Arbaeen, Journey of Zealous Hearts (2)

Welcome to the second episode of this series.

As Arbaeen comes, there is an indescribable fervor among the lovers of Imam Hussein (Peace upon him). The 11^th infallible successor of the Prophet of Islam, Imam Hassan Askari (AS) says that Ziyara of Arbaeen is one of the signs of a true faithful. Arbaeen means the 40^th day and in this particular context it means the 40^th day of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS). Ziyara means being present in Karbala and performing pilgrimage to the holy shrine of the Chief of Martyrs. As a matter of fact there are many hadith on certain days and nights of the year and the significance of specific acts of worship, prayers and supplications that should be observed in these days and nights. But Arbaeen seems to have a special status among all these occasions. On this day tens of millions of pilgrims converge in Karbala to pay pledge of allegiance to the Master of Martyrs and Reviver of all divine values. They cover tens or hundreds of kilometers on foot to reach the sacred land of Karbala without the least fear of terrorist threats.

But why? What is the motive behind this peerless gathering of human beings which has no rival whatsoever in the history of mankind? What is the significance of this much of love and absorption?

Today, many of the Muslims around the world owe the life of their religion to Imam Hussein’s blood. They believe that had it not been for the sincere practice of Imam Hussein to sacrifice whatever he had, there would have remained nothing of the genuine Islam. As Imam Ja’afar Sadeq (Peace upon him) says in the Ziyara of Arbaeen, “O God, Imam Hussein sacrificed whatever he had in Your way to salvage Your servants from ignorance and perplexity of deviation; while a bunch of the deceived people who had sold their humanity to the mean world rose up against him and martyred him.” Why has the sixth Imam mentioned these concepts in the Ziyara of Arbaeen?

As a matter of fact there have occurred many crimes in history that have been larger and bloodier than that of Ashura. But no trace of them has remained. So, why have the names of Imam Hussein and his companions and the event of Ashura imprinted so indelibly in the minds and hearts of the lovers of Ahl al-Bayt and seekers of freedom and justice all over the world.

The reason is that Imam Hussein (AS) staged his revolution sincerely for the revival of God’s religion.

After the tragic event of Ashura and martyrdom of Imam Hussein and his companions the usurper Umayyad regime thought that Islam has been annihilated. Thus, the libertine Yazid over-rejoiced while reciting these verses, “Bani Hashem played with governance and no news came and no revelation was sent down”.

Hazrat Zainab (SA), hearing these sacrilegious words, lambasted the whole Umayyad family with these crushing remarks, “By God, whatever trick you resort to you will never be able to erase our name and memory from minds.”

The revealing words of Hazrat Zainab and Imam Sajjad (Peace upon them), both in Kufa, along the course of journey to Syria and in Damascus, gradually awakened the dormant conscience of people. However, the suffocating despotism of the Umayyad regime had severely prevented any freedom of expression.

Finally, the day of Arbaeen (40^th day of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and his companions) arrived and the caravan of the survivors of Ashura tragedy stopped in Karbala. On that day, Jaber ibn Abdullah Ansari, Atiya Owfi and a number of the Bani Hashem men were present there. The first remembrance of Imam Hussein (AS) and his loyal companions was held at his holy grave. This convergence was the first Arbaeen of history to materialize the Imam’s lofty goals.

God tells the Prophet to remind the faithful of Ayyam-ullah. The exegetes of the holy Qur’an say that Ayyam-ullah (the days of God) are the days in which the name of God is exalted and his remembrance is highlighted. Hence, Ashura is surely one of the greatest days of God and Arbaeen, as the symbol of revival of allegiance with the infallible Imam, is also a day of God. This is due to the fact that Imam Hussein (AS) started his uprising to breathe fresh life in the moribund corpse of Islam. That’s why God has put his love in the heart of every faithful.

The epic convergence of the faithful and free-spirited people from all over the world in the unmatched ceremony of Arbaeen march has turned into the greatest ever gathering of human beings throughout history. This gargantuan event comprises different nationals from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Subcontinent, China, Sweden, Russia, France, America, Canada, Australia and so on. The hearts of these boundless masses are absorbed by a single magnate. The participants in this multi-kilometer march manifest the love of divine values and try to elevate their cognizance of the divine leaders and their pure path. Marching on foot on Arbaeen, God willing is a prelude for the formation of the Global Community of Imam Mahdi (AS).

The tragic event of Ashura in 61 AH was a gigantic wave that covers centuries and strongly advances towards the establishment of the global government of the Awaited Imam of mankind, the 12^th infallible successor of the Prophet of Islam, Imam Mahdi (May God Hasten his reappearance). Ayatollah Khamenei says, “The first ebullitions of the gushing spring of Husseini love, which has caused the ever-running stream of pilgrimage throughout these centuries, emerged on Arbaeen. The attractive Husseini magnate absorbed the first hearts on the day of Arbaeen. The going of Jaber ibn Abdullah Ansari and Atiya to perform pilgrimage of Imam Hussein on Arbaeen was the start of a blessed move that throughout centuries till this day this move has incessantly become more glorious, more attractive and more fervent; and the name and memory of Ashura has further revived the world day by day.”

RM/MG