Arba'een facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arbaeen
Millions of Muslims gather around the Husayn Mosque in Karbala after making a pilgrimage on foot during Arbaeen.
Official name	الأربعين al-Arba‘īn
Also called	Azerbaijani: İmamın Qırxı Bengali: চল্লিশা, romanized: Chollishā Kurdish: Çilroj Persian: چهلم, romanized: Chehelom Sindhi: چاليهو, romanized: Chālīho Turkish: Erbain Urdu: چالیسواں, romanized: Chālīsvān
Observed by	Shia
Type	Shia, Alevi, Sufi
Significance	40 days after Ashura
Observances	Visiting the Imam Husayn Shrine, Karbala
Date	20 Safar
Frequency	once every Islamic year

Arbaeen (which means "the fortieth" in Arabic) is a very important religious day for Shia Muslims. It happens 40 days after another special day called Ashura. Arbaeen remembers the brave death of Al-Husayn ibn Ali, who was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

Imam Husayn and 71 of his friends were killed in a battle called Battle of Karbala in the year 680 CE. This happened in the city of Karbala, which is in Iraq. Many Muslim traditions also have a 40-day period of mourning after someone passes away.

Arbaeen is known for having the largest yearly gathering of people in the world. Millions of people travel, often by walking, to the city of Karbala to visit Imam Husayn's shrine.

What is Arbaeen?

Arbaeen is a day of remembrance and mourning for Shia Muslims. It marks 40 days since the Battle of Karbala. On this day, Imam Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was killed. He stood up for justice and truth.

The word "Arbaeen" means "forty" in Arabic. This number is important in many Muslim traditions. It often marks a period of mourning after someone dies.

History of Arbaeen

People have been observing Arbaeen for a very long time. It started shortly after the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. The first person to make this pilgrimage was Jabir ibn Abd Allah. He was a close friend of the Prophet Muhammad.

Jabir visited the burial place of Imam Husayn. He was old and couldn't see well. He was joined by Imam Husayn's son, Imam Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin. Imam Zayn al-Abidin and other family members had been held captive in Damascus.

Imam Zayn al-Abidin had survived the Battle of Karbala. He lived a quiet life, spending his time in prayer. He was very sad about what happened to his family. He would often cry when he saw water. He remembered how his father and many family members were killed.

For many years, it was difficult to observe Arbaeen publicly in Iraq. For about 30 years, under the rule of Saddam Hussein, people were not allowed to openly celebrate it. But after 2003, people were able to observe Arbaeen freely again. The event was even shown on TV around the world.

The Big Walk to Karbala

The city of Karbala in Iraq is the main place for Arbaeen. Millions of people travel there, often walking for many miles. This journey is called the Arbaeen Pilgrimage.

It is one of the biggest peaceful gatherings in history. In recent years, between 17 million and 20 million pilgrims have attended Arbaeen. Many of these pilgrims come from Iran and other countries.

Some people walk more than 500 kilometers (about 310 miles) from cities like Basra to Karbala. This walk can take about two weeks for Iraqi pilgrims. For those coming from other countries, it might take a month. The crowds are so huge that roads can be blocked for hundreds of miles.

In 2014, about 17 million people made the pilgrimage. Many chose to walk 55 miles from Najaf. This was even though there were dangers from groups like ISIL nearby.

Special Prayer: Ziyarat Arba'ein

On the day of Arbaeen, a special prayer called the Ziyarat Arba'ein is often recited. This prayer is usually said in Karbala. It comes from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, who was the sixth Shia Imam.

This prayer helps believers remember their promise to follow Imam Husayn's ideas. The Ziyarat prayer describes Imam Husayn as someone who carried on the message of earlier prophets. These prophets include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.

The prayer talks about Imam Husayn's bravery and how he suffered. It says he gave his life to help people. He wanted to free them from not knowing the truth and from bad ways.

Who Joins the Arbaeen?

While Arbaeen is mainly a Shia Muslim event, people from other religions also take part. Sunni Muslims, Christians, Zoroastrians, and Sabians join the pilgrimage. They also help serve the pilgrims.

People from many different countries come to Arbaeen. There have been pilgrims from European countries like Sweden and Russia. Even a group from Vatican City has joined in the past. Some Iraqi Christian leaders have also been part of the Vatican group.

Many groups from African countries also participate. These include people from Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Senegal.

Arbaeen and Politics

Arbaeen has been important in political protests over time. It has influenced Shia uprisings against past rulers. In Iran, Arbaeen was used as a way to protest.

For example, it was used to protest the killing of supporters of Ruhollah Khomeini in 1963. A cycle of Arbaeen protests helped lead to the Iranian Revolution in 1979. This revolution removed the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi from power.

Arbaeen Dates

Arbaeen always falls on the 20th or 21st day of the Islamic month of Safar. However, its date changes each year on the Gregorian calendar. This is because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, based on the moon, while the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar, based on the sun.

Arbaeen is always 40 days after the Day of Ashura. Ashura is nine days after the first day of Muharram. So, Arbaeen is 49 days after the first day of Muharram.

Here are some recent dates for Arbaeen:

Images for kids

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  pilgrimage on foot during Arbaʽein

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  pilgrimage on foot during Arbaʽein

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  pilgrimage on foot during Arbaʽein

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  pilgrimage on foot during Arbaʽein

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  pilgrimage on foot during Arbaʽein

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  pilgrimage on foot during Arbaʽein

See Also

In Spanish: Arbain para niños

• List of largest peaceful gatherings in history
• List of casualties in Husayn's army at the Battle of Karbala