Walking of Imam Hussein lovers to Karbala on Arba’een day (1)

Number 40 is a holy number in Islam religion that it was respected in many situations. It was advised to honor it. The number 40 shows completion, ending, etc. Arba’een is the fourteenth day after Ashoura event that captives were came back to Karbala while they were passed from different cities.

Reading Arba’een supplication is also advice on mentioned day. For many years, Imam Hussein lovers have gone to Karbala on foot on Arba’een day.(It is estimated 20 million pilgrims get together this year). People took part at this meeting enthusiastically. Based on Mehr- Shiite online website from Almanar channel, this year a group of Vatican in Naserieh city added to Imam Hussein caravan, too. Some pilgrims move from Najaf to Karbala and some from Baghdad to Karbala. Based on Shiite online, Imam Hussein servants in Iraq did marking the distance between Najaf and Karbala by columns. The distance between each column is 50 meters. There are 20 columns in one kilometer. The distance between Najaf and Karbala is 80 kilometers. It was estimated that the mentioned distance needs 20 to 25 hours walking (per day 7 or 8 hours on average). There were a lot of Mookes (camps) for resting during day and night beside the road. There were some centers for lost people. Based on Farhang news, Iraq army prepared some vehicles for pilgrims who were tired and couldn’t go to Karbala on foot. Mookebs (camps) members have come to Iraq from around the world to help the pilgrims. Most of them were from Iraq. It was interested that Imam Hussein servants insisted on pilgrims to eat or drink something (they tried to service Imam Hussein pilgrims in the best way). Another interesting point was the message of pilgrims by servants. They did this by machines or hands (but professional). Sometimes Mookeb members washed dusty, or tired feet of pilgrims and there were irritating if the pilgrims didn’t let them to do their works. There were some medical centers there. Iran Red Crescent had some centers there, too. Cultural-religious centers distributed out posters, brochures, etc. Some camp members had creativity. For example, tailors were there and were ready to service the pilgrims. Some camps used shoemakers to repair the shoes of pilgrims. You could find some people during the way that asked pilgrims to call with their cell phones to everyone that they wish. There were places for charging pilgrim phones. (There were almost one in every other kilometer). There were restrooms and bathrooms during the way a lot, too. All the mentioned services were free.

Translated by: Mohammed Kaj