The Arbaeen, or the 40 days after Ashura, commemorates the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussain, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.
In an exclusive interview with Iran Press news agency, Sheikh Mujeeb Muhammed emphasized that the Arbaeen pilgrimage symbolizes the ultimate sacrifice in the struggle between justice and tyranny or justice and oppression.
"In the world where we live in, it is common knowledge to everybody that there are two forces at war at every point in time, the forces of good and the forces of evil, and it is this that happened in the place of Karbala where the forces of goodness were represented by Imam Hussein and his people, and the forces of evil were represented by Yazid and the soldiers of Yazid on the plains of Karbala. Here we are saying Arbaeen is built on this symbol of ultimate sacrifice, this is where Imam Hussein AS and his companions were brutally murdered on the plains of Karbala," he added.
Sheikh Mujeeb believes that Arbaeen is built on the philosophy of resisting tyranny and oppression, which was built on the principle of "Do not engage in oppression and Do not accept oppression also, and you need to resist oppression from all points."
He noted that it is not surprising that in contemporary times, it is the followers of Imam Hussein who are standing up against the oppressors of this world, referring to the ongoing situation in Palestine and the brutal killings by the Israeli regime since October 7, 2023.
While addressing the importance of Arbaeen, Sheikh Mujeeb states that it is a symbol of hope, proof that men are ultimately free should they have the courage to push back against injustice, even if it means martyrdom. Arbaeen is proof that victory lies not with men of power but with God. He added that Arbaeen today represents resistance in its purest form.
Sheikh Mujeeb believes that for millions across the world, the Arbaeen pilgrimage represents hope, a hope that justice is not a word reserved for the powerful and the wealthy and that there are still men and women committed to speaking truth in the face of tyranny.
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