A great significance had been attached to this day because the Ahlul-Bayt reached the land of Karbala on this day and performed pilgrimage to the holy shrines of Imam Hussein (PBUH) and his 72 companion who gave their life for the cause of Islam.
The occasion of Arbaeen reminds the faithful of the core message behind Imam Hussein (PBUH)'s martyrdom, which has been undoubtedly establishing justice and fighting injustice.
The occasion marks the final day of the mourning rituals held in memory of the suffering which Imam Hussein (PBUH) and his family as well as his companions were subjected to at the hands of the tyrant of the time, Yazid I, an Umayyad ruler, back in the seventh century.
Another important event in the lunar calendar is the 10th day of the Muslim month of Muharram, traditionally known as Ashura, when the Imam and 72 of his companions were martyred after refusing allegiance to brutal Yazid.
Imam Khomeini said in one of the historic messages as following:
The Doyen of martyr (Imam Hussein (PBUH) staged an uprising with some of his companions, family members and the ladies of his household. As it was for God, they destroyed the very foundations of that wicked person's monarchy. On the face of it, he was killed, but, in reality, he extirpated the foundations of that monarchy; one that intended to turn Islam into a tyrant form. The danger that Muawiyah and Yazid posed for Islam did not lie in their usurpation of the caliphate; this was a danger less than that of their attempting to turn Islam into the form of a monarchy. They wanted to render spiritualties into a tyrant form. By calling themselves the successors of the Messenger of God, they wanted to convert Islam into a tyrant regime. This was the important issue. The two of them wanted to do, and did, so much harm to Islam that their predecessors had not. They tried to misrepresent the basic principles of Islam to the utmost. Theirs was a monarchy. There was drinking and gambling at their parties. The successor of the Prophet attending parties where wine was being imbibed? And present at gambling sessions? And the Prophet's successor would also attend congregational prayers, such things notwithstanding! All this greatly menaced Islam. The Doyen of the Martyrs averted this danger. The issue did not concern the usurpation of the caliphate only. His uprising was against the tyrant monarchy itself; the one that wanted to show Islam in a way such that; had they succeeded, Islam would have become something else. It would have become like the 2500 year old monarchy. When Islam appeared, it wanted to put an end to the monarchies and such regimes, and to establish a divine government in the world. It aimed to destroy tyrant and replace it with" Allah". They, however, wanted to remove Allah and install tyrant instead- the same issues of paganism, the same problems of the past. The Doyen of the Martyrs being killed did not constitute a defeat as it was for God; rising for Him never ends in defeat. (Sahifeh, Vol.8, Page: 10-11 Speech, May 29, 1979)
Islam preaches and puts too much emphasis on unity of expression. Ashura and Arbaeen are Islamic events which provide motives and play crucial role in strengthening harmony.
Sahifeh-ye-Imam, Vol. 15, page 371
Ashura and Arbaeen are Islamic events which provide motives and play crucial role in strengthening harmony.
The Supreme Leader declared that Imam Hussain belongs to the whole of humanity and cannot be exclusively attributed to one sect or denomination, stressing that: Imam Hussain (PBUJH) belongs to humanity.
In a speech to agroup of Iraqi mawkib organizers who host and serve the pilgrims of Imam Hussain’s shrine during Arbaeen, Ayatollah Khamenei said last year as following
We, the Shias, are proud to follow Imam Hussain, but Imam Hussein does not exclusively belong to us. Shias, Sunnis and all the people are under the patronage of Imam Hussain. Even non-Muslims take part in this massive march, and the phenomenon will continue to grow.
His Eminence urged everyone to make efforts in order to bring more vitality and productivity to the Arbaeen phenomenon and said: We should do our best to organize the Arbaeen ceremony more fruitful and more spiritual than ever. The intellectual and cultural leaders should plan for the great ceremony.
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that every Muslim’s goal should be to found an Islamic civilization and went on to say: The goal of every Muslim must be creating the novel Islamic civilization. Islamic nations have great capacities, which if exploited, the Islamic Ummah can reach an apex. Founding the Islamic civilization is our ultimate goal.