What is the origin of the ritual of Ashura? (part 2)

Before going further, I need to point out that for some strange reason, the author is contrasting some of the Islamic teachings/traditions with Judaism.
e.g.

Shi'i historiography bears a striking similarity to Jewish historiography of the Middle Ages in its approach to history. Both identified a wrong turn in the course of history. They became preoccupied with legitimizing authority (the imams, and later on the ulama', in the case of the Shi’i; the rabbis in the case of the Jews of the Middle Ages), and with the signs of the coming of the messianic figure who would bring history back to its right path.

Most if not all the religion in the world has some of these characteristics (i.e., Christianity and Hindusim). Christians are also waiting for the second coming of Jesus. Muslims, both the Shia and the Sunni believe in a messianic figure called Imam Mahdi (aj).

He then stated the importance of the rituals associated with remembrance of the Ashura.

In the case of Shi'ism, the evocation of the Karbala episode was left for the rituals of remembrance that developed around the annual commemoration of 'Ashura'. The importance of the rituals of Muharram in invoking the memory of Karbala cannot be overestimated, for it is in these rituals that the moods and motivations that are induced in the believers by the symbol of Husayn's martyrdom surface.

The following are five major rituals developed around the remembrance of the battle of Karbala. These rituals include

1. The memorial services (majalis al-ta'ziya)
2. The visitation of Husayn's tomb in Karbala particularly on the occasion of the tenth day of 'Ashura' and the fortieth day after the battle (ziyarat' ashura' and ziyarat -arba'in)
3. The public mourning processions (al-mawakiba l-husayniyya or al-'aza'iyya),
4. The representation of the battle of Karbala in the form of a play (the shabih)
5. The flagellation (tatbir).

The author will attempt to trace the origin of the above rituals and also answer the following two questions

How did socio-political change influence the development of the Muharram rituals?
What role did various Shi'i groups and other cultures, and religions play in shaping their nature?

Please continue reading part 3