More than 20 million Shiites gathered in Karbala for the Arba'een pilgrimage
More than 20 million Shia pilgrims gathered in the Iraqi city of Karbala for the annual Arba'een ceremonies—the 40th day of mourning for Imam Hussein. This was reported by NPR World. Iran stated that more than three million of its pilgrims took part in this year’s ceremonies in Karbala.
Arba’een commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in the Battle of Karbala in 680. This event was a defining moment for Shia Islam. Several weeks before the pilgrimage, people set out for Karbala on foot, and along the routes, tents are set up for them with free food, water, and places to rest.
Pilgrims visit the shrines of Imams Hussein and Abbas. At the shrine of Imam Hussein, they pray near the gold- and silver-inlaid grille surrounding the site of his martyrdom. During Arba’een, the lighting inside the shrine and the flags on its golden dome are changed to red.
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This year’s pilgrimage is taking place against the backdrop of the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran, as reported by NPR. Some pilgrims carried portraits of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose death the publication reports. Pilgrim Maryam Ganbari, who walked 200 miles from the Iranian border, expressed the view that more people came to Arba’in this year out of a desire to avenge Khamenei’s death.
Eighteen-year-old Ali Aadi Khayri and his cousin Sajad Khaitam Latif walked to Karbala for five days from the city of Kut. They carried an image of Imam Hussein, which also featured portraits of former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qasem Soleimani and Abdul Mahdi al-Muhandis, the former leader of pro-Iranian forces in Iraq. According to NPR, both were killed in a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport six years ago.
Nasser Zadeh, a teacher from Tabriz, told NPR that Khamenei’s death has strengthened support among his followers for resistance against the United States and Israel. He said the pilgrimage served as a show of strength by the Shia community. Arba’in is observed by approximately 200 million Shias worldwide, and Iran is the largest country with a predominantly Shia population.
