AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): On the occasion of the Arbaeen of Imam Hussain (a.s.) (forty days after the Imam’s martyrdom), and Arbaeen Great Walk, ABNA International News Agency conducts interviews with scholars and some personalities about the importance and various aspects of this ritual.
Hojat al-Islam Sayed Muhammad Reza Al-e Ayoub, the representative of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly in Iraq, was one of these personalities who spoke to ABNA about the Arbaeen Pilgrimage.
About the place of commemorating Arbaeen of Imam Hussain (a.s.) in the Shia school, Al-Ayoub said, “Imam Hassan Askari (a.s.) considered Arbaeen pilgrimage one of the characteristics of a true Muslim believer. Arbaeen Pilgrimage is the highest and turning point of the Islamic world and even human society. Different groups were present in the uprising of Imam Hussain (a.s.), a Christian who became a follower of AhlulBayt (a.s.) or someone who was a supporter of some caliphs and later joined the army of Imam Hussain (a.s.). Now, we know how Imam Hussain (a.s.) is an international personality for all religions and for reviving the true religion of God. Today, we see that in addition to the impact on Islamic society, Arbaeen has brought about the unity of human society.”
Hojjat al-Islam Al-Ayoub, who lived in Najaf, Iraq until the age of 16, about the Arbaeen Pilgrimage during the Ba’ath Party rule led by Saddam, stated, “During the rule of the Baath party in Iraq, the country suffered from suffocation and terror. Therefore, religious ceremonies were generally prohibited, and if they were to be held, they should be held under the supervision of the Iraqi Intelligence Service (Istikhbarat). Sometimes they made preachers to pray for Saddam and the Ba’ath Party. Therefore, many preachers close their preaching ceremonies just for this reason. People who participated in the mourning ceremonies were identified and often arrested by the Baath Party. However, even though the mourning ceremonies for AhlulBayt (a.s.) were not held in public, the zealous and brave people of Iraq held the ceremonies in their homes or some safe places.”
“During Saddam’s regime, people could not walk for and mourn in Arbaeen due to the fear of the Baath party. I remember that when I was a teenager, we decided to go to the Arbaeen ceremony on foot with some ulama of Najaf. We rested during the day and moved at night using the darkness. The Iranian Revolution had won, and Saddam had just come to power. We were about 15 people. In the middle of the road, an old man invited us to his house. We did not accept at first, but later we accepted his invitation and went to his house. After dinner, he said that he was informed that the Baathists had found out and we had to flee. We split into several groups and escaped through the back door of the old man’s house. Later we heard that some of our friends were arrested and unfortunately, they were martyred by Baathists. The prevailing atmosphere on the Karbala and Arbaeen Walk was like this, and we had to make sacrifices for the pilgrimage,” he added.
About the Iraqi people’s planning for the Arbaeen ceremony, he said, “It is not the case that all Iraqi people have a good financial situation. Iraqis try to plan for Arbaeen throughout the year, that is, Arbaeen is a part of their life, and they live with it. Everyone, depending on their job, saves an amount of money during the year for pilgrimage and Arbaeen Walk. The people of Iraq have an amazing trust in God, and their generous view of the pilgrims of Imam Hussein (a.s.) is exemplary. They serve the pilgrims of Imam Hussain (a.s.) with the best food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They enjoy washing the socks and clothes of pilgrims of Imam Hussain (a.s.).”
In the end, he emphasized the importance of being grateful to the Iraqi people for their significant hosting of the Arbaeen pilgrims.
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