Problems facing the transportation of pilgrims during Arba’in must be solved

RNA – During his Friday prayer sermon delivered to a large crowd of believers and mourners ‎at the Holy Shrine of Imam al-Husayn in the Iraqi city of Karbala, Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid ‎Ahmad al-Safi offered thanks and appreciation to all the officials, in both the public and ‎private sectors‎, whose efforts contributed to the success of the Arba’in al-Husayn ‎pilgrimage, which reached its peak on October 30th. ‎

The representative of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani added that this year, five axes ‎were added to the two axes of last year to attend the holy city of Karbala and said, “We ‎thank and appreciate all the people who were active in different parts of the world and ‎ended in Karbala.”‎

He referred to the announcement of the number of pilgrims present in Karbala and said, “To ‎count the number of pilgrims entering the holy city of Karbala, cameras were installed from ‎the 7th of Safar [October 17th] until 12:00 am on the 20th of Safar [October 30th] and ‎observed and counted the number of pilgrims. This is while many pilgrims were present both ‎before and after these dates to attend the Arba’in pilgrimage.” ‎

Hujjat al-Islam al-Safi added that this year, more than 15 million Iraqi and foreign pilgrims ‎arrived in the holy city of Karbala to attend the Arba’in pilgrimage.‎

The custodian of the Holy Shrine of Hadhrat Abbas called for a solution to the problems in ‎regard to the transportation of the pilgrims and stated, “Unfortunately, during all [large] ‎gatherings there is a problem with the transportation of pilgrims and there must be serious ‎and necessary measures made in this regard.” ‎

He stated, “Serving the pilgrims and providing them with all their needs is one of the unique ‎and excellent features of the Iraqi people. That the pilgrims were able to take care of their ‎affairs without any incident or problem, indicates their vigilance and sincerity.”‎

Hujjat al-Islam al-Safi praised the mawkibs [booths which give out free food, beverages, ‎places to sleep and other necessities] because of the importance they gave to the cleaning ‎the pathways and called for increased efforts in this regard.‎

It must be noted that Arba’in marks forty days after the Day of Ashura, the day Imam al-‎Husayn ibn Ali, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, was martyred in the Battle of Karbala in ‎‎680 CE. ‎

On the day of Arba’in, the Shi’ah faithful traditionally walk for several days or longer to reach ‎the Iraqi holy city of Karbala where crowds chant and march around the Holy Shrine of ‎Imam Husayn.