AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Arbaeen pilgrims follow preventive measures and there has been no report of infectious diseases yet, says the president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).
“So far, we haven't received any reports of specific infectious diseases, and the pilgrims are taking precautions and following preventive measures,” Pir-Hossein Kolivand said on Saturday.
He urged Arbaeen pilgrims to pay attention to and follow the guidance provided by Iraqi health officials and the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
The main concern is the risk of heatstroke, though it hasn't become a significant issue, he added.
The health official also advised pilgrims to avoid walking during peak sunlight hours and instead, walk during cooler, shaded times of the day.
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.
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