By KUNA
Kabul : The 10th of Ashura was observed with religious fervour in Afghanistan on Saturday as President Hamid Karzai urged upon his countrymen to strengthen the hands of his government to bring peace and stability to the war battered country. The day is being observed across the Muslim world to remember the illustrious sacrifice of the grand son of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) who laid his life to uphold the cause of justice and truth. Special ceremonies are organized by Shiite Muslims on the ninth and 10th of the Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.
In Afghanistan, the day is being observed to mourn the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his companions in Karbala, Iraq.
Addressing a ceremony here, Karzai said his country and the world were faced with the menace of terrorism. He urged upon Muslims across the world with particular emphasis on those living in the region to unite and fight terrorism and extremism.
Karzai said Islam is the religion of peace. However, the terrorists were using the name of Islam for carrying out dastardly acts, which are defaming the religion of peace.
He said Muslims should jointly fight terrorism to bring peace to their respective countries and the world. The Afghan leader also urged upon his countrymen to work for promotion of literacy in the country.
The day of Ashura is sometimes marked with violence between Muslims of the Shia and Sunni sects. However, all the functions of Ashura were in progress peacefully till the filing of this report.
The main function of Ashura is held in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif where the Shiite Muslims gather at a shrine, believed to be that of the fourth caliph of Islam Hazrat Ali.
People from all over the city of Mazar-e-Sharif and other parts of Afghanistan gather at the shrine where the day is marked with raising of a flag amidst Islamic slogans of “Ya Ali” and “Ya Hussain” by the mourners.
Two years back, several people were killed in the city of Herat, when some miscreants detonated a bomb in a procession of Shia mourners. The blast was followed by sectarian violence which claimed several lives and caused damage to public and private property. No incident of sectarian violence was reported from any part of the country till the filing of this report.