"The feeling is actually great because everyone is together in one message and, obviously, everyone believes in that message."
According to Shiite tradition, Hussein offered to be exiled
but was encircled by soldiers and killed with his family on the orders
of Yazid, the caliph of the Umayyad dynasty.
The Ashura Australia website says that, through the peace procession,
Shiite Muslims are strongly condemning any act of terrorism in
Australia or elsewhere.
"Imam Hussein's stance was against terrorism as it existed then and as it has appeared again now," the website says.
Synchronised chanting is a big part of the annual Ashura procession in Sydney, and women lead the way.
"It's a day of mourning. We use the mourning to project and remember our values," Mr Alansari said.
Participant Aya Mustafa, who volunteered as an usher for the
march, said she had an injured leg but was so overcome by the story of
Hussein that she felt nothing as she marched down Macquarie Street.
"The atmosphere is amazing, you don't feel anything else," she said.
She said there was some discussion about cancelling the event
following recent attacks on a Shiite Islamic centre in Greenacre this
week, supposedly by Islamic State supporters.
"But we don't want to live in fear. If they kill us, we are happy to die," she said.
Spiritual leader Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Al-Ansari said
they trusted the authorities to keep the community safe and find the
people responsible for the shooting of Rasoul Al-Musawi outside the
Greenacre prayer centre on Monday morning.
"We are living in a safe country and we have very good
systems of authority and police that are keeping the security of this
country," he said in Arabic through an interpreter.
The NSW Transport Management Centre has warned motorists to allow for plenty of additional travel time.
"Emergency services will be on site and rolling road closures will take place," it said.
"Buses will not be diverting during the parade; however
passengers may experience some delays and should allow extra travel
time."