The Arbaeen March (1)

Having heard from friends and family members about the thrills of this spiritual journey when devotees travel on foot for several hundred kilometers from different directions, especially from the holy city of Najaf, I used to pray to God to grant me this glorious opportunity. This year, God Almighty accepted my prayer and presented me with the chance to travel to Karbala for the Arbaeen pilgrimage. With joy from the depth of my heart, I joined the march for Arbaeen towards Karbala by entering the Islamic Republic of Iran, which shares the longest border with Iraq as well as the enthusiasm of its Muslim people for Imam Husain (AS).

Pilgrimage to holy sites is an act of worship that dates back to the dawn of creation and the Father of mankind, Adam (AS). On Divine Commandment Adam built the holy Ka’ba in what is now Mecca as the Symbolic House of God the Unseen but Omnipresent. It is said that although Adam travelled around the Earth and lived in different places, he made it a point to visit the holy Ka’ba, and at least 70 times he performed pilgrimage to the House of God.

If worship is accompanied with hardships, irrespective of its rewards, it is indeed a great pleasure, since the driving force is faith in God and devotion to His Last and Greatest Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), followed by love and reverence for the Immaculate Ahl al-Bayt, as commanded by the holy Qur’an.

Thus, in view of the numerous hadith from the Prophet, there are special merits attached for pilgrimage to the holy shrine of his younger grandson and third Infallible Heir, Imam Husain (AS), who sacrificed his life and that of his near and dear ones in order to grant eternity to Islam and all humanitarian values.

A famous hadith from the Prophet says: Indeed Husain is the Beacon of Light and Ark of Salvation. The Prophet has also said: “The likeness of my Ahl al-Bayt is that of the Ark of Noah; whoever boards it is safe and whoever leaves it perishes.”

This means the Prophet, his Immaculate Daughter, Hazrat Fatema (peace upon her) and the 12 Infallible Imams are all Arks of Salvation, but in view of the Great Sacrifice of Imam Husain (AS), it is said that his Ark is the fastest means of reaching the shores of salvation.

There is a special status for the Arbaeen pilgrimage to shrine of the Chief of Martyrs in Karbala. Indeed this particular pilgrimage on the 20^th of the month of Safar is indescribable. Millions of devotees from Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, and from all over the world, converge at Karbala on this occasion with tears of tribute for Imam Husain (AS) and the other immortal martyrs of Karbala. Karbala is in Iraq, the Land of the Two Rivers – the Euphrates and the Tigris. The ancients used to call it “Bayn an-Nahrayn” or Mesopotamia. The land of Iraq is the cradle of civilization. It is here that the Father of mankind, Adam rests in peace, and so does Prophet Noah. It was in this land that Prophet Abraham was born, and while travelling through Karbala he was informed by God of the sacrifice in the distant future of Imam Husain (AS). Abraham wept bitterly.

Modern Iraq is located in West Asia. Its capital is Baghdad. Iraq shares borders with Iran on the east, Turkey on the north, Syria on the northwest, and the British created entities of Jordan and Saudi Arabia on the west. To the south lies tiny Kuwait, and the headwaters of the Persian Gulf into which the Rivers Euphrates and Tigris flow.

In order to enter Iraq from Iran during the Arbaeen period, three border crossings have been prepared: Mehran, Shalamche and Chazabbeh. Pilgrims who enter Iraq from Mehran, after crossing Zorbathiyah and the small town of Badra, travel through Kout, No’maniya, Diwaniyah and Shamiyah, towards holy Najaf, where reposes in peace the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS).

I chose the Mehran border for entering Iraq. I picked up a lightweight knapsack and joined the huge ocean of pilgrims on their way towards Karbala, whose fragrance I could smell even from this distance of some 300 kilometers. I don’t have words to describe my feelings or the enthusiasm of all those marching towards Karbala, patiently and smiling tolerating the hardships of the long journey, although at regular intervals along the way, the local people have set up tents to provide the pilgrims with refreshment, food, and even free accommodation for the night.

Imam Husain (AS) is indeed the flag-bearer of the campaign of righteousness against falsehood. He refused to yield to injustice or to acknowledge the misrule of the tyrant Yazid. Despite being vastly outnumbered by the huge Omayyad army, after presenting his arguments, he bravely fought the attackers, and attained martyrdom along with his valiant brother, Abu’l-Fazl Abbas, his heroic son, Ali Akbar, his teenage nephew Qasim, his infant son Ali Asghar, and other members of his household and the loyal companions. The epic of Ashura is without the least doubt the triumph of blood over swords. In death, the martyrs attained immortal glory and to this day Imam Husain (AS) shines like a beacon of light, inviting mankind towards the shores of salvation. Today, millions of people flock to his shrine. His great-great-grandson, Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS) has taught us how to supplicate to God, while traveling to Karbala: O God the Best of Guides, forgive and pardon me and my brothers and the pilgrims of' Aba Abdullah (AS), those who spent of their property in the way of Imam Husain (AS) and set off for pilgrimage to the tomb of Aba-Abdullah (AS).

I am in Iraq now. It seems that with the crossing of the border the climate has also changed. A vast desert is in front of me, through which pilgrims are being taken in cars towards holy Najaf, while others prefer to first visit the holy shrines in Kazemain and Samarra. I decide to join this latter group of pilgrims, and tomorrow I will describe my visit to the holy shrines of Imam Musa Kazem and his grandson Imam Mohammad Taqi al-Jawad (peace upon them).  

FK/AS/MG