Arbaeen pilgrimage brings millions to Iraqi city of Karbala

Shia pilgrims arrive in the holy city of Karbala on Friday to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husayn. Sara Mushtaq, a 35-year-old woman from Karachi, Pakistan, said at one point during the walk that her “feet just wouldn’t move” and described briefly collapsing on the side of the road. “It is hard to fathom the scale at which this gathering is taking place.” ‘Searching for inspiration’ According to Mehdi Hazari – a Shia religious scholar and the head of education and research at the Imam Mahdi Association of the Marjaeya in the United States – a major reason for the non-obligatory pilgrimage is “searching for “inspiration in this world for which Imam Husayn died for”. “So the walk … is where a person can find their heart awakened … meaning there is this sense overwhelming sense of giving, of sharing without asking for anything in return that creates this humanity, a type of brotherly and sisterly love.” Echoing Hazari’s sentiments, Mushtaq said that the trip had completely broken her down “physically, mentally and spiritually” and that she now had the chance to rebuild herself. “I want to incorporate this experience into my daily life … and teach my kids what it really means to be a lover of Husayn.” Pandemic, political instability This year is the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020 that Arbaeen will take place without restrictions or a cap on foreign travellers.