AhlulBayt News Agency: A senior cleric in Iran’s Qom Seminary has described the annual Arbaeen pilgrimage as the “largest and most powerful media operation” introducing Shia Islam and its values to the global community.
Hojatoleslam Seyyed Amin Mousavinejad said the massive on-foot journey to the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) in Karbala, often undertaken in extreme heat, demonstrates the profound devotion of Shia Muslims and lovers of the Ahlul Bayt (AS).
Quoting Islamic narrations, Mousavinejad noted that each step taken by a pilgrim during Arbaeen earns the reward of a Hajj and Umrah, while sins are erased. He said God Almighty “honors and boasts to the pilgrims of Arbaeen” – a testament to the pilgrimage’s spiritual magnitude.
Citing Grand Ayatollah Mirza Javad Maleki Tabrizi, he stressed that Arbaeen is one of the five signs of a true believer and should be observed as a day of mourning, with at least one lifetime visit to the shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) considered essential.
“Today, Arbaeen has become a powerful global medium, introducing the movement and uprising of Imam Hussein – the pure essence of Shia identity – to the world,” Mousavinejad said. He referred to remarks by Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, who described the walk as a public declaration of reverence for Imam Hussein’s lofty position, and as a highly effective form of Islamic outreach.
The Qom Seminary professor underlined that millions of Muslims and freedom-seekers join the march annually, not only to pay homage but to renew allegiance to Imam Hussein’s ideals: resisting tyranny and upholding pure Muhammadan Islam. The walk, he stressed, sends a clear message of defiance to the “Yazids of the time” and rejection of oppression.
Mousavinejad also linked the spirit of Arbaeen to the recent 12-day conflict with the Israeli regime, saying the Iranian people have once again proven their unwavering commitment to defending the oppressed, safeguarding Islamic values, and preserving the territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic.
He further emphasized that the Arbaeen walk is both a commemoration and a preparation for the emergence of Imam Mahdi (AS) and the establishment of a new Islamic civilization. The pilgrimage, he said, fosters unity, empathy, and resilience among diverse cultures within the Muslim Ummah.
Concluding, Mousavinejad referred to remarks by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who has described Arbaeen as a foundation for building a new Islamic civilization – a process that will culminate with the global rise of Imam Mahdi (AS).
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