They walk for days under the sun, driven by grief and resistance – turning an ancient tragedy into the world’s most powerful act of faith

Arbaeen is one of the world’s most significant and massive religious events. It commemorates the tragic death of Imam Hussein – the son of Imam Ali and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

In Iraq, Arbaeen is far more than a religious ritual. It is a powerful social, cultural, and spiritual gathering that draws millions of pilgrims from around the globe. This year, officials counted 21,103,524 arrivals.

For many Shiites, the journey begins weeks before the date itself. They set out on foot from towns and cities across Iraq and from neighboring countries – primarily Iran, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and Lebanon. Pilgrims also come from Africa, Asia, Türkiye, Europe, and even Russia. Russians, in fact, are easy to spot: they often arrive with a giant tricolor flag.

Blessing in motion

An Arab proverb says: “There is blessing in movement.” In Shiite civilization, movement carries special weight. Walking forward is seen as a way of resisting decline and backsliding. That’s why the centuries-old tradition of walking the roughly 80 kilometers from Najaf to Karbala has survived – interrupted only during Saddam Hussein’s rule, when Shia Islam came under harsh political repression. As Iraqis say today: that was just a moment, and it means nothing now.

“Saddam Hussein and the Baath Party waged a real war against Shiite Muslims,” recalls Sayyid Mohammad al-Yasri, head of the local branch of the Dawa Party in Najaf. We met in his spacious home, where he described life for believers under Saddam. Both he and his father had lived through years of persecution before Iraq was once again able to host millions of pilgrims each year.

“The regime banned rituals, ceremonies, even prayers,” he explained. “Shiites were forbidden to travel to Karbala. That ban carried political weight, because Arbaeen has always been a symbol of the struggle for the rights of the oppressed. History remembers the ‘Arbaeen Intifada’ of 1977, when worshippers were gunned down by tanks right outside Karbala. Yet people never gave up Arbaeen. They went underground, resisted the regime, and held to their faith.”

Abbas Juma and head of the local branch of the Dawa Party in Najaf Sayyid Mohammad al-Yasri © Abbas Juma

“Saddam was brutal. He launched a war with Iran, poisoned Iraq’s foreign ties, and crushed his own people. We wanted to end that ourselves. But then the Americans came."

“We never wanted change to come through them – it had to be the Iraqi people’s decision. We fought politically, and some of us militarily, until we finally forced the Americans out in 2011. But even then, they came back through ISIS. So Saddam is gone, but sectarian strife still plagues us. That’s the card the West plays – the US and Israel. We want unity. If our nation is united, there’s no room for Israeli aggression. Division is their goal; unity is the true path.”

Scale and Organization

Unlike the Hajj, in which pilgrims travel to Mecca, Arbaeen is exclusively a Shiite pilgrimage. Attendance in Karbala routinely ranges from 17 to 25 million, making it one of the largest religious gatherings on Earth.

Pilgrims endure days of exhaustion, blistering heat that often tops 120°F, and all kinds of discomfort. Many believe the hardship itself is part of the test – a trial of will. Still, today’s journey is far easier than it was for their grandparents. Along the way, pilgrims are fed and given water, offered free medical care, and sheltered in tents known as mukeb.

In recent years, especially since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, the Palestinian cause has become a central theme of Arbaeen. The Palestinian mukeb is more than a rest stop: it’s a museum dedicated to the Palestinian struggle and the Resistance movement. Inside are exhibits, a broadcast studio, a podcast space, a dining hall, and a clinic.

For Shiites, the war in Gaza resonates deeply with the events of 680 A.D., when Hussein ibn Ali and his followers were killed in battle against the forces of Yazid ibn Muawiya. Believers see Yazid in today’s Israel and the United States, and they argue that although 1,400 years have passed, the struggle continues – an eternal battle between light and darkness, the oppressed and the oppressor, good and evil. This philosophy underpins both the Resistance movement and modern Iran’s political vision, even as the country still reels from its 12-day war with Israel.

Security and sacrifice

“After 2003, Iraq faced major security challenges,” says Iraqi lawyer Zaid Jabbar. “Shiite pilgrims heading to Karbala during Arbaeen were regularly attacked by suicide bombers, often from groups like al-Qaeda. They used car bombs and improvised explosives. Hundreds died each year. But after 2014, once the People’s Pilgrimage Authority was formed, the government reorganized everything and finally secured the entire route."

“Even with pilgrims now arriving from Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Turkey, Russia, and Europe, security has held. Iraq spends billions providing food, water, and lodging so pilgrims can stay for free. Wealthy Iraqis donate livestock, vegetables, fruit, and sweets.”

From what I saw this year, security is tighter than ever. Nobody enters Karbala without a thorough inspection. Every pocket is checked, every pill in a medicine kit examined. Just a year ago, such measures seemed impossible, and the only answer to how Iraq avoided chaos or attacks was: “by the grace of God .”

Today, it’s also by the work of tens of thousands of volunteers who set aside their lives to build camps, cook meals, pour drinks, and keep order.

They do it freely, out of faith, but also in hope of reward in the afterlife. You can see the joy on a volunteer’s face when you accept food from their hands — as if, in that moment, a good deed has been tallied in their favor in heaven.

The tribal factor

On my last day in Iraq, I visited Sheikh Amir, leader of the powerful Bani Hassan tribe, in his home. In Iraq, tribes can number in the millions, making their sheikhs wealthy and politically influential. If a tribe stretches beyond Iraq’s borders – into Saudi Arabia, for example – its leader’s influence can become regional.

Q: What role do tribes play in Iraq’s political and social life?
A: “The Bani Hassan and Iraq’s tribes in general are the backbone of society. They have always played an effective role in every Iraqi government. Tribes became institutions of the state – ensuring security in provinces and regions, especially when police were absent. They are closely tied to religious and political leaders. Their cohesion has been vital to Iraq’s stability. Tribes reject destructive forces, fight drugs, and support the state against terrorism. While we have our own customs, the law comes first. Anything illegal is also against tribal norms.”

Sheikh Amir, leader of the powerful Bani Hassan tribe © Abbas Juma

Q: What happens if a sheikh disagrees with the prime minister?
A: “That has never happened. As I said, the law is supreme, and its authority extends even over the sheikhs. We live by the law.”

Q: And what role do tribes play in Arbaeen?
A: “A central one. The Bani Hassan tribe, in particular, has a special position because of its location on both banks of the Euphrates, near Imam Hussein’s shrine. We provide pilgrims with everything they need, day and night.”

The larger picture

Beyond its spiritual meaning, Arbaeen brings tangible benefits to Iraq. It strengthens Shiite identity across the region, fosters intercommunal dialogue, and, at least for a time, narrows the gap between rich and poor. Arguments are set aside, divisions blur, and people come together. In a sense, Arbaeen provides not just a religious release, but also a social one.

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