivity
TEHRAN - A recent gesture from a group of Sunni lawmakers in the Iranian Parliament has highlighted Iran’s long-standing legacy of ethnic and religious coexistence.
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2023-09-15 14:27
Hojjatieh, a prominent seminary in Qom, undergoes restoration
TEHRAN—Work has commenced to restore Hojjatieh madrasa, which is a prominent seminary in Qom.
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2023-09-09 18:19
Yazd welcomes foreign visitors for Arbaeen commemoration
TEHRAN—A number of foreign travelers to Yazd have visited mourning ceremonies held in the 12th-century Friday Mosque of the oasis city.
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2023-09-06 23:28
Arbaeen pilgrimage: Iran thanks Iraq for hospitality
TEHRAN —Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Tuesday thanked his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein for great deal of efforts to host millions of Iranian pilgrims who join Arabeen procession.
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2023-09-04 18:23
By Afshin Majlesi
Arbaeen pilgrimage: A journey of faith and unity
TEHRAN—Once again, the world’s largest annual religious gathering is in full swing to convey a message of truth, peace, culture, and revolution against oppression inspired by the third Shia Imam (AS).
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2023-09-03 18:17
Mashhad expects travel boom as Iran relaxes COVID rules
TEHRAN—The number of foreign arrivals in Mashhad is expected to double during the last ten days of Safar, the second month of the lunar Islamic calendar in which Shia Muslims hold special mourning services.
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2023-08-27 18:19
Mashhad: unforgettable adventures await in northeast Iran
TEHRAN - If you are a traveler seeking a destination that smoothly blends religious, cultural heritage, and natural beauty, Mashhad may be a great choice.
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2023-08-14 21:00
Takht-e Foulad: night tours offer cooler way to enjoy Isfahan site
TEHRAN—Takht-e Foulad, a historical site in Isfahan, has extended its visiting hours and introduced night-tour products, allowing visitors to rediscover the second-largest cemetery in the Shia world.
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2023-08-08 18:23
Iraq to issue special permits for Iranian pilgrims having no passports
TEHRAN – Iraq considers issuing special permits for Iranian travelers having no passports to enter the neighboring country for the Arbaeen pilgrimage.
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2023-07-31 19:12
Mashhad registers some four million overnight stays in Q1
TEHRAN – Mashhad, a prime destination for Shia pilgrims and medical travelers in northeast Iran, has recorded some four million overnight stays, mainly by domestic travelers, in the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 21).
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2023-07-24 19:12
Craftspeople hold group exhibit in commemoration of Ashura
TEHRAN – A collection of special handicrafts dedicated to Ashura, which for Shia Muslims, is a solemn day of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) and 72 of his loyal companions, is on display at the group exhibition in Tehran.
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2023-07-23 18:43
Foreign travelers in Yazd attend Muharram mourning rituals
TEHRAN – This year, like years before, some foreign travelers in Yazd attend Muharram mourning rituals, in which the locals commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) and his loyal companions, slain in 680 CE at Karbala in modern-day Iraq.