The Arbaeen walk, or Arbaeen procession, is a Shia Islam act that takes place in the days leading up to the 20th of Safar (Arbaeen of Imam Hussain (AS)).
This walk, performed by pilgrims, begins from different parts of Iraq, heading toward Karbala, with the aim of visiting the shrine of Imam Hussain (AS) on the occasion of Arbaeen. Most pilgrims walk from Najaf to Karbala. Along the pilgrimage route, there are places known as Moukhabs where the pilgrims are offered food and rest.
During the rule of Saddam Hussein, restrictions were placed on the pilgrimage. However, after the fall of the Ba’ath Party in 2003, the pilgrimage was revived. Every year, in addition to the Shia Muslims from Iraq, Shia Muslims from other countries, especially Iran, join the Arbaeen walk. According to reports, besides the Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Christians, Yazidis, and other religious minorities also participate in the Arbaeen walk.
History of Pilgrimage on Foot
Pilgrimage on foot is a commemoration that has existed since ancient times and is not limited to any specific time. As mentioned, Prophet Adam (AS) walked to the House of God a thousand times, traversing the path on foot. This practice is not confined to a specific religion or culture. For example, Emperor Caesar of Rome had pledged to God that if he succeeded in his battles against the Persian Empire, he would walk to the Holy Land of Jerusalem as a gesture of gratitude. After his victory, he fulfilled his vow and walked to Jerusalem on foot.
Historical accounts indicate that visiting the shrines of the Ahlul-Bayt (AS) on foot has been a common practice since the time of the Imams, and it took place across various regions of the Islamic world. However, over the centuries, this tradition has faced challenges, particularly due to the various rulers and political circumstances of the time. As with many other religious practices, the pilgrimage to the Imams’ shrines was subjected to hardships, and the tradition of walking to Karbala also faced various ups and downs.
Shia rulers like the Buyid and Safavid dynasties took steps to promote this virtuous tradition and spread it among the Shia Muslims. According to Ibn Jozay, Jalal Ad-Dawla, a descendant of Adud Ad-Dawla, in 431 AH (1040 CE), walked barefoot with his sons and companions from the trench of Kufa to the shrine of Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf, a distance of about one Farsakh (approximately 6 km).
During the Safavid era, great emphasis was placed on pilgrimage on foot. Shah Abbas I and prominent scholars of his time, such as Sheikh Baha’i, walked from Isfahan to Mashhad to visit the shrine of Imam Ridha (AS) in 1009 AH (1600 CE). Other historical accounts also attest to this practice.
Scholars and eminent figures also followed the example of the Ahlul-Bayt (AS) and attached great importance to this virtuous tradition. It is reported that pilgrimage to Karbala on foot was common until the time of Sheikh Ansari (d. 1864 CE). It is even said that Sheikh Ansari, as part of a vow, walked to the shrine of Imam Ali Ridha (AS).
Similarly, Ayatollah Akhund Khurasani (d. 1945 CE) would also walk with his companions to Karbala. Mirza Hussain Noori (d. 1902 CE) was particularly dedicated to this practice and would, every year on the day of Eid Al-Adha, walk from Najaf to Karbala with a group of pilgrims. This journey would take three days.
Some researchers argue that the Arbaeen walk has been a common practice among Shia from the time of the Imams (AS). Seyyed Mohammad Ali Qazi Tabatabai (d. 1987 CE) in his book Research on the First Arbaeen of the Martyr of Karbala regards visiting Imam Hussain (AS) on the day of Arbaeen as a continuous tradition among Shia Muslims since the time of the Imams.
This practice continued even during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. It is said that after the era of Sheikh Ansari, this tradition was forgotten, but Muhaddith Noori revived it. In the book Adab Al-Taff, which was published in 1967 (1388 AH), the author compares the gathering of pilgrims during Arbaeen to the gathering of Muslims in Mecca during Hajj and notes that groups of mourners chanted in Turkish, Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. The author of Adab Al-Taff estimated the number of Arbaeen pilgrims at over one million.
Source: Mehr News Agency
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