Shiite Muslims around the world today observed Ashura, a religious commemoration of the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, during the battle for Karbala in in 680 AD. Ashura, which means 10, falls on the 10th day of the sacred month of Muharram. Shiite Muslims often mark the day by wearing black, parading through the streets, and making a pilgrimage to the historical site of Hussein's death in Karbala, Iraq. Many Shiite Muslims also take part in mourning rituals, such as self-flagellation by whip and knife, and passion plays reenacting Hussein’s death.