By Sami Al-Tamimi
These days mark the commemoration of the Arbaeen of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and the martyrs from the noble household of the Prophet (peace be upon them), who were martyred at the hands of the most wicked of tyrants — Yazid ibn Muawiyah, ruler of the Umayyad dynasty.
Since that tragic incident, the Iraqi people have upheld the tradition of visiting the holy shrine of Imam Hussein and his family, despite the tyranny and cruelty of oppressive rulers throughout history. These regimes devised countless methods of persecution — amputations, executions, forced displacement, and even the destruction and attempted eradication of the sacred shrines — yet they failed to deter the faithful and the free from their unwavering love and devotion to the Prophet’s family.
The tragedy that befell Islam and the Muslim world was immense and deeply painful. Yet the people remained resolute in remembering it — carrying the sorrow across generations and reminding the free people of the world that life under oppression is no life at all. The revolution must persist against all tyrants, in every age and every place, regardless of language or race.
As the Master of the Free, Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), declared: “Far from us is disgrace.”
The generous Iraqi people compete with one another in offering hospitality, tirelessly and selflessly. Each year, over 20 million Iraqi pilgrims and more than 3,000 international visitors walk from cities across the nation toward the shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala — the Qibla of the free. It is, indeed, a source of immense pride and a glorious history worthy of being documented, shared on public and private platforms, and highlighted in the media.
Delegations of writers, intellectuals, academics, church leaders, ministers, and international representatives of religious, humanitarian, and research organizations have come to Iraq to witness this phenomenon firsthand. They came to learn about the history of this pilgrimage, the dark period surrounding it, and how distorted and manipulative media efforts once tried to obscure the truth, fearing the exposure of undeniable evidence and the unveiling of oppressive regimes.
The reactions of these delegations were overwhelmingly positive. They expressed profound astonishment at the magnitude of the pilgrimage, the remarkable services provided, and the outstanding level of organization — all of which have left the world in awe.