Elderly woman in Karbala serves water to pilgrims between two shrines during Ashura

KARBALA, Iraq — An elderly woman in Karbala distributes water to pilgrims in the area between the shrines of Imam Hussein and Abbas, a service she has performed for years and which has become a familiar sight each Ashura season. The woman, identified as Umm Jasim, recalled that under the pre-2003 Iraqi regime, attending Husseini memorial ceremonies carried the risk of investigation and imprisonment. To avoid detection, she said, she concealed the water bottle and metal cup beneath her aba and reached pilgrims discreetly. She now offers the service openly during the commemorations. Umm Jasim, a mother of seven, said her eldest son, a surgeon, was executed during the former regime. She said the loss did not deter her from the service and that she wishes to devote the rest of her life to Imam Hussein and the visitors. Pilgrims and mawakib (volunteer service group) officials said she has become a recognizable presence between the two shrines every Ashura period. With every cup of water, she offers prayers of health and blessing to pilgrims and volunteers alike.