Lessons from Arbaeen Walk

Indeed, there are so many lessons and values to be learnt from Arbaeen Walk in which people from all over the world participate irrespective of their sect, profession, social status, and religion. The lessons we learn from Arbaeen Walk are important to use in our lives.

The first Arbaeen pilgrimage was the powerful media of Ashura. Those forty days were the days when the logic of Truth reigned among the dark world of the Umayyad’s and Bani Sufyanis. Ahlul-Bayt (AS) [the progeny of the Prophet (PBUH)] created a catalyst through a forty-day movement. Today, Arbaeen Walk is a stentorian call and an unprecedented media in the complex and propagandized world.

A major dimension that Arbaeen highlights is the moral/ ethical perspective of Imam Hussain’s (A.S) revolution, which is about promoting good, truth and justice and not only standing against but forbidding evil and injustice. As rightly put by Imam Hussain (A.S) himself:

“I seek to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil and follow the traditions of my grandfather (the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH.)) and my father (Imam Ali (A.S)).”

Courage, according to modern thinkers and many philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, is one of the most vital human virtues. For Plato, courage is “what allows reason to rule, both in the individual and in society.” It takes a lot of courage to live by principles and moral values in this world. Because if you are alive, then it is criminal on your part if you do not raise your voice against the oppressors and their atrocities and for the oppressed.

Whether it is for the oppressed people of Kashmir or the oppressed Palestinians, Yemenis or Syrians, rape culture or Shia genocide, one must stand up and act. Unfortunately, many of us are not bothered by these oppressive practices and are not affected enough to take any action. This is because most of us are afraid and are waiting for some superhero to come as our savior and save us from all the existing social injustices. We must remind ourselves that the superhero resides within us; all we have to do is recognize it. So, in the present status-quo, the least we can do is raise our voices because every voice and every word of ours has the potential to make a difference!

Studying the slogans of Arbaeen Walk also shows freedom, dignity, their spirit in fighting arrogance and their hatred of oppression which are tied with the nature of Arbaeen Walk, Ijmmu mentioned. In fact, similar to the uprising and movement of Imam Hussain (AS) which was for freedom and the rejection of tyranny, this walk is also to protect this uprising and movement and as we have said, the examination of the literature and slogans of Arbaeen pilgrims is also evidence of this claim. Arbaeen pilgrims by resorting to their Imam’s (AS) uprising against cruelty of the time, i.e. the rule of Umayyad and Yazid, announced their solidarity with this basic principle in all eras.

The Arbaeen Walk also sheds light on the social message of peacefulness by Imam Hussain (A.S.). It gives a clear message to the world that Islam is a religion of peace, human solidarity, social cohesion, and love for others. The sight of doctors and physicians offering their services for free, the largest number of volunteers facilitating the pilgrims, poor people feeding the hungry and sick ones are serving the healthy. It is an event that symbolizes women empowerment as women are walking fearlessly with pride and dignity with their children for three consecutive days from the city of Najaf Ashraf to Karbala. One can witness a beautiful glimpse of an amalgamation of so many emotions of the Zayireens (people walking towards the shrines) filled with hope, love, kindness, and sacrifice.

source:shafaqna