News - Middle East: Millions of Muslims from across the world have converged in the holy Iraqi city of Karbala to mark Arba’een, the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam and the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

They moved toward Karbala on foot from different directions and descended upon the shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) to commemorate the event.

Along the routes, thousands of moukebs, or volunteer service stations, offer free food, water, medical care, and rest to pilgrims.

The Arba’een march is one of the largest annual religious congregations in the world, where the participants pay tribute to the third Shia imam, who is the all-time icon of fighting injustice, oppression, and despotism.

Imam Hussein (AS) and his 72 companions were martyred in the Battle of Karbala in southern Iraq in 680 AD while resisting the much larger army of the despot Umayyad ruler of the time, Yazid.

According to the latest reports, 5,291,005 pilgrims have crossed Iran’s six border points with Iraq over the past three weeks for the Arba’een march.

Under the banner of “Those left behind from Arba’een,” the Iranians who were unable to travel to Karbala took part in symbolic Arba’een marches in over 500 cities across the country.

In the capital Tehran, they marched from Imam Hussein square to the holy shrine of Shah Abdol-Azim Hasani in the southern town of Rey. Approximately 2,200 moukebs were set up on the 13-kilometer route.
 

Source: Press TV