every year on Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram. There are also other ceremonies which are held during the year in husayniyyas, including religious commemorations unrelated to Ashura, and may not necessarily hold jumu'ah (Friday congregational prayer).

In South Asia, a husayniyya can also be referred to as an imambara, imambargah, or ashurkhana. It is also often called a takyeh in Iran and takyakhana in Afghanistan