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Shocking Video of Mass Self-Flagellation Emerges on Shiite Holy Day (Extremely Graphic)

Nov. 24, 2012 7:33pm Erica Ritz

Video Shows Shiite Self Flagellation During Holy Period of Ashura in Kabul, Afghanistan, World

Blood runs down of the back of an Afghan Shiite, after flagellating himself with knives during the Ashoura commemoration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012. (Photo: AP)

A number of Muslims in Afghanistan are commemorating the holy period of Ashoura by bloodying themselves with knives and whips.

Though few have written actual articles on the topic, the Associated Press has gruesome photos, and both Reuters and Russia Today have video.

Russia Today summarizes with its clip:

Shiite Muslims gathered in the Afghan capital Kabul to mark the holy day of Ashoura. Crowds of men whipped their backs to commemorate the 7th century death of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson. “He (Imam Hussein) sacrificed his life for all Muslims, not only for Shiites, it was for all Muslims, and today we honour the sacrifices that our beloved prophet’s family made for us and we mourn this day,” said Ghulam Sakhi, one of the Ashoura mourners.

The Shiite mourners congregated in front of the Abul Fazl shrine, where last year an attacker detonated a suicide vest among the crowd of mourners, killing at least 80 people. It was the country’s first major sectarian attack since the fall of the Taliban regime. Saturday’s commemoration events were held amid tight security, with thousands of Afghan security forces lining the streets.

Afghan Shiites flagellate themselves with knives during the Ashoura commemoration in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012. (Photo: AP)

Imam Hussein was said to have been brutally tortured before being killed, and according to the Telegraph, some express remorse for not saving him by inflicting a similar punishment on themselves.

“On this day Imam Hussian was martyred. So we beat ourselves with chains only because of the love we have for him and to mourn his martyrdom. We don’t feel any pain in our bodies,” Murtaza Najafi, an Afghan Shi’ite mourner who beat himself, reportedly explained.

Ashoura (also spelled “Ashura”) is observed by Shiites throughout the world, though not always in such a bloody way. There is typically a large gathering in the United Kingdom, and communities in Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria hold ceremonies as well.

Here is Russia Today’s extremely graphic video from Afghanistan (content warning):

The stories of Ashoura are deeply engrained in Shiites’ consciousness, according to the Associated Press. The agonizing thirst of Hussein’s wife and children in the desert after the besieging enemy stopped their water supply. The heroic, doomed attempt to bring them water by Hussein’s half-brother al-Abbas, who – even after the enemy cut off his arms – rode gripping the water-skin in his teeth until he died in a hail of arrows. The killing of Hussein’s loyalists one by one until Hussein was alone, wounded and finally beheaded.

So strong are the passions that onlookers sometimes accidentally stone the actor playing Hussein’s killer, Shimr. At a Baghdad shrine on Saturday, the play’s “Shimr” broke character to weepingly ask the audience’s forgiveness, pleading that someone had to take the role.

And here are a few frightening photos of the commemorations around the world:

Shiite Muslim worshippers, stained by their own blood from-self inflicted wounds, hold knives during a procession to mark the Muslim festival of Ashoura near Baghdad, Iraq on Nov. 24, 2012. (Photo: AP)

Shiite Muslim worshippers, stained by their own blood from self-inflicted wounds, hold knives during a procession to mark the Muslim festival of Ashoura near Baghdad, Iraq on Nov. 24, 2012. (Photo: AP)

Pakistani Shiite Muslims flagellate themselves during a procession in Peshawar, Pakistan on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012. (Photo: AP)

Kashmiri Shiite Muslims perform acts of self-flagellation during a religious procession held on the ninth day of Ashura in Srinagar on November 24, 2012. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Kashmiri Shiite Muslims step on a US flag painted on the street during a religious procession held on the fourth day of Ashura. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Iranian women light candles during the ‘Chehel Manbar’ (Fourty Pulpits) ritual a day before Ashura, in the city of Khorramabad, 470 kilometres southwest of Tehran on November 24, 2012. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Onlookers stand in a pool of blood as Kashmiri Shiite Muslims perform acts of self-flagellation with a sharp knives during a religious procession held on the seventh day of Ashura in Srinagar. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Comments (269)

Cabinman
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:38pm
Does anyone need more proof that they are a religion of love & peace???

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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:34pm
If only we could convert them. Ah, who am I kidding?

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Stelex
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:34pm
I’m currently doing MaryElizabethWTF, and Pantlodian is watching, next to Encinom,

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dsind
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:32pm
I thought SELF-FLAGELLATION was a fart contest. :(

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- Tifn8r
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:01pm
  ROFLMAO!!
  
  Semantic noise gives rise to the greatest laughs!
  
  Report this comment
- STawbush
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:09pm
  LOL!!! OOhhhhh myyyy-
  
  ***standing ovation***
  
  Ladies and gentlemen, winner of perfect potty humor placement…
  
  Report this comment
- loneindividual
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 5:22am
  Hahahahaha!
  
  Report this comment
- AlwaysAmazed
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 10:30am
  They smell worse on the outside than they do on the inside! Can’t take a shower… Every time we build water infrastructure for these barbarians, they pick a few of these self-flagellated idiots to strap on bombs and take it out – along with anyone in the vicinity. Whew!
  
  Report this comment
Stelex
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:30pm
This pretty much sums up how I feel these days….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqKcUS2Npic&feature=related

Can I get an AMEN

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DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:27pm
Two words: Satan’s Army.

They have an advance outpost in Dearborn.

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LeadNotFollow
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:26pm
.
I’m seeing a lot of blood, but no real cuts or injuries.
Could it be, that they are just covering themselves in animal blood?

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- rickc34
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:35pm
  Leadnotfollow- I was thinking that it is not real blood at all on their bodies. To thick as you can see in the first photo and as you said no wounds. It looks like a photo op. And the last picture of onlookers standind in blood , that much blood on the ground that that wet still ! Come on.
  
  Report this comment
- Electacon
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:44pm
  I agree some of the “blood” against the white of the clothing looks more in line with food coloring or some other dye. I have spilled blood on white t shirts before and it never looked like that. Some of it looks legit though.
  
  Report this comment
- dealer@678
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:56pm
  It’s all fake. You guys at The Blaze are better than this.
  
  Report this comment
- Twinspeedr
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:59pm
  I agree. These clowns are running a big PR campaign here. Hmm, let’s see it looks to me like they are dipping what appear to be rubber knives on chains (so you get a metallic sound) in a bucket. What’s in there Ahknad? It wouldn’t be goat blood would it? They are just trying to provoke fear and loathing in the West. Nothing but lame Muslim propaganda from our friends at Russian state-run media outlet “RT”. NEXT!!!
  
  Report this comment
- db321
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:02pm
  No they are doing it all wrong. They should be stabbing the guy in front of them.
  
  Somehow Obama see this religion as good and the decency of America as a bad thing.
  
  Report this comment
- Ballot_Box_Revolution
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:35pm
  Mark me down for fake also….I’ve seen more real looking stuff on Halloween…
  
  Report this comment
- AMH
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:49pm
  During my trips to both Iraq and Afghanistan the Shiites did this on Ashura. I don’t have any respect for Islam but having witnessed this before, I would bet that at least some of these people are covered in their own blood.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:53pm
  It’s a good thing they didn’t get any blood on the US Flag.
  
  Otherwise we wouldn’t be able to see them stepping on it…..
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:59pm
  Oops, that’s not a US Flag.
  
  If they hate us so badly the least they could do is get stripes correct.
  
  I’ll give them a pass in the stars….. not even our POTUS can get that right.
  
  Report this comment
- jefferyt
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:00pm
  I can assure you that this is 100% real blood. there is nothing fake here.
  
  Report this comment
- 19RANDY59
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:03pm
  If it is real blood, I don’t think we have to worry about these morons taking over the world, LOL.
  
  Report this comment
- Walkabout
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:51pm
  Some Christians did this too. Also some people posing as Christians did this around the time of the Black Death. They made a great show of it. Those posers might have been sincere at 1st, but they soon made a nuisance of themselves, all the pillaging & stuff. After a while the RCC stepped in & the flagellants stepped out, permanently.
  
  these people are certainly worked yup & there is great devotion at least at the time among some of them. But man is not saved by works. I don’t doubt some of their devotion, but it is more how they treat other people that is or would be proof of their goodness or intent to be good. On that account the aggregate group fails from what we can see. :/
  
  Report this comment
- badge02812
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:56pm
  Now everyone can see how the SHITHEADS celebrate their holidays……children included !
  No excuses, 7th century stupidity !
  
  Report this comment
- bpodlesnik
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:33pm
  Did you guys even watch the video? They are whipping themselves with knives for goodness sakes, I’m pretty sure it is going to be real blood.
  
  Report this comment
TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:25pm
Russia TV should pass along a message to these fine examples of, ahem, manhood that sticking the business end of an AK in their yaps would be more convincing than a couple of bloody scratches…

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- Like_Clint_Said
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 1:03am
  I would support that. Perhaps they could do some type of poison, like the BigShot did, way back when….
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:23pm
.
The Blaze did not post a CAPTION THE PHOTO contest this week.
Maybe this story would be a good one to caption.

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- Eastinfection
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 2:07pm
  that’s a bloody good idea!
  
  Report this comment
The-Monk
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:21pm
Too bad this isn’t more like Ritz potato chips…..

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- LeadNotFollow
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:46pm
  .
  RICK….. I’m sure those guy’s wives would be glad to beat them, as payback for the way women are treated in their country.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:56pm
  @rickc34
  
  And I’m sure you would be one of them. Along with the other trolls here.
  
  After all…. aren’t your words to others here meant to do the equivalent in psychological damage as they are doing physically to themselves?
  
  Report this comment
- rickc34
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:31pm
  Monk I am not a troll. I have lost friends over their.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:36pm
  @rickc34,
  
  I apologize then. I mistook your reply to me as meaning “me”.
  
  Report this comment
- rickc34
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:51pm
  Apology accepted. Thank you Monk.
  
  Report this comment
- rickc34
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:06pm
  It was not meant at you Monk . Sorry for any misunderstanding.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:15pm
  Hi Rickc34,
  
  No Problem… : )
  
  Report this comment
Exrepublisheep
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:20pm
oooof

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Stelex
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:19pm
Reminds me of Progressives…..

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Triple7
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:18pm
Gee wiz. We get to choose between this rubbish or the marxist way.
How about that kid all bloodied? Where is the outrage from the loony left trolls?

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- Fubared
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 9:53am
  Bush league action. Pantlodian does this weekly with a 24′ Stihl while MBE rubs salt on him.
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:17pm
.
I don’t understand their obsession with blood.

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- GuruMeditation
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 8:13am
  You shouldn’t as they are deranged. Life is in the blood.
  
  Report this comment
Brasil2520
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:16pm
One day this will be the norm, in the holy city of Deerborn, Mich. Welcome to America !

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- JimmyP
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 1:22am
  Coupla things:
  1) Dearborn was the considered the most racist Michigan city under the leadership of mayor-for-life Orville Hubbard prior to the 80′s
  2) Orville, during WWII held the job of keeping the Detroit River safe from the Nazi naval horde. He was 100% successful but given that any nefarious fleet would have had to navigate the entire St Lawrence seaway this may have been considered a cush job.
  Dearborn is the correct spelling but “Deer-burn” is the favored pronunciation of those who work at “Ford’s”.
  Dearborn shifted from an all white, eastern European working class neighborhood of babushka’d grandmas after the 80′s when oppressed Christian middle-easterners found a safe-haven there.
  These hard working folk were assimilated and mostly welcome bec of their desire to get ahead by hard work and honest living. Not so any more.
  
  Ain’t safe anymore as any given street will show mostly Arabic storefront signs and schools still bearing Ford Motor Co names are 3rd gen Arabic family dominated by me-first brats.
  
  The U S of A is the melting pot not longer. The melted BLOT is more like it.
  
  Report this comment
Triple7
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:16pm
Such delightful photos showing practioners of the religion of peace. Does old Dubbya still believe in winning the hearts and minds from these disturbed islamofacists still living in the 7th century?

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- chips1
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:43pm
  Old Dubbya isn’t President anymore. You idiots voted the blood loving into the White House.
  
  Also that is red paint, not blood. Probably Krylon.
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:15pm
.
Those crazy people sure need to get a hobby.

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- fayelove
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:06pm
  They must be really bored or what drug were they taking mmmm insantity
  
  Report this comment
kalli
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:13pm
I stand corrected…OUR misery.

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KangarooJack
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:00pm
and our Christian counterparts during the Black Death??? Gee, only 500 years ago…

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- freeberty
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:15pm
  Kangaroojack,
  
  There are many Catholics in different parts of the world that still practice self-flagellation in public, that appear to be just as violent in their you tube videos as the Muslims.
  Many more Catholics like the late Pope John Paul 2, still practice the ritual in private.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:53pm
  Do you mean like NASCAR ?
  
  Report this comment
- DMENTED
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 7:44am
  If the Catholics practice it in private, then how the hell would you know? You need an exorcism.
  
  Report this comment
progressiveslayer
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:59pm
Out of ‘our’ misery.

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whatthecrazy
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:52pm
I bet the women would love to do that for them,ya know just to show thier love.Also are we now getting our news from Russia? Deninately a world gone mad………………..

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sparkyrules
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:49pm
Imam Hussein was martyred.All that for what.Another Hussein?PLEASE,give me a break!

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- GuruMeditation
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 8:16am
  I am really over the whole “Hussein” thing.
  
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Jezreel
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:44pm
Reminds me of the story in the old testament when the prophets of Baal starting to cut themselves and cry out for their God to hear them. Elijah of course, had a great God that answered. He had them pour water all over the altar with rocks etc and really sopped it good with water. Then God answered him from heaven with fire and burned it all up.
Those are some sad souls. Their God is a cruel God that does not answer them and ignorest them that requires their lives in exchange for absolutely nothing.

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deltaecho
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:42pm
I do that in private and make sure to wash my hands afterwards.

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- NancyBee
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:37am
  Do you dab a little alcohol on the cuts? Ouch that hurts!
  
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hi
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:37pm
weirdies

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