The Arbaeen Walk: The Glad Tidings of the Rule of the Righteouseous

Arbaeen: The Promised Heaven

The Arbaeen Walk: The Symbol of the Rule of the Righteous

According to all religions, the future of the world will be filled with happiness, peace, and love. All divine religions have promised the coming of a blessed savior who will bring lasting peace to the whole world.

The heaven created after the advent of the Promised Savior is similar to the atmosphere of the Arbaeen Walk in Iraq. The Arbaeen route is so secure that even unaccompanied women can walk it safely, day or night. Families with young children participate in the Arbaeen Walk, and all amenities, including welfare, medical, and cultural services, are provided free of charge. For anyone who thinks deeply, the Arbaeen Walk is a sign and a model of the promised Rule of the Righteous, where everything is available to everyone, and a person’s honor lies in their humanity, not their wealth, power, gender, race, or social status.

Pure Manifestations of the Noble Rule of the Righteous During the Arbaeen Walk

What Does Arbaeen Mean?

The Arbaeen Walk: Encountering Human Identity

Arbaeen literally means “forty” in Arabic. In Shia Islam, it refers to the fortieth day after the martyrdom of Hussain ibn Ali on the day of Ashura. The Day of Arbaeen falls on the 20th of Safar in the lunar calendar, and the first Arbaeen of Imam Hussain (PBUH) occurred in 61 AH.

On Arbaeen, Shia Muslims and all lovers of freedom and peace from around the world undertake a massive pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him) in Karbala. Followers of all faiths, and even those without religious belief, participate in this global movement without restriction. What unites people worldwide around the concept of the Perfect Human on Arbaeen is a love of goodness and a yearning for all perfections and beauties. All human beings, by virtue of possessing the Divine Breath, feel within themselves a love for the infinite, and express this love through a common chorus centered on the manifestations of the infinite.

The Arbaeen Walk is one of the most astonishing events globally, setting new records in spreading kindness, joy, and love every year.

Pilgrims

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Poles

Mawkibs (Free Service Stations)

Why Does the Arbaeen Walk Continue?

The Arbaeen walk is a symbol of humanity’s pure love and yearning for human perfections. Participants in this walk are guests at the only free feast on Earth—unparalleled in duration, service, and scale. It offers, on a smaller scale, all the qualities we expect from the Rule of the Righteous. Therefore, those participating in this historic event are lovers and champions of global peace, selflessness, unity, hope, and friendship. This Walk, with its unique characteristics, quenches the infinite desires and the loving spirit of human beings, showcasing a manifestation of the promised future to those present.

Glad Tidings of Arbaeen Booklet

Why is the prevailing spirit of Arbaeen one of yearning for the Imam and the Savior, and how can this be proven? How can the presence of non-Muslims and even atheists at the Arbaeen Walk be explained? And what are the 22 million pilgrims seeking during Arbaeen? Find the answers to these questions and more in this concise “Glad Tidings of Arbaeen” Booklet.

The History of Arbaeen

To understand the historical significance of Arbaeen, one must first examine the event of Ashura, which serves as its foundation and backdrop. After the departure of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in 11 AH, despite his clear appointment of his successor, Muslims deviated from his instructions and elected another leader in a council. This deviation and the failure to understand that only God can appoint the Prophet’s successor led to a situation where, in 60 AH, a man named Yazid ibn Muawiyah, who did not adhere to Islamic principles, became the caliph.

Yazid forced the governor of Medina to obtain an obligatory pledge of allegiance from the third successor of the Messenger of God, who was named Hussain ibn Ali (Peace be upon him).

Imam Hussain (PBUH) believed that Yazid was unfit to rule Muslims and refused to pledge allegiance to him. Imam Hussain went from Medina to Mecca, and then, following invitations from the people of Kufa, he moved towards this city. However, he was surrounded by Yazid’s forces, and along with seventy-two of his loyal companions, he was martyred. This unequal battle occurred on the 10th of Muharram, 61 AH. The heads of the martyrs were taken to Yazid’s palace, and the women and children of Imam Hussain’s family were taken as non-Muslim captives to Sham (modern-day Syria). However, the sermons and enlightenment of Imam Sajjad (PBUH), the only surviving man at Karbala, and Lady Zainab (peace be upon her), Imam Hussain’s sister, forced Yazid to allow the captives to return to Medina. This was done to prevent further disgrace for Yazid among the people.

As the family of Imam Hussain (PBUH) journeyed back to Medina from Sham, they passed through the plains of Karbala. It was this poignant journey that gave birth to Arbaeen, the commemoration of the fortieth day after the martyrdom of the Ashura martyrs. This event, marked by the reunion of the heads of the martyrs with their blessed bodies, holds special significance for Shia Muslims. Imam Hussain (PBUH) and his companions are the only ones for whom Shia Muslims hold the Arbaeen ceremonies.

The Arbaeen Walk: A Symbol of the Righteous Inheriting the Earth

The presence Imam Hussain’s lovers in the Arbaeen Walk is a symbolic act with the message that if an Imam, i.e., the perfect human being, was once left alone and martyred in Karbala, we will not allow it to happen again. The Arbaeen pilgrims consider themselves soldiers of the living Imam, who is ready to come. They see the Arbaeen Walk as a renewal of their covenant with and pledge to the contemporary Hussain (Imam Mahdi) while embracing the Hussain of 61 AH. The Arbaeen Walk stands as a powerful testament to the Shia community’s empathy and loyalty, a testament that points towards the establishment of the Rule of the Righteous, that is, the rule of the Promised Imam, who will introduce himself as the son of Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him) upon his advent beside the Kaaba:

O people of the world, I am the rising Imam.
O people of the world, I am the avenging sword.
O people of the world, my grandfather, Hussain, was killed thirsty.
O people of the world, my grandfather, Hussain, was left naked.
O people of the world, my grandfather, Hussain, was left naked.

Arbaeen: Voices from the Pilgrimage

Faith: True Stories from the Arbaeen Walk

The Truth of Arbaeen:

The Effort to Establish the Rule of the Righteous

Participating in the Arbaeen Walk will only have its ultimate effect on us if we understand the truth of Arbaeen from a human perspective. The greatest cry and suffering of today’s humanity is our separation from the perfect human being, the infallible Imam, or the unique role model for humankind. If we do not know ourselves as human beings, all our suffering during the Arbaeen Walk will be limited to the calamities that befell Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him) and his family in 61 AH, and we will remain ignorant of the greatest loss of Ashura that still affects us today.

The lack of access to an infallible Imam who can guide the world from chaos to security is the greatest and only pain that chokes the world and humanity today. Each of us contributes to the continuation of this pain, and we can only overcome it by equipping ourselves with self-knowledge to properly know the Imam of our time and believe that the only way to save the world is the advent of Imam Mahdi (Peace be upon him) in our souls and hearts.

“The True Mourner” Booklet comprehensively explains and elaborates on the five stages of a mourner’s spiritual journey and growth, as well as how to effectively connect with tears and mourning as a means to achieve the spiritual station of companionship with the Imam. This provides significant guidance for understanding the lofty position of the true mourner as one of the crucial levels of human spiritual journey.

A Special Documentary about Arbaeen and the Experience of Pilgrims

The Melody Of Steps

Establishing the Rule of the Righteous: The Ultimate Vision of Arbaeen

Arbaeen, with all its grandeur, beauty, and wonders, is merely a small model of the Rule of the Righteous. What makes Arbaeen captivating is the practice in which people come together to promote the culture of Arbaeen worldwide and connect it to the Rule of the Righteous. This is a government that will soon liberate the world from the chains of oppression, injustice, poverty, corruption, hunger, war, and slaughter.

The concept of the Noble Rule of the Righteous is not tied to a specific time or place; rather, it is conditional upon specific social circumstances. If these conditions are met anywhere in the world and at any time, the rule of the righteous will be established and take shape. More important than the establishment of the rule of the righteous in the external geography of our existence is its establishment within ourselves. This means that our belonging to the rule of the righteous must occur within our own souls, creating a genuine alignment and compatibility between ourselves and the conditions of living in such a government. Only then will we find ourselves among the true awaiters of Imam Mahdi (Peace be upon him), and inevitably, we will strive for the establishment of the Noble Rule of the Righteous.

To gain a deeper understanding of the concepts discussed in this section, we recommend watching the videos, reading the articles, and then proceeding to the next part of our site: The Role of Each of Us in the Advent of the Promised One.