I have received a lot of question in my inbox and I will try to answer them...
Here are few of them, the reason to posting them is to let others aware of the confusion that has been created !
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Q. Why do Shias hit their chests in Muharram? **
A. The hitting of the chest in Muharram symbolizes a Muslim's grief towards the martyrdom of Imam Hussain that resulted in a very bloody and tragic war between good and evil. Imam Hussain didn't die a normal death but was part of a massacre in the name of Allah that resulted in the death of 110 innocent children and many of the women that were women. With 72 loyal companions he faced Yazeed's 40,000 army. This isn't a tragedy that just passes and is forgotten this easily. If a person for example lost a father, he or she would hit her chest or head in grief, this is what Shias do over the death of Imam Hussain.
This act also helps to keep Imam Hussain's cause alive in the hearts of Muslims all around the world. If we stopped crying over Imam Hussain, he would disappear like many other big figures in history.