Muharram in Africa: North of Africa
The entrance of Islam to Africa started when Prophet Muhammad’s followers immigrated to Habesha (today’s Ethiopia). From the first century A.H. Islam became widespread along with the extension of trades. A great part of Africa, especially Eastern Africa is the home of Shiites. From the fourth century A.H. onwards, the Shiites came to power in the north of Africa, but Salah Al-Din Ayyoubi scattered them.
It should be mentioned that Iranians have built holy places in Africa, especially in Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania, in the recent centuries. North of Africa
Algeria
People of Algeria are very fond of Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ali. It is common to name children Seyyed Ali there. They think they are connected to Imam Ali and Imam Hussein, more than any other African nation. Ashura is a holiday in this country.
There are different places to mourn for Imam Hussein in this country and almost everyone there believes that they are connected to Imam Ali’s dynasty. The lecturers in Aljazeera send peace to Prophet Muhammad regularly.
Tunisia
In the year 909, the Fatimid dynasty came to power in Tunisia and they brought Shiism to this country. Shiism lost its strength by time and after several attacks to the rule of Fatimid; and still, there are not many Shiites in the country; the same is true about the mourning in Muharram. Moreover, because of the tendency of the government towards modernization and westernization in the recent years, the mourning in Muharram has lost strength even more and Ashura is no more a holiday in the country.
Egypt
Throughout the history of Egypt, the religious culture of the country has gone through changes many times. Shia came to power with the rise of Fatimid.
After that, Muharram, The birthday anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, Eid Fitr, Eid al-Adha, the birthday anniversaries of Imam Mahdi, Imam Ali, Imam Hassan, Imam Hussein, Hazrat Zahra, Eid Ghadir, and Nowruz became the most important occasions in Egypt.
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
