AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): An official with Al-Mustafa International University says thousands of students from the university will attend the Arbaeen Procession to promote Islamic teachings.
Some 20,000 students and their families will take part in this year’s Arbaeen march, Hojat-ol-Islam Majid Khaleghpour, deputy head of the university, said in a press conference on Saturday.
He noted that the first convoy began the spiritual journey on Friday.
Arbaeen is a religious event that is observed by Shia Muslims on the fortieth day after the Day of Ashura. It commemorates the 40th day of martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the third Shia imam, who was killed by the army of Yazid I in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
Arbaeen is also known as the Ziyarat of Arbaeen, which means the visitation of Imam Hussein’s (AS) shrine in Karbala, Iraq, where his body is buried. Ziyarat is an act of pilgrimage and devotion in Shia Islam.
Arbaeen is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world, with millions of Shia Muslims from different countries walking to Karbala from various cities in Iraq and neighboring countries. The distance can range from 80 km to 500 km or more, depending on the starting point.
This year’s Arbaeen falls on August 25.
“Our students will serve pilgrims in the areas of translation, responding to questions, etc.” he said, adding that, given the participation of followers of other religions in the event, students will explain the tenants of the religion.
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