Hawzah News Agency - (Istanbul - Turkey) - Shia and Sunni Muslims alike marked Ashura on Monday, commemorating the tragic death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein (As) . Over the years, the day has also come to symbolize unity.

Ashura, derived from the word for "10" in Arabic, is a religious day observed on the 10th day of the first Islamic month Muharram with traditional rituals. Turkey's Jafari community of Shia Muslims held a parade and commemoration event in Istanbul's Halkalı district, where the community has a big presence, to mark the suffering of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussein (As), a revered figure in Shia Islam.

Sunni Muslims also marked the day in remembrance. They observed the day by serving Ashura or Noah's pudding. The faithful believe Ashura is also the day Noah was saved from the flood.

In Halkalı, an air of mourning was ubiquitous with streets adorned with black flags. Dressed in black and wearing red headbands with sayings to commemorate the death of Hussein (As) , Jafaris held a parade to mark the 1,380th anniversary of their mourning. A large crowd gathered at a culture center for speeches by community leaders and a remembrance event.