We arrived in Iraq right in the middle of the biggest gathering in the world. The main booth needed to be set up as fast as possible — so we put up tents and structures right at the start of Souk al-Kabir on Al-Sadiq Street. We planned to stay for 10 days and spend that time engaging with a crowd so large even the media can’t agree on the exact number — more than 20 million pilgrims!
This main booth was the campaign’s hub, with the biggest responsibilities. Everyone had the same final goal:
“Get to know Imam Mahdi (Peace be upon him) correctly and introduce him to the world properly.”
A 100-person team, spread across 15 stations with a global vision, worked hand in hand to push that goal forward. With Najaf as our main base, we also kept an eye on other teams sent across Iraq — Samarra, Karbala, and beside many other poles (Umood). We wanted, as much as we could, to introduce the true meanings of Arba‘een to the pilgrims of Imam Hussain (Peace be upon him). So our main work at the central campaign focused on interaction and offering authentic content about knowing the Imam.
We went there to use the Arba‘een platform to introduce people of all backgrounds to a new Islamic civilization — the kind of world built on peace, speaking to people in their own languages. We talked about how they can help build a peaceful future, and we presented our three-language website, Who Is Imam Mahdi. Our artistic and social materials were so varied that we had something appealing for almost every visitor.
After 10 days of round-the-clock effort, many visitors voluntarily joined the campaign — hardly anyone left without asking for a registration form. When we talked about the world after the appearance of the Imam and connected our Arba‘een model to a global vision, people felt even more thirsty for the coming of the savior — and that was just the beginning for us.
We also needed to show them the path to that appearance. So we explained the fall of the oppressors and the groundwork for a righteous government, and we urged people to join the global movement supporting the oppressed — especially the people of Palestine — saying Palestine is the mysterious key of Faraj (relief).
The road from Najaf to Karbala was packed with people, and with the team’s effort — handing out flyers and brochures and through other interactions — we tried to introduce the Imam, the deputy of Allah on earth, as best we could.
And then we came back — August 22, 2024.