Freetown — Sierra Leone on Wednesday joined other nations around the world to observe Ashura day and commemorating the month of Muharram at the Sierra Leone international institute of Islamic studies, Wilkinson Road in Freetown.

The Ambassador of Iran to Sierra Leone, Dr. Nasrallah Maliki said the event marked the anniversary of the battle of Karbala when Imam Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the holy Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, and a Shia imam, were killed by the forces of the second Umayyad caliph Yazid I approximately October 20th 680 A.D. He said the day was very important, especially to Muslims, as it was a day of 'majalis', which mean gatherings to review Islamic teachings and commemorate imam Husayn's sacrifice for the sake of Islam to stand strong through out the world.

He added that the mourning reaches its climax on the tenth day knows as Ashura, on which the forces of Yazid killed the 72 individuals who fought, including Husayn and his family and supporters. The women and children left living were made prisoners and transported to Yazid's court in Damascus, he said.

Mr. Ghazusofla, Iran's Cultural Chancellor called on all Muslims to fellow the footsteps of the holy prophet Mohammed by obeying all the rules, regulations, and observe the sunna and practices of the religion.