Ya Husayn

Ya Husayn is an Arabic phrase used by Shia Muslims to invoke the memory or intervention of Husayn ibn Ali. It is especially used in the context of the Mourning of Muharram. It is commonly found on flags. Husayn is assigned a high status in Shiism and is considered the third imam.

Flag

Husayn is invoked on red Shia flags in modern Iran, particularly in the form ya la-thara al-Husayn. According to a Shia legend, the troops of Husayn fought under a red banner. The association of red color with Husayn symbolizes the blood of martyrs and was further entrenched in some hadiths. For example, Al-Mojamul Kabir and Majma al-Zawa'id allege that at the time of Husayn's martyrdom the sky became deep red, and for several days it seemed that it was smeared with blood. According to certain Iranian Shia traditions, ya la-thara al-Husayn should be a rallying cry for believers upon the return of the Hidden Imam.
The red flag was raised particularly on the Jamkaran Mosque after the assassination of Qasem Soleimani "to avenge blood", according to Yassine Hossein Abadi, the Jamkaran Mosque administrator. It was also raised for the revenge purpose on the same mosque during the 2025 Israeli strikes on Iran.