The history of the Ashura Festival dates back to the early days of Islam, when Imam Hussein and his followers were surrounded by soldiers of the Umayyad Caliphate, led by Yazid. The battle of Karbala lasted for 10 days, during which Imam Hussein and his companions were brutally killed. Imam Hussein's sacrifice is seen as a symbol of resistance against tyranny and injustice, and his martyrdom is remembered every year on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. The Ashura Festival is observed in different ways by different sects of Islam. In Sunni Islam, the Day of Ashura is a day of fasting and prayer, while in Shia Islam, the festival is observed with mourning processions, speeches,
