November 01, 2019
Tehran Friday Prayers Leader Mohammad-Javad Haj-Ali-Akbari says the great march of Arbaeen mourners has become a nightmare for Iran’s enemies.
“Arbaeen has turned into a nightmare for Global Arrogance and you see that they have boycotted the news about it while also throwing Iraq into disarray before the event,” he said.
“The world is witnessing a graeat, unique and stunning event. Arbaeen is a magnificent, outstanding and inspiring phenomenon. This is a miracle from believers’ perspective that millions of pilgrims travel to Karbala by foot,” he said.
“This gathering enjoys ethnic, racial and religious diversity. Are we able to describe this with its so many aspects and features?” he asked, adding, “Undoubtedly, as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution put it, this is a divine and spiritual phenomenon that cannot actually be described.”
“This is the logic of Arbaeen that will make Islam victorious,” he said.
Arbaeen, which is probably the largest religious gathering in the world, comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein.
Each year, millions of people flock to Karbala, where the shrine of Imam Hossein is located, to perform mourning rites. This year, Arbaeen fell on Saturday, October 19. Many of the mourners walked long distances to reach Karbala
The turnout was put at 15 million by Iraq, including about 3 million Iranians. The annual hajj to Mecca has numbered about 3 million annually in recent years—1 million Saudis and 2 million foreigners.
The Arbaeen march was blocked for years by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, but was allow to resume and was guarded by the US Army and Marines beginning just weeks after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Although Haj-Ali-Akbari and many others in Iran have said the Americans have a policy of blocking news about the march, The New York Times this year carried a feature taking up about two-thirds of a page, a major news story.