AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Astan (custodianship) of the holy shrine of Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf, Iraq, said serving meals to pilgrims will continue at the holy shrine until the end of the lunar Hijri month of Safar.
A large number of pilgrims have been visiting the sacred mausoleum during the Arbaeen season and there are more expected until the end of Safar (September 4).
The 28th day of Safar marks the demise anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and martyrdom anniversary Imam Hassan Mujtaba (AS), and the 30th day of the month (September 4) is the anniversary of Imam Reza (AS) martyrdom.
These sad occasions attract many pilgrims to the holy site from across Iraq and other countries.
Athir al-Tamimi an official with the Astan, said that every day until that end of Safar, the pilgrims are served more than 23,000 meals, including 3,000 for breakfast, 12,000 for lunch, and 8,000 for dinner.
He said more than 350 servants of the holy shrine are at work daily to provide the service.
According to al-Tamimi, millions of meals were served to the pilgrims at the holy shrine during Arbaeen.
The Astan also implemented various Quranic, religious and cultural programs for the Arbaeen pilgrims, including a program for correcting the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and other small chapters of the Quran.
The Astan also set up Quranic stations on the path of Arbaeen pilgrims, he went on to say.
Arbaeen is a religious event observed by Shia Muslims on the fortieth day after the Day of Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the third Shia imam.
It is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world, with millions of Shia Muslims walking to Karbala from various cities in Iraq and neighboring countries. This year, the day of Arbaeen fell on August 25.
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