Arba'een

Arba'een is the fortieth day after Ashura in the Islamic lunar calendar, when Muslims—especially Shia Muslims—commemorate Husayn ibn Ali’s death through mourning and pilgrimage.

Husayn ibn Ali: Husayn ibn Ali was the grandson of Muhammad and the third Shia imam, killed at Karbala in 680. Arba'een centers on mourning his death and honoring his stand at Karbala.
Arba'een Pilgrimage: The Arba'een Pilgrimage is an annual mass journey to Karbala for the fortieth day after Ashura. It is the observance’s most visible public expression.
Ashura: Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram, associated in Shia Islam with Husayn ibn Ali’s death at Karbala. Arba'een falls forty days after Ashura.
Mawkib: A mawkib is a roadside station that provides services and hospitality to pilgrims, especially during Iraqi religious processions. Mawakib sustain pilgrims walking toward Karbala during Arba'een.
Saddam Hussein: Saddam Hussein was the president of Iraq from 1979 to 2003, ruling the country under the Ba'ath Party. His government restricted public Shia commemorations and pilgrimages, including Arba'een gatherings.
Ziyarat: Ziyarat is a devotional visit to a sacred person, place, or shrine in Islam. The Arba'een pilgrimage is a major form of ziyarat.
Imam Husayn Shrine: The Imam Husayn Shrine is a mosque and mausoleum in Karbala built around Husayn ibn Ali’s tomb. The shrine is the pilgrimage’s principal destination.
Safar: Safar is the second month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Arba'een occurs on the twentieth day of Safar.
Walking pilgrimage: A walking pilgrimage is a religious journey undertaken on foot to a sacred destination. Walking is the defining practice of the route followed by many Arba'een pilgrims.
2003 Invasion of Iraq: The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a US-led military campaign that toppled Saddam Hussein’s government. The invasion’s aftermath enabled the large-scale revival of public Arba'een pilgrimage.

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