CAIRO: A number of Shia worshipers were arrested Monday after the al-Hussien mosque closed its doors in front of them after the sunset prayer. Around 1,000 worshipers head to the famous mosque to celebrate Ashoura, in which al-Hussien, the Prophet Mohamed's grandson was killed in Karbela, Iraq. It is a massive celebration that often sees self-flagellation of the body in a sign of faith and remembrance of the suffering inflicted on the Islamic leader in the 7th century. The worshipers in Cairo arrived shortly before noon in the first ever open celebration of Ashoura in the post-revolution Egypt. The state-run al-Ahram newspaper reported that some of the Shiite men clashed with the vendors outside the mosque, which brought the police to the scene. Bikyamasr.com could not independently verify this report. The celebration of the day comes as part of a bigger event for the rest of the Shia residing outside the capital, Cairo. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/ePnV9 Tags: Ashoura, Cairo, featured, Hussein, Shia Section: Egypt, Religion
