Mumbai: The All India Shia Personal Law Board has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appealing for security arrangements and necessary administrative preparations during the upcoming Muharram.
The Board has requested the Prime Minister to issue instructions to all states to ensure peaceful and organised processions and gatherings during Muharram.
Chairman Maulana Saeem Mehdi Naqvi and national general secretary, Maulana Yasoob Abbas, highlighted the significance of Muharram, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, prophet Muhammad's grandson, and his 72 companions, including a six-month-old child, who died in a struggle for control of the Muslim community (called the caliph) after the death of the prophet. During Muharram, Shias carry taziyas, or replicas of the martyrs' mausoleums at Karbala, Iraq.
Abbas emphasised that Muharram is observed not only by the Shia community but also by people of other faiths, including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians. Muharram is a message of struggle against oppression and a call for peace, justice, and humanity, said Abbas.
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This year, the month of Muharram begins on June 27, 2025, and approximately six to seven crore Shia Muslims across the country will observe this occasion with processions, gatherings, and mourning ceremonies.
The Board has requested permission for processions to follow traditional routes, security arrangements, repair of damaged roads, sanitation arrangements, provision of water tanks and sprinklers to combat heat, and precautions to prevent electrocution of taziya processionsfrom high-voltage wires.
The Board has also appealed for administrative support and security arrangements for night-long gatherings and mourning ceremonies, especially for the elderly, children, and youth.
