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Arbaeen

A Living Example of the Rule of the Righteous

What Does Arbaeen Mean?

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 visit the shrine of Hussain ibn Ali (PBUH) in Karbala. Pilgrims travel this route on foot, making it the largest annual pilgrimage in the world. The Arbaeen Walk is one of the most astonishing events globally, setting new records in spreading kindness, joy, and love every year.

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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.

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.

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Arbaeen Walk: A Window to the Future

The statistics of the Arbaeen Walk are the most astonishing ones throughout the world. The Arbaeen Walk is not just a religious ritual; it is a small-scale model of the promised future of the world. Just consider the numbers: Over a period of ten to fourteen days, twenty-two million people travel to Iraq each year, enjoying free services such as food, lodging, transportation, and most importantly, security and happiness throughout the journey in the war-torn and impoverished country of Iraq.

The Arbaeen Walk is a civilization which demonstrates that if we act according to Islamic teachings, we can achieve lasting peace, happiness, and security, and that the new global civilization will only be built on Islamic foundations.

Just check the numbers carefully, 22,000,000 people go to Iraq every year for 10 to 14 days and during this time they use all the services for free; Food, sleeping place, means of transportation and most importantly security and happiness are provided to pilgrims all along this route and in the poor and war-torn society of Iraq.

The Arbaeen walk is proof of the belief that if we act according to the teachings of Islam, we will achieve security, tranquility and lasting peace, and the new world civilization will be built only in the shadow of Islam.

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A Special Documentary about Arbaeen and the Experience of Pilgrims

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Discover Arbaeen: Global Exhibitions Arbaeen Through the Lens

The Truth of Arbaeen

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 recognize ourselves as human beings, all our suffering during the Arbaeen will be limited to the calamities that befell Imam Hussain (PBUH) 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 (AJ) in our souls and hearts.

From Hussain's Arbaeen to Hussain's Army

The presence of Shia Muslims and Imam Hussain’s pilgrims 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 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 (PBUH) upon his advent beside the Kaaba: