A man makes a banner with Islamic patterns at his shop in Tehran on September 16, 2017 in preparation for the mourning season of Muharram, which will start this year on September 22.

Shia Muslims mourn for 50 days during the lunar months of Muharram and Safar for Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions who were martyred in a battle against the oppressive Umayyad dynasty in Muharram in 680 CE. The mourning ceremonies reach their climax on Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram, upon which Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions were martyred. (IRNA/Amin Jalali)