Mätam

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Hussein ibn Ali's martyrdom on the 10th of Muharram—known as the Aashurah—plays a significant role in Twelver theology. This day is annually commemorated with grief and sorrow; some participate in ritualised beating of their chests. This is known as Mätam. In Bahrain, a mätam is the word used for Hussainias (Shia funeral houses). Many Shias use blades to beat their backs and headss. Many of the male participants congregate together in public for ceremonial chest beating (matham) as a display of their devotion to Husayn and in remembrance of his suffering. In some Shi'a societies, such as those in Bahrain, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iraq, many male participants practice self-beating/mutilating of their bodies and those of their children using knives or razors swung upon chains [1]. Even mothers believe that they must inflict some form of flesh wounding on their own children to participate in this ceremony. The Mainstream Sunni Muslims consider such practices as offensive to their Islamic faith, and consider any type of self-hurt or mutilation of oneself or others(except medicinal) to be anti-Islamic and forbidden. They argue that this practice has no basis in Islam from the Quran or the orders of the Prophet Muhammad and is therefore invention into the religion from foreign sources. In fact, the controversy over those practices have been the source of many clashes between Sunnis and Shias.