The Matem
The matem, is the fasting of the mourning, or the commemoration in honor of the acts of the martyrs of Qerbela. The fasting of the Bektashi and the other alevian tarikas lasts 10 days of the moon calendar of Muharrem (Muharrem’s month is the beginning of the New Year Hixhri based on the Muslum calendar), where there are commemorated in sign of mourning the 72 martyrs that have fallen in Qerbela, lead by Imam Hyseni. These days the other Bektashi gather in vary masjids where the clerics read loudly the “Hadiqa”, do the daily ritual, commemorating the sufferings of humanity, preaching the ways of justice, peace, brotherhood and humanity perfectionism.
The first night is dedicated to the sufferings of the Prophets: Adem, Nuh, Ibrahim, Jusuf, Musa and Christ, the second night for the Prophet Muhammad (a.s), the third night for Imam Ali, the fourth for Imam Hasan, the fifth for the birth and life of Imam Hysen, the sixth for his departure from Medine to Mecca, the seventh for the assassination of Muslum Akil and his two sons, Myftar and Ibrahim, the eigtht for the departure of Imam Hysen to Kufe, the ninth for his arrival in Qerbela and the tenth for the martyrizing of him and the other martyrs. For this purpose, since the mighty martyrs went in paradise, these days there is no water drinking.