The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2225 page)

(religious specialists in the Sh
‘a context). The importance of the
mujt
hid
(e.g. Im
m
Khumayni
) produces a radical notion of personal authority and a model of action. The idea of suffering, divine leadership, and of personal involvement come together in the re-enactment in passion plays (
ta‘ziya
) of the tragic drama of Im
m
usain at Karbal
’, and also appears in the custom of self-beating in the mosque and public processions that occur on 10 Mu
arram. In addition, the Shi‘ites identify as issues between themselves and the Sunnis:
mut‘a
(temporary marriage),
taq
ya
(dissimulation in face of danger),
raw
a kh
n
(recitation and memorial of Im
ms),
ziy
ra
(pilgrimage to tombs), and above all the nature and identity of the Im