Islam Guidance

American Shia Muslim speaks on her trip to Visit the Holy Land of Karbala and her impression on Iraq and the Iraqis compared to what she would hear on the media.

We condolence on the Arbaeen anniversary, marking end of a 40-day mourning period after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein ibn Ali (A.S), the third Imam of prophet Muhammad’s (P.B.U.H&H.P) infallible household.
Number forty is mystic in Theosophy. According to the Islamic culture if someone practices a good deed constantly during forty days, it would be his inseparable attribute and lead to descending of God’s blessing. In some religions forty days and forty nights praying has been special position.
When Moses (A.S) prayed forty nights; found the ability to hear the words of God.
[And remember when we appointed for Moses forty nights, and (in his absence) you took the calf (for worship), and you were polytheists and wrong-doers.] (Holy Quran1:51)
The holy prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) said:
If someone devotes him only to god forty days; the springs of wisdom found in his words.
Commemorating of the fortieth day of deeds by their family and giving alms is one of the common customs among some of the Muslims. The fortieth day of Imam Hussein’s (A.S) martyrdom is called Arbaeen. In this day Shiites commemorate Imam Hussein’s (A.S) revolution. These forty days are a suitable opportunity for people to develop the love of Hussein (A.S) and hate his murderers, in their hearts. Forty consecutive days, from Ashura up to Arbaeen, also is a national ceremony of aversion announcement from oppressors of the history.
In the first Arbaeen, Jabir Ibn Abdullah and Atieh were the persons who pilgrimaged the holy tombs of Imam Hussein (A.S). According to some narrations, captive family of Imam Hussein (A.S) In the way of returning to Medina from Sham, visited Jabir and pilgrimaged tombs of Ashura"s martyrdoms.

Ref: Alhassanain.com

Shaykh Tusi writes in his book entitled Misbah ul Mutahajjid that 20th of the month of Safar is the day on which Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari a companion of the Holy Prophet came from Medina to Karbala to pay homage to the sacred grave of Imam Hussain and he was the first person who performed homage to the grave of the Imam.
Homage of Imam Hussain on that day is recommended and it is this very homage that is called Ziyuratul Arba'in. Shaykh Tusi appears to say that Jabir left Medina with the object of paying homage to the sacred grave of Imam Hussain and arrived at Karbala on the 20th day of Safar and not that he reached Karbala after forty days of the martyrdom of the Imam by chance.
It is not unlikely that it was so, because after the arrival of Ahlul Bayt in Kufa Ibn Ziyad immediately dispatched Abdul-Malik ibn al-Harith Salami from Iraq to the Hijaz so that he might arrive in Medina as early as possible and inform Amr bin Sa'id bin A-S Amavi, the Governor of Medina, about the martyrdom of the Imam and his companions and Abdul Malik proceeded to Medina at once, reached there after a few days, and formally conveyed the news of the martyrdom of the Imam to the governor.
In that case it is possible that on hearing about the tragedy of the martyrdom of the Imam and Bani Hashim and the companions of the Imam, Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari, who according to some narration had lost both of his eyes by that time, might have departed from Medina with the intention of paying homage to the graves of Imam Hussain and his devoted friends, who bravely met martyrdom, and might have arrived in Karbala on the 20th of safar i.e. that is exactly forty days after the martyrdom of the Imam and the tradition of the Ziyartal Arba'in of the Imam was commenced by him.

Ref: A Probe into the History of Ashura
By: Dr. Ibrahim Ayati

Epic of Arbaeen! Iraq- Arbaeen 1439/November 2017

Great Scenes of Great Walk [2015]

Keepers of the ultimate reward!  Servants of Zawwars of Imam Hussein (A.S)

Nasiriya-Iraq

What’s is this Love that Abu Fadhel Abbas has taught us?
He has no hands yet spends hours begging Pilgrims to eat from the stand he has set up for those walking 3 days from Najaf To Karbala