Religious; Celebrations at Alzahra Mosque; South Gate; Los Angeles, California
Two young male attendees get ready for a yogurt eating contest at a religious celebration at Alzahra mosque. One of the congregants checks their blindfolds to make sure they are tightly wrapped around their eyes.
Afsane Rezaei
Tehrangeles Project, Los Angeles, California
Utah State University Libraries
Afsane Rezaei; Ehsan Estiri
Los Angeles, California
A young girl, in a floral white dress and pink scarf, recites some verses of Quran in front of the Alzahra mosque congregants.
A group of young women talk and laugh next to the mosque decorations for the birthday of the prophet's daughter, Zahra.
Woman Taking Selfie with Young Girl- 2018
A woman holding her child takes a selfie next to the mosque decorations for the birthday of the prophet's daughter, Zahra.
Close-up of the Manbar [mosque's pulpit] covered with a gold sequin & glitter fabric. The microphone of the Imam's mosque is left on the stairs, along with a prayer request from one of the congregants that reads [in Farsi]: "Please pray for Mr. Reza Nouranian who has been in the ICU since Sunday in critical condition. He is in the US. Thank you."
Several people stand in the yard near the mosque's outdoor kitchen, eating dinner after the celebration.
Several women and young girls stand next to a cupcake stand in the courtyard of Alzahra mosque. The stand, which is placed outdoors for the celebration of the 12th Imam's birthday, is decorated with a "Ya Mahdi" [O' Mahdi] sign and holds about 300 cupcakes with green and white frosting.
The congregants of Alzahra mosque sit around several tables in the courtyard for the celebration of the 12th Imam's birthday. Men and women are sitting in different sides of the yard.
A man standing on the large outdoor stage of Alzahra mosque sings a song in praise of the 12th Shia Imam. The stage is decorated with green and cream-colored fabric, pink and white flower, and a huge wooden sign that reads [in Arabic] "Piece be upon you, O' Master of the Age."
Several dozen women, men, and children sit at tables in the courtyard of the Alzahra mosque, celebrating the birthday of the 12th Shia Imam, Mahdi.
Religious; Heyat Reza; Reseda; Los Angeles, California
Men listen to laments during a Shai mourning ritual, commemorating the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam--Imam Hossein.
Ehsan Estiri
Self-flagellation during a Shai mourning ritual, commemorating the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam--Imam Hossein.
A Shai mourning ritual that commemorates the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam--Imam Hossein--practiced on Persian carpets.
A Shai mourning ritual that commemorates the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam.
Women attendees of the Tasoua even, who are sitting on one side of the dimly lit room, watch men's zanjeer-zani performance on the opposite side. Two women are standing up and recording the perfomance on their smartphones.
The exterior of Kessab Salon de Fiestas, an Armenian restaurant and banquet hall in Reseda temporarily reserved for the Tasoua event.
Women and men sit in separate sections during a Shia mourning ritual that commemorates the third Shia Imam--Imam Hossein.
A man sings laments during a Shai mourning ritual commemorates the third Shia Imam--Imam Hossein.
Religious; Arbaeen Walk; South Gate; Los Angeles, California
A congregant of al-Zahrah Mosque videotapes his fellow congregants practicing a Shia mourning ritual, a procession in commemoration of Imam Hossein who was assassinated in 680 AD in contemporary Iraq.
A local journalist interviews a non-Muslim bystander woman about the Shia procession. The woman is holding a red rose that was distributed by the ritual participants in the procession route.
A flag with a picture of Imam Hossein. Official Shia jurists do not encourage the imagery of Shia saints, but they tolerate this vernacular practice.
A truck loaded with roses that were given to bystanders.
A young woman in hijab gives roses to passengers of a passing car.
Flyer, "There is No Place for Terrorism in Islam"- 2017
Congregants distribute flyers during the Shia procession, stating "there is no place for terrorism in Islam." The flyers include a quote from the Quran 5:32 that reads: "...whosoever kills an innocent human being, it shall be as if he killed all mankind, and whosoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he saved the life of all mankind..."
A Lamborghini on the procession route with a red flag on the hood that read "labbayk ya Hussain." The phrase is used in commemoration of the Shia Imam and means "I am at your service, O Hussain."
A group of women in black hijab walk in the sidewalk, holding different procession flags, an American flag, and a bouquet of red roses.
Religious; Ashoura; IMAN Mosque; Motor Avenue; Los Angeles, California
Women attendees of Shia mourning rituals, commemorating the martyrdom of the third Shai Imam-- Imam Hossein in IMAN (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America). IMAN advocates for a reformed mourning practice that does not involve chest-beating and self-flagellation. Instead, IMAN holds sermons and speeches about Imam Hossein, usually given by non-clerics.
An image of Perseposlise (a symbol of the pre-Islamic Iran) on the top of the library shelves in IMAN (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America).
Stack of DVDs in IMAN's library (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America).
Men attending the IMAN's Friday Prayer (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America).
Men and women attending the IMAN's Friday Prayer (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America).
Flyers and business cards in IMAN (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America).
Pamphlets and flyers in IMAN (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America).
Congregants of IMAN (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America) light candles which is a conventional practice as part of Shia mourning rituals to commemorate the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam--Imam Hossein.
Socializing after attending sermons and mourning rituals in IMAN (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America).
Image of Cyrus Cylinder, a symbol of the Iranian pre-Islamic identity, hung on the wall in IMAN (Iranian-American Muslim Association of North America).
Political; Anti-IRI Rally; Wilshire Blvd; Los Angeles, California
The Anti-Islamic Republic of Iran rally in the Westwood area, LA. Flags of the last Iranian monarchy toppled by the 1979 Iranian revolution that led to the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Most demonstrators root for the reestablishment of the monarchy in Iran.
The Anti-Islamic Republic of Iran rally in the Westwood area, LA.
"Mr. President, Help Us Make IRAN Great Again" Sign- 2018
The Anti-Islamic Republic of Iran rally in the Westwood area, LA. Protesters plead with the 45th US president to help Iranians and "make Iran great again."
"A woman holoding placards with pictures of President Obama, Bashar al-Asad, and Putin crossed and printed upside down under a big picture of the 45th US president. The crowd marches and repeats slogans chanted by one of the organizers who say in Farsi, ""these are people's chants in Iran."" The chants are: ""USA, thank you,"" ""what do we want in Iran? Democracy in Iran, human rights in Iran, regime change in Iran,"" ""free political prisoners,"" ""Not Gaza, Not Lebanon, I give my life for Iran,"" ""death to the Islamic Republic,"" ""we. are. Aryans, we don't revere Arabs,"" ""we made a mistake in making a revolution,"" and ""no fear, no fear; we are all together."" "
The sign says in Farsi, "Not Gaza, Not Lebanon, I give my life for Iran."
Man Holding Sign, "Dishonorable Spies of Islamic Republic of Iran in USA"- 2018
A man holding a sign. The Farsi portion of the sign says, "Let Us Disgrace the Dishonorable Spies of Islamic Republic of Iran."