The first 'Ashura mourning and Ghadir festival in Baghdad

أول مأتم عاشوراء وعيد غدير ببغداد

c. 963 CE · 352 AH

In 351 the Shi'a of Baghdad wrote on the mosque doors curses on Mu'awiya, on those who seized Fatima's Fadak, who kept al-Hasan from burial beside his grandfather, who exiled Abu Dharr; it was erased by night, and vizier al-Muhallabi advised Mu'izz al-Dawla to substitute 'God curse the wrongdoers of the Prophet ﷺ's house' — only Mu'awiya's cursing stayed explicit. On Ashura 352 Mu'izz compelled the markets shut, forbade cooking, set up mourning domes hung with sackcloth, and brought out dishevelled women beating their cheeks — the first Husayn lamentation at Baghdad, a practice that lasted years, and on 18 Dhu'l-Hijja the Ghadir Khumm festival was made with drums 1.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Early Abbasid Caliphate
Region
Levant & Iraq
Review
Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

In time

950960970980 c.
The Buyid, Fatimid and Seljuk Era

Overview

Al-Suyuti, in "History of the Caliphs", reports that the Shi'a in Baghdad wrote in 351 AH on the doors of the mosques a curse on Mu'awiya, a curse on whoever seized Fatima's Fadak, on whoever prevented al-Hasan from being buried beside his grandfather, and on whoever banished Abu Dharr. It was wiped off at night. 2

The vizier's advice

Mu'izz al-Dawla wanted to restore what had been written, but the vizier al-Muhallabi advised him to write in place of what had been wiped out the phrase "God curse the wrongdoers against the family of the Messenger of God". Al-Suyuti says that they openly cursed Mu'awiya alone. 2

Ashura and Ghadir Khumm

In 352 AH, on the day of Ashura, Mu'izz al-Dawla required the people to close the markets and forbade the cooks from cooking. Domes were raised in the markets and sackcloth hung on them, and women went out wailing and holding mourning over al-Husayn. Al-Suyuti says that it was the first day on which he was mourned in Baghdad, and describes it as an innovation that lasted for years. 2

On the eighteenth of Dhu al-Hijja of the same year the festival of Ghadir Khumm was held and the drums were beaten. 2

A note

The description here is in al-Suyuti's text and from his viewpoint. The academic account and the account of the Shi'i sources have not yet been added. An additional source is needed.

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant
أحمد بن بويه معز الدولة· al-Wazir al-Muhallabi

People and things also explored

Curses Inscribed on the Mosques of Baghdad· Mu'izz al-Dawla builds the Dar al-Saltana in Baghdad· The Buyids enter Baghdad and receive their titles, 334 AH· Death of Mu'izz al-Dawla ibn Buwayh· The first mourning for al-Husayn in Baghdad· Mu'izz al-Dawla deposes and blinds al-Mustakfi· Nasir al-Dawla's march on Baghdad and his defeat· أبو عبد الله ابن البهلول القارئ

Sources

  1. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p. 619
  2. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p.619
  • Shadharat al-Dhahab — Ibn al-Imad al-Hanbali
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The first 'Ashura mourning and Ghadir festival in Baghdad”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/first-shii-observances-baghdad-352/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-22.

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Related

Curses Inscribed on the Mosques of Baghdad

In Rabi II 351, by Mu'izz al-Dawla's order, the Shi'a of Baghdad wrote on the mosques the formula 'May God curse Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan' — his name alone singled out.