Ashura 2026

When Is Ashura in 2026?

In 2026, Ashura falls on June 25. The observance lasts 1 day (Shia observance extends over first 10 days of Muharram). Because Ashura follows a 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Hijri lunar calendar, the exact Gregorian date shifts each year. Sunni and Shia Muslims both observe Ashura on 10 Muharram, but the date shifts ±1 day by local moon sighting. The Shia mourning period (Muharram) spans the first 10 days, culminating on Ashura, with processions and reenactments of the Battle of Karbala (680 CE). Since Ashura's date changes from year to year, here are the dates for the next five years so you can plan ahead: Year Date 2026 June 25 2027 June 15 2028 June 3 2029 May 23 2030 May 12

What Time Does Ashura Start in Your Time Zone?

Ashura falls on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. In 2026, Ashura falls on June 27 (Saudi Umm al-Qura calendar). Communities that follow local moon sightings may observe it a day later. As with all Islamic days, Ashura begins at sunset the evening before, so the observance begins on the evening of June 26 and continues through the day of June 27. The 10-day mourning period from the 1st of Muharram culminates on Ashura, meaning that the observances extend from approximately June 18 to June 27 in 2026. The processions on Ashura day itself typically occur during daylight hours, with the largest gatherings in the morning. Shia communities worldwide observe Ashura on the same Gregorian date, with major processions in Karbala, Tehran, Beirut, Najaf, Lahore, Lucknow, and Dearborn (Michigan) — home to one of the largest Shia communities in North America. The table below shows the observance date for Ashura in major time zones around the world: Location Observance Date Time Zone New York, USA June 25 EST/EDT (UTC-5/-4) London, UK June 25 GMT/BST (UTC+0/+1) New Delhi, India June 25 IST (UTC+5:30) Sydney, Australia June 25 AEST/AEDT (UTC+10/+11) Dubai, UAE June 25 GST (UTC+4)

The Story Behind Ashura

Ashura — the 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram — is one of the most significant days in the Islamic calendar, but its meaning differs profoundly between Sunni and Shia Muslims. For Sunni Muslims, Ashura is a day of optional fasting, commemorating the day God saved Moses and the Israelites from Pharaoh by parting the Red Sea. For Shia Muslims, Ashura is the most solemn day of the year, marking the martyrdom of Imam Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. The Battle of Karbala is the defining event of Shia Islam. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 CE, the question of succession split the Muslim community. The Shia believed that leadership should remain within the Prophet's family, beginning with his cousin and son-in-law Ali. The Sunni accepted the rule of the caliphs elected from the broader community. In 680 CE, after the death of the Umayyad caliph Mu'awiya, his son Yazid claimed the caliphate. Husayn, the Prophet's grandson and a respected figure in the community, refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid, whom he considered unjust and impious. Husayn set out from Mecca for Kufa (in present-day Iraq), where supporters had promised to back him, but his small caravan was intercepted by Yazid's army at the desert plain of Karbala. After a 10-day siege, during which Husayn's party was denied water, the battle took place on the 10th of Muharram (Ashura). Husayn and his 72 companions — including his half-brother Abbas, his sons Ali Akbar and Ali Asghar, and other male relatives — were killed, and the surviving women and children, including Husayn's sister Zaynab, were taken captive and paraded to Damascus. For Shia Muslims, Husayn's martyrdom is the central narrative of their faith — a story of righteous resistance against tyranny, of sacrifice, and of the cost of standing up for justice. The phrase "Every day is Ashura, every land is Karbala" captures the festival's enduring relevance: Husayn's struggle is not confined to one day or one place but is a continuing call to resist oppression wherever it occurs. Ashura is observed with intense mourning rituals, including processions, passion plays (ta'zieh), and in some communities, self-flagellation.

How Ashura Is Celebrated

Ashura is the climax of the 10-day mourning period that begins on the 1st of Muharram. In Shia communities, the first 10 days of Muharram are marked with daily mourning assemblies (majalis) at mosques and imambargas (Shia prayer halls), where a zakir (orator) recounts the events of Karbala, often to the sound of mourning chants (nauha or marsiya) and rhythmic chest-beating (matam) by the congregation. The assemblies grow more intense as Ashura approaches, reaching their peak on the 10th day. On Ashura itself, large processions fill the streets of Shia-majority cities and neighborhoods. Participants, often dressed in black as a sign of mourning, march in formation, beating their chests in unison (sinazani) and reciting laments. Some participants engage in zanjir matam — self-flagellation with chains or blades — though this practice is controversial and has been discouraged by many Shia religious authorities, including Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran, who has issued a fatwa against it. Instead, blood donation drives have been promoted as an alternative expression of mourning. In Iran, the most elaborate Ashura observances take place. Ta'zieh — a form of Persian passion play that dramatizes the events of Karbala — is performed in cities and villages, with professional actors playing the roles of Husayn, his family, and his enemies. Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan and other large public spaces host performances that draw thousands of spectators. In Iraq, the city of Karbala — site of Husayn's shrine — is the destination for millions of pilgrims who walk (often barefoot) from across Iraq and Iran to commemorate Ashura. The Arba'een pilgrimage, 40 days after Ashura, draws an estimated 20 million pilgrims to Karbala, making it one of the largest annual religious gatherings in the world. In Lebanon, the Ashura procession in the southern suburbs of Beirut is a major public event. In South Asia, Shia communities in Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Karachi hold large processions with replicas of Husayn's tomb (tazia) carried through the streets. Why Does Ashura Move Every Year? Ashura is fixed on the 10th of Muharram in the Islamic lunar calendar. The Islamic calendar is strictly lunar, with months of 29 or 30 days based on the sighting of the new moon. Because the lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Ashura drifts backward through the Gregorian calendar by about 11 days each year, completing a full cycle through the seasons every 33 years. The 10th of Muharram is significant in both Sunni and Shia traditions. For Sunnis, it is a recommended day of fasting, commemorating God's rescue of the Israelites from Pharaoh. The Prophet Muhammad is said to have fasted on this day and to have encouraged his followers to do so. Some Sunni traditions also fast on the 9th or 11th of Muharram to differentiate the practice from the Jewish fast of Yom Kippur, which falls around the same time of year (though the dates drift separately due to the different calendars). For Shias, the 10th of Muharram is the day of Husayn's martyrdom and is observed with mourning, not fasting.

Calendar Calculation

10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Hijri lunar calendar

Traveling for Ashura? Where to Go

Ashura draws millions of Shia pilgrims to the holy city of Karbala in Iraq, where Husayn is buried. The shrine of Imam Husayn is the destination of one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world, with pilgrims walking from as far as Iran, sometimes for weeks, to reach Karbala by Ashura. Hotels and guesthouses in Karbala and nearby Najaf book out months in advance. In Iran, the city of Mashhad (site of the shrine of the eighth Imam, Ali al-Ridha) is another major destination. Travel within Shia-majority countries increases significantly during the first 10 days of Muharram, as families travel to attend mourning assemblies at major mosques. Top destinations for this holiday: Karbala: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Najaf: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Tehran: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Beirut: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Lucknow: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. If you're planning to travel for ashura, compare hotel rates and book early — accommodations in Karbala fill up weeks before the festival. [Search hotels for Ashura travel →]

Did You Know? Ashura Facts & Trivia

Ashura — the 10th day of Muharram — has profoundly different meanings for Sunni and Shia Muslims. For Sunnis, it is a day of optional fasting, commemorating God's rescue of the Israelites from Pharaoh. For Shias, it is the most solemn day of the year, marking the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbala in 680 CE. The Battle of Karbala — fought on October 10, 680 CE (10 Muharram 61 AH) — is the defining event of Shia Islam. Husayn, the Prophet's grandson, and his 72 companions were killed by the Umayyad army after a 10-day siege during which they were denied water. The event is commemorated annually with intense mourning rituals. The Arba'een pilgrimage — held 40 days after Ashura — draws an estimated 20 million pilgrims to Karbala, Iraq, making it one of the largest annual religious gatherings in the world. Many pilgrims walk from as far as Iran (over 1,000 miles) to reach Karbala, in an act of devotion to Imam Husayn. The phrase "Every day is Ashura, every land is Karbala" captures the festival's enduring relevance for Shia Muslims. Husayn's struggle is not confined to one day or one place but is a continuing call to resist oppression wherever it occurs — a message that has inspired Shia movements from the Iranian Revolution to contemporary Iraqi politics.