Introduction:
Self Flagellation is an act of hitting oneself using blades, whips, and/or knives. Specifically, on the tenth day of Muharram, Ashura, hordes of men gather in streets and mosques and use blades and knives to repeatedly hit themselves as a way of washing away their sins.
The Muslim sect is divided in two: The Shias and the Sunnis. Although all Muslims respect the month of Muharram, self-flagellation is a Shiite belief however not all Shias follow it. It has been an ongoing tradition for over a thousand years and takes place predominantly in Muslim countries with high Shiite populations and to a lesser extent in other countries.
The issues raised against self-flagellation are more emotional than political. Some of them may include:
• An act against the child protection laws
A lot of times, young children are forced to flagellate themselves by their relatives. This goes against the child protection laws, which are established in most countries.
• Discrimination
Such an act can cause discrimination against all Muslims. People need to be aware that self-flagellation on the day of Ashura is specific to Shia Muslims. Besides, not all Shia Muslims do it.
• Psychological impact
Young children cannot watch a lot of movies, which contain violence and bloodshed, even to a small extent. There is a psychological
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I was horrified and even today I am still very scared to go out on the day of Ashura because of what I might see. I am not the only one to have been so affected. A Sunni friend of mine heard of a similar incident as a child and was equally horrified not only because it was scarring, but also because it was a friend of her father’s who was admitted in the hospital due to his injuries. When asked about it now, my friend says that she doesn 't understand why they do it because no prophet would want that and that they should donate blood