阿里·萨米 Ali Samei （伊朗）

By Ali SAMEI, MFIAP, ESFIAP, EFIAP/g

The portfolio shows Mourners in Mud in a religious festival in a small city in the west of Iran, called Bijar. People take mud and put and rub to their head, face, shoulder and body to show their sorrow and mourning about killing Imam Hossein. After death of Prophet Mohammed in 10 June 632, his followers divided into two groups, Shia and Sunni. Shias believed that after the Prophet, there are 12 Imams (Holy Leader) that the next leaders would be them, firstly his cousin (Ali) and then Mohammed’s grandsons. While Sunnis believed that they must follow Mohammed’s traditions. After death of the Prophet Mohammed several wars happened between these two groups. Imam Hossein is the 3rd Shia Imam. In 1 October 680, Imam Hossein which is the second grandson of the Prophet, surrounded by his enemies in Karbala, Iraq. They did not allow Imam Hossein and his group to reach water for several days. They killed him, his supporters and his family in 10 October 680.

It is said that when people in Bijar city heard that Imam Hossein needs support, went to Karbala, but in the way they heard that he is killed. So they started to rub soil and mud to their head and face to show their deep sorrow. From that year on, people in Bijar hold Mud Festival in the murder anniversary of Imam Hossein, which is called Ashora.  Ashora means 10th in Arabic, as the murder happened in the 10th day of Muharram Month in Hijri Lunar Calendar. They bring clay, make mud and rub to their body. This portfolio shows this kind of mourning in Bijar city. As Ashora calculated based on Hijri Lunar Calendar and it is 355 days, so each year this festival hold 10 days sooner according to Gregorian calendar. Green is the color of Prophet Mohammed. As Imam Hossein killed in a war and red is the color of blood, so red is the color of his flag. In Ashora, Shias wear black cloths as it is the color for being mourner.

                                                    文/图：阿里•萨米

这个作品集展示了在伊朗西部一个叫比贾尔的小城市参加宗教节日的在泥泞中的哀悼者。人们拿泥浆涂抹在自己的头、脸、肩膀和身体上，以表达他们对杀害伊玛目侯赛因的悲伤和哀悼。先知穆罕默德于632年6月10日去世后，他的追随者分成两派：什叶派和逊尼派。什叶派认为，继先知之后，还有12个伊玛目(神圣领袖)，他们中间的人将成为下一个领袖，首先是他的表弟(阿里)，然后是穆罕默德的孙子。而逊尼派认为他们必须遵循穆罕默德的传统。先知穆罕默德死后，这两个教派之间发生了几次战争。伊玛目侯赛因是第三位什叶派伊玛目。680年10月1日，伊玛目侯赛因作为先知的第二个孙子，在伊拉克卡尔巴拉被敌人包围，他们好几天没有让伊玛目侯赛因和他的队伍到达水源，并于680年10月10日杀害了他、他的支持者和他的家人。

据说，比贾尔城的人听说伊玛目侯赛因需要支援，就去了卡尔巴拉，但他们听说伊玛目侯赛因被杀了。于是，他们开始用泥土涂抹在自己的头上和脸上，以表示深深的悲伤。从那一年开始，比贾尔的人们在伊玛目侯赛因被谋杀的周年纪念日举行泥浆节，这被称为“阿舒拉”日。“阿舒拉”在阿拉伯语中的意思是”10”，因为谋杀发生在希吉里农历穆哈兰月的第10天。他们带来黏土，制造泥浆，并将其涂抹在他们的身体上。这个作品集展示了比贾尔市的这一哀悼活动。因为“阿舒拉”泥浆节是根据海吉里农历计算的，一年有是355天，所以每年这个节日按照公历提前10天举行。