Shi’ism in Madrid: Muharram commemorations and the paradigm of Karbala

Abstract

Where as most research on Muslim communities in Europe focuses on Sunni Islam, this article contributes to a neglected but slowly growing field of research on Shi'i Islam. Taking the case of a recently formalised Shi'i Muslim centre in Madrid, this article documents its first public activity, commemorating the martyrdom of the Imam Husayn and using the Karbala paradigm creatively. It shows how this and other activities are part of a response to the concerns of the community, ranging from Islamophobia to the radicalisation of young Muslims into Salafi jihadism.