For Shia pilgrims in Iraq's deserts, suffering strengthens faith
He wears sandals and black clothes that absorb the heat, and carries a wooden broom handle for a walking stick.
But suffering is the point.
His journey mourns and glorifies the Muslim Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) grandson Hazrat Hussain (RA), slain in battle nearly 1,400 years ago at the end of this very route. Kareem begins at the furthest possible starting point, at Ras al-Bisha in southern Iraq.
He stands in the sands of the Persian Gulf before setting off north towards his goal, the holy city of Karbala, where Hussein died and where his shrine now stands.
Kareem will be on the road for 22 days. It is a tiring start for the 58-year-old.
The hot wind that blows through the southern Iraqi deserts and marshes, or inland from the sea, already batters him and frays a black flag he carries for the first part of the journey.
He is upbeat, however, and says his faith and resolve have never been stronger.
'I am fine, thank God. The path of Imam Hussein is the path of the free. I feel like a king on this path,' he says. Arbaeen, meaning 40 in Arabic, is one of the most important rituals for Shia Muslims.
Over 600 pilgrims hospitalised due to chlorine gas leak in Iraq
It has also become the world's largest annual pilgrimage and dwarfs the Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia's Makkah.
The event marks 40 days after the death of Hussein, who was killed by the army of Muslim Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya.
Shia-Sunni split
Shia's who believe the line of caliphs should follow the prophet's blood line while Sunnis believe it should be decided by consensus, mark Hussein's death with mourning in the streets.
The Shi'ite-Sunni split has divided the Middle East to different degrees at different points in history.
The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 exacerbated sectarian tensions that fuelled a civil war in Iraq, home to a Shia majority but with a large Sunni population.
The toppling of Saddam Hussein during that invasion, however, also allowed Shia to restart rituals that the Iraqi president had restricted. Kareem made his first full pilgrimage after Saddam was ousted, and has kept up the tradition every year since.
'This is my 18th time,' he says, proudly.
Arbaeen is also a display of Iraqi hospitality. Volunteers hand out cups of thick black sugary tea along roadsides and feed tired, hungry pilgrims in tents.
Mosques and religious halls known as Hussainiyas open their doors to travellers to sleep and rest.
Kareem relies on welcoming strangers to make his journey. He also meets family members along the way who join him for parts of the walk.
As his pilgrimage nears its end, the sight of Karbala and the Hussein shrine is a boost.
He jostles with other pilgrims who throng the shrine.
Visited by more than 20 million pilgrims each year, it is housed within a vast, golden-domed mosque decorated with ornate entrances, wooden gates and glass.
Kareem says a prayer as he gets close.
He has reached the holy city a couple of days ahead of the culmination of Arbaeen on Friday.
'Every year our love and longing for Imam Hussein grows stronger,' he says. Reuters
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Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
For Shia pilgrims in Iraq's deserts, suffering strengthens faith
KARBALA: Majid al-Kareem is poorly equipped for his 500 km pilgrimage by foot through the scorching deserts of southern Iraq. He wears sandals and black clothes that absorb the heat, and carries a wooden broom handle for a walking stick. But suffering is the point. His journey mourns and glorifies the Muslim Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) grandson Hazrat Hussain (RA), slain in battle nearly 1,400 years ago at the end of this very route. Kareem begins at the furthest possible starting point, at Ras al-Bisha in southern Iraq. He stands in the sands of the Persian Gulf before setting off north towards his goal, the holy city of Karbala, where Hussein died and where his shrine now stands. Kareem will be on the road for 22 days. It is a tiring start for the 58-year-old. The hot wind that blows through the southern Iraqi deserts and marshes, or inland from the sea, already batters him and frays a black flag he carries for the first part of the journey. He is upbeat, however, and says his faith and resolve have never been stronger. 'I am fine, thank God. The path of Imam Hussein is the path of the free. I feel like a king on this path,' he says. Arbaeen, meaning 40 in Arabic, is one of the most important rituals for Shia Muslims. Over 600 pilgrims hospitalised due to chlorine gas leak in Iraq It has also become the world's largest annual pilgrimage and dwarfs the Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia's Makkah. The event marks 40 days after the death of Hussein, who was killed by the army of Muslim Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya. Shia-Sunni split Shia's who believe the line of caliphs should follow the prophet's blood line while Sunnis believe it should be decided by consensus, mark Hussein's death with mourning in the streets. The Shi'ite-Sunni split has divided the Middle East to different degrees at different points in history. The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 exacerbated sectarian tensions that fuelled a civil war in Iraq, home to a Shia majority but with a large Sunni population. The toppling of Saddam Hussein during that invasion, however, also allowed Shia to restart rituals that the Iraqi president had restricted. Kareem made his first full pilgrimage after Saddam was ousted, and has kept up the tradition every year since. 'This is my 18th time,' he says, proudly. Arbaeen is also a display of Iraqi hospitality. Volunteers hand out cups of thick black sugary tea along roadsides and feed tired, hungry pilgrims in tents. Mosques and religious halls known as Hussainiyas open their doors to travellers to sleep and rest. Kareem relies on welcoming strangers to make his journey. He also meets family members along the way who join him for parts of the walk. As his pilgrimage nears its end, the sight of Karbala and the Hussein shrine is a boost. He jostles with other pilgrims who throng the shrine. Visited by more than 20 million pilgrims each year, it is housed within a vast, golden-domed mosque decorated with ornate entrances, wooden gates and glass. Kareem says a prayer as he gets close. He has reached the holy city a couple of days ahead of the culmination of Arbaeen on Friday. 'Every year our love and longing for Imam Hussein grows stronger,' he says. Reuters
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Express Tribune
Rawalpindi bans Arbaeen mourning walks
The Chehlum of Imam Hussain (RA) and the martyrs of Karbala will be observed on Friday, August 15. In remembrance, six major mourning processions, including Zuljinah, Ta'ziya, and Alam, will be taken out across Rawalpindi. However, Rawalpindi Commissioner Aamir Khattak has issued a formal order banning all 12 traditional "mashi walks" (mourning marches) that originate from different parts of the Rawalpindi Division. Those who defy the ban will be added to the Fourth Schedule and face legal charges. The district administration has requested 20 government buses to transport participants free of charge to central Imambargahs and procession points. The decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by the commissioner. What is Arbaeen Walk? Arbaeen in Arabic means forty - referring to the 20th of Safar, the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA), when people from all over the world travel to Karbala. On ordinary days, pilgrims usually arrive at Najaf Airport or travel from Iran to Najaf by bus, but on the occasion of Arbaeen, they specially walk from the shrine of Hazrat Ali (RA) in Najaf to Karbala. This distance from Najaf to Karbala is 80 kilometres, and the walkers include people of all ages, colours, ethnicities, religions, and sects. Although Najaf and Karbala are connected by a dual carriageway, the Iraqi government has built a separate road alongside it for pedestrians, making the walk easier while keeping vehicular traffic smooth and uninterrupted. The tradition of the Arbaeen Walk is very old. The first visitor to Imam Hussain's (RA) shrine was the elderly and venerable companion of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari (RA), who in the second year after the tragedy of Karbala, walked to the grave of Imam Hussain (RA). Thereafter, his followers joined him every year, and the walk continued in various forms until today. In Pakistan, this walk has been observed for the past five to six years, following the same tradition. Mourners gather at their local imambargahs and then jointly participate in the main mourning processions. The mashi (walk) from Taxila to Rawalpindi has been taking place for the last 10 years. From Taxila, mourners travel together in 20 to 30 vehicles to Saddar, park their vehicles there, and walk about one kilometre from Saddar to Raja Bazaar - men, women, children, and youth walking together - before joining the central mourning procession. Over time, this practice has spread further.
Express Tribune
09-08-2025
- Express Tribune
Government yields to MWM demands
The Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Shia Ulema Council (SUC) on Friday called off their "Arbaeen Hussaini March" after successful negotiations with officials from federal and provincial governments over the ban on Shia pilgrims travelling to Iran and Iraq via land routes. The breakthrough came after Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, accompanied by MQM leaders, visited the MWM office and held a five-hour meeting with MWM chief Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri. According to both sides, all seven demands of the march organising committee have been accepted. These include extending visas nearing expiry through talks with the Iraqi government; refunding amounts already paid to bus owners; facilitating pilgrims with valid visas to travel by air at subsidised fares; launching special flight operations, and forming a government committee — with MWM and SUC representation — to address pilgrims' issues. Speaking at a joint presser with march organisers, Chaudhry apologised to the community for the inconvenience caused, terming the travel ban "temporary" and imposed solely for security reasons. "We accept all demands of the Arbaeen march leadership, and practical steps will begin soon," he said, lauding the governor's role in the breakthrough. MWM deputy chief Allama Ahmed Iqbal Rizvi thanked the governor and MQM leadership for their role before calling off the "Arbaeen Hussaini March" from Karachi-to-Rimdhan. "We will monitor the implementation of these commitments," he said, adding that students stranded at the border would be allowed immediate entry, while pilgrims in Quetta would also benefit from discounted air tickets. SUC leader Allama Nazir Abbas Taqvi also welcomed the agreement, saying government representatives had given firm assurances of action on all points. The federal government's decision to bar land travel for Shia pilgrims to Iran and Iraq had prompted MWM chief Allama Jafri to announce the long march on Aug 6, attracting hundreds of participants. Meanwhile, the first Iran Air flight from Quetta to Zahedan departed on Thursday night, marking the commencement of a weekly air service between the two cities. According to a Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) spokesperson, a ceremony was held to mark the occasion, attended by the Iranian consul general, airport manager, chief security officer, Airport Security Force (ASF) officials, and representatives of the chamber of commerce. The spokesperson said that Iran Air flight IR-824, carrying 75 passengers, took off for Zahedan at 11.30pm. Earlier in the evening, the inaugural incoming flight from Zahedan had landed in Quetta at 9.15pm. The PAA confirmed that one flight per week will operate on the QuettaZahedan route.
