Actors and football players in Muharram

There are processions when people beat their chests in signal of grief and sorrow. And there are cities where they organize the reenactment of the battle of Karbala, with actors portraying the events of that day. Even though many of the Shi’a spiritual authorities have prohibited and discouraged the practice of self flagellation, there are many believers that still follow the practices of zanjeer zani or zanjeer matam, zani and matam are chains.