:bismillah:
Quote:But I see every year at the new year time the Shia people have some kind of festival where they feel sorry about killing the Prophets grandsons and they hit themselves in the head and face alot until they are all bloody.
I think you are referring to the mourning ceremonies or maatam held at various occasions most famously on the 1st 10 days of Muharram. The Shia commemorate the death of Hussain ibn Ali who was killed brutally alongside his family and closest companions on the plains of Karbala on the orders of Yazeed ibn Muawiya. It DEFINITELY wasn't the Shia who killed Hussain.
Afterwards a revolution led by a woman Zainab bint Ali shook the world and gave us the greatest historical epic. For me it has a place very close to my heart.
The most common practice is the symbolic tapping of the chest which is a sign of mourning. There are large commemorative gatherings in which his memories are evoked, eulogies read and processions march. There are many reasons for this. Obviously it is only natural to mourn such a tragic event. There are also examples from the life of the Prophet of Mercy :saws2: and his holy Ahlulbayt where Hussain and other martyrs where remembered in Mourning ceremonies.
THe more extreme versions include Tatbeer/Qamazani and Zanjeer which is basically self-flaggelation. Personally I hate these practices since they are savage, brutal and most certainly innovated. As far as the Grand Ulema are concerned there is at least one who recommends these acts (although I totally disagree with him) as Mustahabb. Most of them abhorr it especially since it is so bad for the image of Islam.
For example it is banned in Iran as per the Fatwa of Ayatollah Khamenei.
<b>Question: Is hitting oneself with swords ḥalāl if it is done in secret? Or is your fatwā in this regard universal?</b>
Answer: Qamazanī is not held by common view as manifestations of mourning and grief, it has no precedent at the lifetime of the Imams (a.s.) and even after that, and we have not received any tradition quoted from the Infallibles (a.s.) about any support to this act. Moreover, this practice would, at the present time, give others a bad image of our school of thought. Therefore, it is not permissible in any situation.
taken from the rahbar's site (www.leader.ir)