SAEDNEWS: Amid the intense season of Shiite mourning, Iran’s Supreme Leader has responded to a theological query about the religious value of wearing black clothing until Arbaeen, offering clarity to millions who observe traditional rites of grief.
According to Saed News, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has affirmed that wearing black garments throughout the mourning period leading up to Arbaeen is not only permissible but spiritually commendable. In a formal response to a religious inquiry submitted to his office, the Leader emphasized that donning black in remembrance of the tragedies endured by the family of the Prophet—particularly during Muharram and Safar—is considered a form of reverence for divine symbols and earns religious merit.
The question—posed by devout followers during the season of Ashura commemorations—asked whether continuing to wear black until the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein carries any religious disapproval. The Leader’s written reply dispelled any ambiguity, asserting: “Wearing black during the mourning days of the household of purity and infallibility (peace be upon them) as a sign of glorifying the divine rites and expressing sorrow results in divine reward.”
This clarification comes at a time when millions across Iran and the broader Shiite world mark the martyrdom of Imam Hussein with rituals that include mourning processions, lamentations, and symbolic acts of grief. The endorsement from the highest religious authority underscores the centrality of these expressions in contemporary Shiite identity and legitimizes traditional practices amid modern reinterpretations.
