🏴 Husayni Mourning Around the World – 2026

🌐 10. Turkey:

Ashura International Foundation / Husayni Mourning News:

The devotees of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) gathered at the Zeynebiye Mosque and Cultural Center in Istanbul and listened to the speeches of Hojat al-Islam Sheikh Salahuddin Özgündüz, Ahmet Turgut (writer and screenwriter), and Professor Hasan Kaya, former head of the Turkish Language and Literature Department at Namık Kemal University.

Ahmet Turgut stated at this gathering: “Karbala is neither a tribal or ethnic conflict, nor a class struggle. Nor is it an event originating from the confrontation of sects with one another. Karbala, from beginning to end, is the scene of the confrontation between truth and falsehood. The side of truth in this battle can be seen in the pure and illuminated pages of Karbala, and the side of falsehood can be seen in its dark and black pages. Undoubtedly, all these truths must be read and understood with the aim of taking lessons from falsehood and avoiding it, as well as inclining toward truth and persevering on the straight path.”

Following him, Professor Hasan Kaya, former head of the Turkish Language and Literature Department at Namık Kemal University, stated in his remarks: “Hundreds of poets over the centuries have composed elegies about Karbala, and today we have hundreds and thousands of poems in this field; from Rumi and Fuzuli to Yazicioğlu Mehmed, Lami’i Çelebi, Adile Sultan, Şeref Hanım, Sıdkı Baba, and Aşık Veysel. These poets, who were the voice of this land and the devotees of the AhlulBayt, with a single heart, composed elegies, recited laments, and prayed to God in mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a.s.). These elegies, whether in the Anatolian dervish lodges (khanqahs) or in other regions, regardless of doctrinal differences, became laments recited during Muharram and kept alive the cry of this mourning.”

Subsequently, Hojat al-Islam Sheikh Salahuddin Özgündüz stated: “This issue is not solely a Shiite issue; it is the issue of the ummah of Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and all those whose hearts beat with Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (p.b.u.h). As long as empathy and sympathy with the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) are not established, benefiting from the mercy of his prophethood and his intercession will not be possible. With all your righteousness and shortcomings, you are my brother, and I am ready to embrace you. But you must also remind me of my errors, be my mirror, and tell me my mistakes to my face so that I may correct them. A believer is the mirror of a believer. Let me set aside my errors, and then let us embrace one another. In that case, I will benefit more by removing my shortcomings. This is not a flaw for me, but rather a great virtue.”

Following the speeches, the devotees of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) shed tears of mourning with elegy recitation by the AhlulBayt eulogist, Farshad Hendani.