Latmiya

A Latmiya, Matam or Sinadoydu is a ritual used to express grief through poetry with thumping of the chest, usually done by Shia Muslims in the holy month of Muharram. While it is known as Latmiya in Arabic and Iranic countries, it is known as Matam in India and Pakistan and Sinadoydu in Azerbaijan. There is also an extensive version of a Latmiya called Shoor, that includes "jumping up and down" and "repeating words". While not forbidden according to many Shias, it is seen as unnecessary and bad among many circles.File:Ashura In qom city-Mustafa Meraji 02.jpg|thumb|Latmiya performance in Qom, Iran|300x300pxA Latmiya may incorporate clapping, which expresses joy, while chest-thumping expresses sadness. They are often done in remembrance of the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
Latmiyas are a part of the Mourning of Muharram and Ashura, which is a set of rituals commemorating the Battle of Karbala, that resulted in the martyrdom of Husayn by the Ummayad forces of Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad and Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah.