Return of once forbidden Ashoura chants signals Shiite revival

The Fatima media shop in Babel province, in the south of Iraq, has dozens of CDs containing religious songs and Husseini poems. But there has been a marked decline of the pop songs that were prevalent in Iraq before 2003.

Speaking to Al-Monitor in Babel, shopkeeper Abbas Kamel said that the “sale of religious CDs to members of the Shiite community reaches its apex during the 10 days of Ashoura and at other religious occasions. The rest of the year, the [sales figures are lower].”