ABWA Official Website – On the occasion of the Arbaeen of Imam Hussain (a.s.) (forty days after the Imam’s martyrdom), and Arbaeen Great Walk, ABNA International News Agency conducts interviews with scholars and some personalities about the importance and various aspects of this ritual.
Hojat al-Islam Dr. Muhammad Reza Fallah Tafti, the representative of the people of Alborz province in the Assembly of Experts for Leadership, and the scientific and content director of the virtual encyclopedia WikiShia Encyclopedia was one of these personalities who spoke to ABNA about the Arbaeen Pilgrimage.
At the beginning of his speech, about the place of the Arbaeen Pilgrimage in the Shia school, he said, “According to a hadith of Imam Hassan Askari (a.s.), Arbaeen Pilgrimage is one of the signs of a Muslim believer. As Hajj is a gathering of Muslims and is considered the biggest gathering of Muslims, and during it, Muslims gather in Mecca and the whole world realizes that Muslims have gathered; Shiites and Shiism also have a special gathering for themselves, which is Arbaeen Pilgrimage. Perhaps in this way, Imam Hassan Askari (a.s.) wanted to announce to the world that if they are looking for a special gathering for Shiites and Shiism, they should look at the days of Arbaeen. Therefore, Arbaeen days have media aspect for the whole world. Because Imam (a.s.) said: Arbaeen Pilgrimage is one of the signs of a believer. Arbaeen pilgrimage has a media meaning. Therefore, it can be said that the Arbaeen pilgrimage has been favored in the Shiite school and can be a symbol and sign of Shiism, and an opportunity to introduce the AhlulBayt (a.s.) and their teachings to the world,”
Regarding the spiritual and educational messages of the Arbaeen Great Walk for the pilgrims, Hojat al-Islam Tafti said, “According to history, the first Arbaeen Pilgrimage was after the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (a.s.) by AhlulBayt (a.s.). The first people who came to Arbaeen Pilgrimage were Imam Sajjad (a.s.), Lady Zaynab (a.s.), and other AhlulBayt (a.s.) after the incident of Ashura and suffering in Karbala, and after 40 days of hardships on the way from Karbala to Kufa, from Kufa to the Levant, and from the Levant to Karbala. In this way, they conveyed the message of the martyrs to the people. The incident of Ashura has several messages, including defending the right and truth, fighting against oppression and arrogance, fighting against deviation and heresies in religion, enjoining good, and forbidding wrong.
“Imam Sajjad (a.s.), Lady Zaynab (a.s.), and the other AhlulBayt (a.s.) tried to convey all these messages to the people,” he added, “The jihad of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and his companions in Karbala was accompanied by bitterness and hardships. The enlightenment jihad of Imam Sajjad (a.s.), Lady Zaynab (a.s.), and other AhlulBayt (a.s.) was also full of bitterness and hardship. All these points can be considered Arbaeen messages in different dimensions that we need in our personal or social, and national or international life. Because the message of Arbaeen is to stand up against oppression, defend the right and truth, worship and spirituality, fight against deviation and heresies, revive enjoining good and forbidding wrong, and not accept humiliation even if it is accompanied by hardship and bitterness.”
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