Different features of Arbaeen pilgrimage

As mentioned earlier, the Arbaeen pilgrimage is a ritual deeply rooted in the traditions of the Shia Imams.

During the occultation of Imam Al-Mahdi (aj), this pilgrimage, along with the Arbaeen walking ceremony, has been recommended by many scholars. However, it was only after the fall of Saddam Hussein that this ritual could be held in Iraq. As noted, the Arbaeen walk usually takes place from the city of Najaf to Karbala. This journey, which covers approximately eighty kilometers, typically takes between two to three days, and sometimes up to three to five days for older individuals.

Most people measure the length of the route by counting the electric poles along the highway, which number around twelve hundred and are numbered. Due to interruptions or weak telecommunications networks, individuals, groups, and religious assemblies arrange to meet by specifying electric pole numbers. What stands out most during this journey and social maneuver is the spirit and activity of charitable acts; it is almost impossible for anyone participating in this event not to be familiar with the concept of a “Mawkab.”

“Mawkab” refers to booths set up along the route or inside cities, usually in the form of tents or pavilions. There are also Mawakib constructed from cement and bricks. Most pilgrims stop and stay at the first relatively comfortable tent they reach about an hour before sunset.

From the moment one enters the tent, they are greeted with prepared and laid-out beds arranged in two rows on either side of the tent, so that all the pillows are pressed against the wall and everyone’s feet are facing towards the center of the tent. Each person selects a bed, places their belongings there, and sometimes sleeps on it to claim it as their own. A narrow passage is left in the center of the tent for movement. During colder seasons, heating devices powered by gas or oil are often found in some tents. What is very noticeable is the full-service provided by the tent’s attendants to the resting pilgrims; so much so that the pilgrim does not need to move from their place until after sunset and bedtime. A substantial meal is offered to the pilgrim to the maximum ability of the tent’s owner from the beginning of the stay. At sunset, after the prayer, a dinner table is immediately set, and a very delicious meal is placed in front of each bed.

Aside from most pilgrims who travel during the day and rest at night, a few also travel at night and sleep for a few hours during the day. These individuals also create an attractive scene on the streets with their night-time walking.

Most people begin their journey after morning prayers, when the weather is still somewhat cool, and after having breakfast at the Mawkab. Each person plans how many electric poles they need to pass in that day. Electric poles serve as a spatial unit for planning, arranging meetings, addressing, and more. A review of Iraq shows that this type of electric pole numbering is found in most transportation corridors in the country. However, the simple appearance of this issue, when viewed by people from different countries with varying urban cultures and different traffic and guidance customs, becomes a common aspect acquired among the members of the Arbaeen walking community.

The Pleasure of God and Imam Hussein (peace be upon him)

The pilgrims present at this ceremony are highly focused on earning the pleasure of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and God through their actions and behavior. They constantly feel themselves under God’s scrutiny. Shopkeepers more comfortably close their businesses to serve the pilgrims or perhaps out of respect for the mourning. This spirit of seeking God’s pleasure is deeply felt.

From the “physical hardship” that the pilgrims endure to the tireless work to provide sleeping and eating arrangements, the selflessness for others, the donated food and its delightful taste, and the symbols of the flags and banners; all reflect work done for God. On this path, everything is dedicated to God and Imam Hussein (peace be upon him). Traders along the route seem uncomfortable offering their goods for money. Each trader either dedicates all their property to the Mawakib and pilgrims or closes their business.

Even security personnel, as observed from the border to the destination, seem to somewhat suspend their duties. There are no extensive checkpoints as in other times. Additionally, in a land where beggars are commonly seen due to harsh living conditions, no beggars are seen during the days leading up to Arbaeen. The main reason for this is the abundance of donations and the general spirit of “giving rather than asking” among the people.

All sensory manifestations in this event create a sense of “being aligned and pursuing a single goal” among the pilgrims. This goal is not merely reaching and visiting the shrine of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him); it is to demonstrate loyalty to an Imam whom the Shia believe is their witness, observer, and intercessor, and in a word, it is the phrase “Labayk Ya Hussein” (Here I am, O Hussein); a phrase that all Arbaeen pilgrims, after several days of strenuous walking, immediately utter upon their first arrival at the shrine. It is a slogan that the Shia believe they have practiced before uttering it during this journey.