8. The Muharram celebration takes its name from the first month of
the Muhammadan year, during which it takes place. Ali, the cousin of
Muhammad, was married to the prophet's daughter Fatima, and,
according to the Shia sect, must be regarded as the lawful successor
of Muhammad, who died in June, A.D. 632. But, as a matter of fact,
Omar, Abu Bakr, and Othman (Usman) in turn succeeded to the
Khalifate, and Ali did not take possession of the office till A.D.
655. After five and a half years' reign he was assassinated in
January, A.D. 661, and his son Hasan, who for a few months had held
the vacant office, was poisoned in A.D. 670. Husain, the younger son
of Ali, strove to assert his rights by force of arms, but was slain
on the tenth day of the month Muharram (10th October, A.D. 680) in a
great battle fought at Karbala near the Euphrates. These events are
commemorated yearly by noisy funeral processions. Properly, the
proceedings ought to be altogether mournful, and confined to the Shia
sect, but in practice, Sunni Muhammadans, and even Hindoos, take part
in the ceremonies, which are regarded by many of the populace as no
more solemn than a Lord Mayor's show.
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