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Thali

Next: 15 Jun 2027

Ashura

A day of fasting for many Sunnis and of mourning for Shia, when food is cooked to give away.

Ashura mourning in Imam Hossein Square, Tehran
Photo: Abbas Shariati, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is eaten for Ashura

Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram. Many Sunni Muslims fast on it, following the practice of the Prophet. For Shia Muslims it is the day of mourning for Husayn, grandson of the Prophet, who was killed at Karbala. Food is cooked in large pots and given freely in his name: rice with split pea stew and saffron rice pudding in Iran, haleem and sweet drinks in South Asia. In Turkey neighbours exchange bowls of aşure, a pudding of grains, beans, dried fruit and nuts linked to Noah's ark.

The dishes

AshureNoah's pudding of grains, beans and dried fruit, shared in Turkey.HaleemCooked in great pots and shared in South Asia.SharbatSweet drinks given to the thirsty in memory of Karbala.

Also part of it, and being written: Gheimeh (Split pea and meat stew given out in Iran.), Sholezard (Saffron rice pudding made as an offering.).

More dishes made for Ashura

HareesMeat 🇦🇲 Armenia and 5 moreWheat and meat cooked to a soft, porridge-like dish for festive and religious meals Main dish, Dinner, Lunch KourdassMeat 🇲🇦 Morocco and 1 moreLamb offal sausage, salted, spiced, sun-dried and boiled for festivals and weddings Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
About this page

Written by the Thali desk with AI assistance. Background: "Ashura" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from family to family and place to place. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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