The March of the Melancholic River of Devotion
The Arba'een Procession & Pilgrimage
On the 20th of Safar of the Islamic Calendar, millions of lovers of the Holy Household from all around the world head to the city of Karbala in Iraq on foot to visit the grave of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson and the savior of the message of God, Hussain Bin Ali Bin Abu Talib. The pilgrimage follows the forty-day mourning period of his martyrdom and is to commemorate his act of bravery and selflessness to humanity in whole. The custom of this pilgrimage dates back to the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties and has been continuous throughout.
“The signs of the believer are five: praying fifty rak’aat, the Arba’een [pilgrimage], wearing a ring on the right hand, prostration [on the ground], and saying “Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem” (In the name of God the Gracious the Merciful) out loud.”
Imam Hasan Al-Askari, 11th successor of Prophet Muhammad
By 2016, the count of pilgrims almost reached 22 million by people of different nationalities, faiths, and backgrounds.
“The day of Hussain Bin Ali Bin Abu Talib’s Fortieth (Arba’een), the twentieth of Safar is one of the greatest Islamic conventions [where] people gather [in a similar manner] to their gatherings in Mecca, Saudi Arabia where [a diverse group of people] assemble; [...you find] a procession chanting in Arabic, another in Turkish, a third in Persian, a fourth in Urdu, etc.”
The Encyclopedia of Al-Taf Literature (1967 C.E./1380 A.H.)
Along the way of the procession, thousands of Mawakib are found providing everything from basic necessities such as food, drink, and medical services to luxuries like foot massages. In 2014, 7000 of those Mawakib were set up along the route of the procession, all offering their services for free.
Throughout the years, many terrorists tried to obstruct the Arba’een processions and pilgrimages but failed to do so. The Arba’een is a delicate Islamic revolution with a message of sacrifice in the name of faith. This procession of millions showcases the power of belief among the nation; considering its participants are of all around the world. It is a peaceful challenge of the public to those who speak the language of murder, terror, and extremism. A revolution of doctrine and ethics.
“Arba’een should be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in several categories. The biggest annual gathering, longest continuous dining table, largest number of people fed for free, [and] largest group of volunteers serving a single event, all under the imminent threat of suicide bombings.”
Sayed Mahdi Al-Modarresi, The Huffington Post
The love of Hussain and the Holy Household unites millions upon millions of people; they all come together for one purpose and with the same wrench of heart in thought of the great sacrifice Imam Hussain, his family, and the 72 courageous companions have made for God, justice and us.
“The signs of the believer are five: praying fifty rak’aat, the Arba’een [pilgrimage], wearing a ring on the right hand, prostration [on the ground], and saying “Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem” (In the name of God the Gracious the Merciful) out loud.”
Imam Hasan Al-Askari, 11th successor of Prophet Muhammad
By 2016, the count of pilgrims almost reached 22 million by people of different nationalities, faiths, and backgrounds.
“The day of Hussain Bin Ali Bin Abu Talib’s Fortieth (Arba’een), the twentieth of Safar is one of the greatest Islamic conventions [where] people gather [in a similar manner] to their gatherings in Mecca, Saudi Arabia where [a diverse group of people] assemble; [...you find] a procession chanting in Arabic, another in Turkish, a third in Persian, a fourth in Urdu, etc.”
The Encyclopedia of Al-Taf Literature (1967 C.E./1380 A.H.)
Along the way of the procession, thousands of Mawakib are found providing everything from basic necessities such as food, drink, and medical services to luxuries like foot massages. In 2014, 7000 of those Mawakib were set up along the route of the procession, all offering their services for free.
Throughout the years, many terrorists tried to obstruct the Arba’een processions and pilgrimages but failed to do so. The Arba’een is a delicate Islamic revolution with a message of sacrifice in the name of faith. This procession of millions showcases the power of belief among the nation; considering its participants are of all around the world. It is a peaceful challenge of the public to those who speak the language of murder, terror, and extremism. A revolution of doctrine and ethics.
“Arba’een should be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in several categories. The biggest annual gathering, longest continuous dining table, largest number of people fed for free, [and] largest group of volunteers serving a single event, all under the imminent threat of suicide bombings.”
Sayed Mahdi Al-Modarresi, The Huffington Post
The love of Hussain and the Holy Household unites millions upon millions of people; they all come together for one purpose and with the same wrench of heart in thought of the great sacrifice Imam Hussain, his family, and the 72 courageous companions have made for God, justice and us.
Why Do We March? by Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi
"Let me try to explain why millions of men and women, wearing black and holding flags of Hussein (as), take to the streets in over 2000 cities world wide, every year, for the last fourteen centuries in what manifests as the largest and the greatest protest ever recorded in all of human history.
To most, the events that unfolded in Karbala in 680 AD hold cosmic importance, whose remembrance brings spiritual blessings and forms a fundamental doctrine for deliverance in the here-after--these mourning rituals of Ashura become a platform to wrestle with the wretched history of Muslims who killed the divinely ordained Imam (leader) of the community and not only that, killed most of his family including children; the remembrance of this particular tragedy mould as a fora to exert what is right (and righteous) in the face of corruption and fabrication.
It is however, paramount to note that the Ashura gatherings are not just faith-driven, ritual remembrance of the cold-blooded murder of the grandson and progeny of our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). A family of 72 persons that included women and children faced the most gruesome of oppression for taking a stance against cruelty- the surviving few started a movement that now makes the victory of-the-few evident defying limits of possibility, intellect, time and space. Who would have thought that the ones who were butchered would inspire millions of humans spread across continents and the tyrants, become symbol of tyranny for centuries to come? How can the ones who were apparently defeated, maimed and harassed push boundaries of resilience to redefine its confines? These protests are transcendential for they break the barriers of regions, religions, colour and class. You do not have to subscribe a particular version of history or faith to partake in its hype. History is evident that Hindus, Christians, Jews, Muslims of diverse sects, marxists, liberals, seculars, rich, downtrodden, beleaguered of every shade have not only joined the events but helped in shaping it's meta-narrative as it exists today. Depending upon where you come from, whatever vantage point enables your vision, you can soak up in its majesty. From medieval ideologues to modern day heroes like Gandhi, Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr, from Sana'i, Rumi and Tagore to Ghalib, Faiz and Jalib all borrowed inspiration from it.
These gatherings, by remembering the tragic events of Karbala and representing them in an array of artistic expressions become an outlet for renewing commitments, revitalizing convictions, rejuvenating values and reassuring all that is 'good' inside us that we will, come what may, stand up to all that is evil.
It is in this setting that 'Karbala' becomes a metaphor for sacrifice, martyrdom, renewal, redemption, resurrection, revolt, resolution, revolution, and interestingly for the contradictory realms of tragedy and hope. Literary traditions of the Arab world, Persia, Turkey and Indo-Pak subcontinent are replete with its usage.
While, on one hand, the rituals of Karbala are colored in the desperate tones of spiritual salvation, on the other- they serve as a cathartic space; a meditative exercise- enabling to make sense of one's individual engagement with suffering, pain and grief.
Karbala has become an agency to establish the contours of our moral mandate having religious (for those who believe), political (for those who get inspired by it to take civic action for justice), social (for those who absorb its quiver to be better human beings), cultural (for those who move in its aesthetic pleasures) and economic (for those who wage a war against inequality) connotations.
We take to the streets in every corner of the world despite violence by the Taliban, the Isis and Bokoharam et al fulfilling the vows our ancestors made to the family of Prophet (pbhu) that we will bear witness to Hussein (as) and his sister Zainab (as) who founded this very tradition of lamentative protests. We pledge, every year, that no matter how vicious the oppression and how impossible the fight for justice may seem, we will sustain. We will not forget, and in not forgetting- we will stand up to Yazids (evils) of our time.
We take to the streets because this very renewal of faith, morals, politics, art, identity, philosophy, psychology and promise requires us to.
We take to the streets to commemorate Karbala because we know the fight against evil is on-going and multi-faceted- sometimes internal and sometimes external- and this shared mobile-memory gives us a recluse to recollect and start anew.
[...]
Let humanity awaken- every nation will claim Hussein as their own!"
To most, the events that unfolded in Karbala in 680 AD hold cosmic importance, whose remembrance brings spiritual blessings and forms a fundamental doctrine for deliverance in the here-after--these mourning rituals of Ashura become a platform to wrestle with the wretched history of Muslims who killed the divinely ordained Imam (leader) of the community and not only that, killed most of his family including children; the remembrance of this particular tragedy mould as a fora to exert what is right (and righteous) in the face of corruption and fabrication.
It is however, paramount to note that the Ashura gatherings are not just faith-driven, ritual remembrance of the cold-blooded murder of the grandson and progeny of our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). A family of 72 persons that included women and children faced the most gruesome of oppression for taking a stance against cruelty- the surviving few started a movement that now makes the victory of-the-few evident defying limits of possibility, intellect, time and space. Who would have thought that the ones who were butchered would inspire millions of humans spread across continents and the tyrants, become symbol of tyranny for centuries to come? How can the ones who were apparently defeated, maimed and harassed push boundaries of resilience to redefine its confines? These protests are transcendential for they break the barriers of regions, religions, colour and class. You do not have to subscribe a particular version of history or faith to partake in its hype. History is evident that Hindus, Christians, Jews, Muslims of diverse sects, marxists, liberals, seculars, rich, downtrodden, beleaguered of every shade have not only joined the events but helped in shaping it's meta-narrative as it exists today. Depending upon where you come from, whatever vantage point enables your vision, you can soak up in its majesty. From medieval ideologues to modern day heroes like Gandhi, Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr, from Sana'i, Rumi and Tagore to Ghalib, Faiz and Jalib all borrowed inspiration from it.
These gatherings, by remembering the tragic events of Karbala and representing them in an array of artistic expressions become an outlet for renewing commitments, revitalizing convictions, rejuvenating values and reassuring all that is 'good' inside us that we will, come what may, stand up to all that is evil.
It is in this setting that 'Karbala' becomes a metaphor for sacrifice, martyrdom, renewal, redemption, resurrection, revolt, resolution, revolution, and interestingly for the contradictory realms of tragedy and hope. Literary traditions of the Arab world, Persia, Turkey and Indo-Pak subcontinent are replete with its usage.
While, on one hand, the rituals of Karbala are colored in the desperate tones of spiritual salvation, on the other- they serve as a cathartic space; a meditative exercise- enabling to make sense of one's individual engagement with suffering, pain and grief.
Karbala has become an agency to establish the contours of our moral mandate having religious (for those who believe), political (for those who get inspired by it to take civic action for justice), social (for those who absorb its quiver to be better human beings), cultural (for those who move in its aesthetic pleasures) and economic (for those who wage a war against inequality) connotations.
We take to the streets in every corner of the world despite violence by the Taliban, the Isis and Bokoharam et al fulfilling the vows our ancestors made to the family of Prophet (pbhu) that we will bear witness to Hussein (as) and his sister Zainab (as) who founded this very tradition of lamentative protests. We pledge, every year, that no matter how vicious the oppression and how impossible the fight for justice may seem, we will sustain. We will not forget, and in not forgetting- we will stand up to Yazids (evils) of our time.
We take to the streets because this very renewal of faith, morals, politics, art, identity, philosophy, psychology and promise requires us to.
We take to the streets to commemorate Karbala because we know the fight against evil is on-going and multi-faceted- sometimes internal and sometimes external- and this shared mobile-memory gives us a recluse to recollect and start anew.
[...]
Let humanity awaken- every nation will claim Hussein as their own!"
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