Iraq

Millions of Muslims observe Arbaeen

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Millions of Muslims around the world including Iranians on Saturday commemorated Arbaeen, the end of a mourning ritual marking the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS).

In the main and largest event, pilgrims among them Iranian nationals congregated in Iraq’s holy city of Karbala to mark the culmination of the 40-day mourning period. Across Iran, the day being observed as a national religious holiday, the rituals were held in which people expressed their respect to the lofty cause of the martyred imam.

The religious occasion is observed 40 days after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) , grandson of Prophet Mohammad, and his companions on Ashura, the tenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar year, Muharram. Ashura marks the day Imam Hussein, along with 72 of his companions, was martyred in a battle against the second corrupt Umayyad caliph in Karbala, Iraq, more than 14 centuries ago.

Over the past days, mourners from across the world arrived in Imam Hussein’s shrine in Karbala, Iraq. Security forces in Iraq have been taking tough measures to secure the routes for this year’s pilgrims in southern cities and around the capital Baghdad. The religious ceremonies have been blindly targeted by terrorist attacks in the past years.

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