The rite of the water-carrier: from the circles of Sufis to the rituals of Muharram

Abstract

Water-carrying (saqqa’i) is among the rituals of the</br>month of Muharram that is observed throughout many cities in</br>Iran. Historical sources testify to the prevalence of this practice</br>among the futuvvat fellowships in Iran during the Ilkhanid period.</br>A detailed elucidation of the practice of water-carrying and its ritual</br>aspect appears in the Futuvvat-namih-yi Sultani. This and other</br>treatises on futuvvat of the Safavid period demonstrate the strong</br>link between the practice of water-carrying and the Shi‘a mourning</br>rituals during the month of Muharram. The practice gradually lost</br>its initiation ceremonies and gained the status of a popular ritual</br>during the Qajar and Pahlavi periods. Today, water-carrying is</br>observed without any mention of its origins even though their</br>hallmarks are clearly observable.