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Matam
An act of communal mourning performed by some Shi’a Muslims during the annual Muharram remembrances.
How this term should be used
The matam is often sensationalised by some media outlets. It should be made clear that it is a very small minority of people who perform the ritual with sharp implements.
Some Shi’a Muslims perform the act as a show of solidarity with the suffering of Imam Hussein, who was killed at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
The main method of performing matam is chest beating, which is done rhythmically to songs and poems commemorating the martyrdom of Hussein.
in some Shi’a communities, matam may take the form of self-flagellation, with male members using chains, sometimes attached to sharp implements such as razors or knives, with which they symbolically whip themselves. Reza Aslan notes that, “while it [matam] may appear to be a ghastly and bloody spectacle to some, according to most participants it is a near painless activity that leaves no permanent disfigurement.”