My First Visit of Karbala as a Walker Pilgrim in Arbaeen 2014 - The Best Journey in Life

In Arbaeen 2014, I had the opportunity of traveling to Iraq for the first time and participating in the largest peaceful walking in the world. Definitely this travel was my best journey during my life. A spiritual trip with many hardships but full of love for Imam Hussein (AS). About 20 millions pilgrims, 15 millions from within Iraq and 5 millions from outside, marked this Shia religious ritual. Almost all pilgrims fed up for free by thousands of volunteers in places called Mookeb... Unfortunately, news agencies were absent in this great procession, but in fact every pilgrim was a medium and InshaAllah very soon the whole world will hear the sound of Labbaik Ya Hussein! (O Imam Hussein! we are with you and in your path untill the appearance of Mahdi (ATFS). )

The following photos are taken during my 6 days visit of Iraq and walking in the road of Ya Hussein between Najaf and Karbala with 85 Km length: (Click on images for larger resolution. If you want better resolutions, contact me through comments. For more images see Photos of Arbaeen 2014 in my personal blog)

Inside haram of Amir Almo'menin Imam Ali (AS) in Najaf

 

Millions of pilgrims towards Hussein (AS) 

 

A 100 Years Old Man Walks Towards Imam Hussein (AS) Holy Shrine

Millions of Shia pilgrims outside Haram of Imam Hussein during Arbaeen 2014

Ziarat Imam Zaman At Friday

O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Ziarat Imam Mahdi (aj) at Friday

Peace be on you, O the decisive argument of Allah on His earth! Peace be on you, O the eye of Allah within his creatures. Peace be on you, O the light of Allah whom the guided on the Right Path follow and imitate, and who gives heart, joy and confidence to the faithfuls! Peace be on you, O the just, pure and refined, rendered formidable! Peace be on you, O the “Wali” (beloved favorite of Allah, a friend, a helper) who always gives sincere advice! Peace be on you, O the seaworthy of liberation and assurance! Peace be on you, O the spring and essence of life! Peace be on you. Bleessings of Allaah be on you and on your pure and pious family. Peace be on you. May Allaah fulfil, at once, in advance , the promise He made with you – to shower mercy and make distinctly visible (your) leadership. Peace be on you, O “Mowla” (the trusted leader)! I am your friend and follower, well aware of your priority and ultimate purpose. I come near Allaah, the Highest High, through you and your family. I look forward to be there when you come, at your disposal for making known the truth

I request Allaah to send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad, and make room for me amid those who have fixed the look upon you, who shall comply with your instructions and help you against your enemies, and let me be present before you along with all your friends. Peace be on you O Mowla! O the owner of the time! Blessings of Allaah be on you and on your family. Today is Friday, a day you are expected to come; the faithfuls will be free of cares and troubles when you shall arrive, and with one strike shall put an end to the intrigues of the infidels. I, O the Loving friend, in these hours, seek your hospitality and friendship. You, O my Loving friend, are kind and generous, a true son of the kind and generous forefathers, always inclined by nature to be hospitable and friendly. So give me a warm welcome and make friends with me. Blessings of Allah be on you and on your family.

Listen to ziarat jomeh (Arabic)

عربی

زیارت الامام صاحب الزمان فی یوم الجمعة

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حُجَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا عَيْنَ اللَّهِ فِي خَلْقِهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا نُورَ اللَّهِ الَّذِي يَهْتَدِي بِهِ الْمُهْتَدُونَ وَ يُفَرَّجُ بِهِ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا الْمُهَذَّبُ الْخَائِفُ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا الْوَلِيُّ النَّاصِحُ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا سَفِينَةَ النَّجَاةِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا عَيْنَ الْحَيَاةِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَى آلِ بَيْتِكَ الطَّيِّبِينَ الطَّاهِرِينَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ عَجَّلَ اللَّهُ لَكَ مَا وَعَدَكَ مِنَ النَّصْرِ وَ ظُهُورِ الْأَمْرِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مَوْلايَ أَنَا مَوْلاكَ عَارِفٌ بِأُولاكَ وَ أُخْرَاكَ أَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى بِكَ وَ بِآلِ بَيْتِكَ وَ أَنْتَظِرُ ظُهُورَكَ وَ ظُهُورَ الْحَقِّ عَلَى يَدَيْكَ،

وَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُنْتَظِرِينَ لَكَ وَ التَّابِعِينَ وَ النَّاصِرِينَ لَكَ عَلَى أَعْدَائِكَ وَ الْمُسْتَشْهَدِينَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ فِي جُمْلَةِ أَوْلِيَائِكَ يَا مَوْلايَ يَا صَاحِبَ الزَّمَانِ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَى آلِ بَيْتِكَ هَذَا يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ وَ هُوَ يَوْمُكَ الْمُتَوَقَّعُ فِيهِ ظُهُورُكَ وَ الْفَرَجُ فِيهِ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى يَدَيْكَ وَ قَتْلُ الْكَافِرِينَ بِسَيْفِكَ وَ أَنَا يَا مَوْلايَ فِيهِ ضَيْفُكَ وَ جَارُكَ وَ أَنْتَ يَا مَوْلايَ كَرِيمٌ مِنْ أَوْلادِ الْكِرَامِ وَ مَأْمُورٌ بِالضِّيَافَةِ وَ الْإِجَارَةِ فَأَضِفْنِي وَ أَجِرْنِي صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ الطَّاهِرِينَ. تسمع اونلاین

فارسی

زیارت حضرت صاحب الزمان در روز جمعه

سلام بر تو اى حجّت خدا در زمينش،سلام بر تو اى ديده خدا در ميان مخلوقاتش،سلام‏ بر تو اى نور خدا كه رهجويان به آن نور ره مى‏يابند و به آن نور از مؤمنان اندوه و غم زدوده مى‏شود،سلام بر تو اى پاك‏نهاد و اى هراسان از آشوب دوران،سلام بر تو اى همراه خيرخواه،سلام بر تو اى كشتى نجات،سلام بر تو اى چشمه حيات،سلام بر تو،درود خدا بر تو و بر خاندان پاكيزه و و پاكت،سلام بر تو،خدا در تحقق وعده‏اى كه به تو داده از نصرت و ظهور امرت شتاب فرمايد،سلام بر تو اى مولاى من،من دل‏بسته تو و آگاه به شأن دنيا و آخرت توام،و به دوستى تو و خاندانت به سوى خدا تقرّب مى‏جويم و ظهور تو و ظهور حق را به دست تو انتظار مى‏كشم،

و از خدا درخواست مى‏كنم بر محمّد و خاندان‏ محمّد درود فرستد و مرا از منتظران و پيروان و ياوران تو در برابر دشمنانت و از شهداى در آستانت در شمار شيفتگانت قرار دهد،اى سرور من،اى صاحب‏ زمان،درودهاى خدا بر تو و بر خاندانت،امروز روز جمعه و روز توست‏ روزى كه ظهورت و گشايش كار اهل ايمان به دستت در آن روز و كشتن كافران به سلاحت‏ اميد مى‏رود و من اى آقاى من در اين روز ميهمان و پناهنده به توام و تو اى مولاى من بزرگوارى از فرزندان‏ بزرگواران و از سوى خدا به پذيرايى و پناه‏دهى مأمورى،پس مرا پذيرا باش و پناه ده،درودهاى خدا بر تو و خاندان پاكيزه‏ات. گوش دهید

Imam: the light of Allah

Abukhalid Kaboli said: I asked Imam Bagher (as) about the verse of Quran: 

So believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Light which We have sent down. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do. (Quran, Chapter 64, verse 8)

Imam said: Oh AbaKhalid, swear by God purpose of the light is Imams of Äl-e-Muhammad (PBUH) until doomsday. I swear to God that they are the light sent down; they are light of Allah in heavens and the earth. 

Oh Abakhalid, swear by God the light of Imam in heart of believers is brighter than light of the sun at noon. Swear by God, Imams clean hearts of believers and Allah will hide their light from anyone he want, then their hearts are dark. 

Oh Abakhalid, no one like us and follow us unless Allah has been cleaned his heart and Allah wont clean heart of someone unless he surrenders to us and makes peace with us and then Allah will keep him away from hard interrogation and he is safe from the great fear of Doomsday. (Osule Kafi, Vol 1, Page 276)

Be aware: Arrival Is Near

Arabic and Farsi:

العربیة
الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلّى بْنِ مُحَمّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيّ بْنِ مِرْدَاسٍ قَالَ حَدّثَنَا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي خَالِدٍ الْكَابُلِيّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (ع) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللّهِ عَزّ وَ جَلّ فَآمِنُوا بِاللّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ وَ النّورِ الّذِي أَنْزَلْنا فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ النّورُ وَ اللّهِ الْأَئِمّةُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمّدٍ ص إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ هُمْ وَ اللّهِ نُورُ اللّهِ الّذِي أَنْزَلَ وَ هُمْ وَ اللّهِ نُورُ اللّهِ فِي السّمَاوَاتِ وَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ اللّهِ يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ لَنُورُ الْإِمَامِ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْوَرُ مِنَ الشّمْسِ الْمُضِيئَةِ بِالنّهَارِ وَ هُمْ وَ اللّهِ يُنَوّرُونَ قُلُوبَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ يَحْجُبُ اللّهُ عَزّ وَ جَلّ نُورَهُمْ عَمّنْ يَشَاءُ فَتُظْلَمُ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَ اللّهِ يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ لَا يُحِبّنَا عَبْدٌ وَ يَتَوَلّانَا حَتّى يُطَهّرَ اللّهُ قَلْبَهُ وَ لَا يُطَهّرُ اللّهُ قَلْبَ عَبْدٍ حَتّى يُسَلّمَ لَنَا وَ يَكُونَ سِلْماً لَنَا فَإِذَا كَانَ سِلْماً لَنَا سَلّمَهُ اللّهُ مِنْ شَدِيدِ الْحِسَابِ وَ آمَنَهُ مِنْ فَزَعِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ الْأَكْبَرِ. (اصول كافى جلد ١ صفحه: ٢٧٦ رواية: ١)

فارسی

ابو خالد کابلی گوید از امام باقر علیه السلام پرسیدم تفسیر قول خدای عزوجل را (سوره تغابن آیه 8) (بخدا و رسولش و نوری که فرستاده‏ایم ایمان آورید) فرمود: ای ابا خالد بخدا سوگند که مقصود از نور، ائمه از آل محمد(ص) باشند تا روز قیامت، بخدا که ایشانند همان نور خدا که فرو فرستاده، بخدا که ایشانند نور خدا در آسمانها و زمین، بخدا ای ابا خالد، نور امام در دل مؤمنین از نور خورشید تابان در روز، روشن‏تر است، بخدا که ائمه دلهای مؤمنین را منور سازند و خدا از هر کس خواهد نور ایشان را پنهان دارد، پس دل آنها تاریک گردد، بخدا ای ابا خالد بنده‏ای ما را دوست ندارد و از ما پیروی نکند تا اینکه خدا قلبش را پاکیزه کرده باشد و خدا قلب بنده‏ای را پاکیزه نکند تا اینکه تلسیم ما شده و با ما آشتی کرده باشد (یک رنگ شده باشد و سازگار) و چون با ما سازش کرد خدا از حساب سخت نگاهش دارد و از هراس بزرگ روز قیامت ایمنش سازد.

what happened in karbala

What Happened in Karbala

The events of the Day of Ashura are the events happened for Imam al-Husayn (a) and his family, in the battle with the army of Yazid b. Mu'awiya led by 'Umar b. Sa'd on Muharram 10, 61/October 13, 680 in the land of Karbala which led to the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (a), his companions and his relatives. The rest of his caravan were also taken as captives.  Read more about Ashura and battle of Karbala here: Ashura Wiki
To find more, search for the term Who Is Hussein? Also see Shia Blog

In Karbala, Hussein (as), the son of the prophet Muhammad martyred terribly...

The following is a TV show based on reality. It shows some of the events of Ashoora in Karbala, specially when Zoljanah, the horse of Imam comes to the camps without Imam:

See more videos on youtube:
The Tragedy of Karbala and Muharram (part 1/12)

Peace be upon Hossein, O Martyr of Allah

Peace be on you, O Abaa Abdullah, and on those souls who came to your camp to put themselves at your disposal. So far I am alive and the days and nights follow each other I invoke Allah to send blessings on you for ever and ever. May Allah not make my this pledge of close association, physical as well as spiritual, with you the last fulfillment. Peace be on Hussein, and on Ali son of Hussein, and on the children of Hussein, and on the friends of Hussein.[Part of Ziarat Ashura of Imam Hussein]

We are in Muharram, the first month of Arabs. Once upon a time in similar days, in 61 AH, Imam Hussein, the third Imam of Shiites, and his little followers were martyred in a brutally manner.

Hossein (as) is grandson of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). He was invited by about 18000 people to dethrone the harlot leader, Yazid. But Ebne Ziad the leader of Kufa (a city in Iraq under supervision of Yazid) scared people in a manner that almost all of them returned from their idea and leaved Hussein alone and even fight with him! Finally happened what happened:

Hussein and 72 persons of his followers were against the enemy army of about 30,000 warriors. They were all martyr in a very brutally manner that no one experienced before. Although they were in a place between two rivers but the enemy were closed the path to rivers and they were thirsty for about 3 days. There were some children over there; specially one infant child, Ali Asghar (as) which killed while he was on hands of his father Hossein (as) asking water for him!

Since then each year Shiites mourn for Hussein and his followers at Muharram and specially Ashura the 10th day of Muharram in which AbaAbdellah Al Hussein (as) martyred.
We are waiting for Imam Mahdi (aj) to come and take avenge of Hussein, Insha'Allah.

Imam Mahdi (as): I will lament for you morning and evening and weep for you with tears of blood

If you are interested in life of Imam Hussein(as) and the battle of Karbala, I recommend you Read More About Imam Hussein (as)

Imam Mahdi(as) from Sunni point of view

Even if the entire duration of the world's existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left before Doomsday (Day of judgment), Allah will expand that day to such a length of time, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person out of my Ahlul-Bayt who will be called by my name. He will then fill out the earth with peace and justice as it will have been full of injustice and tyranny before then. Sahih Tirmidhi along with 24 other Sunni sources

This narrative is very similar to those of Shiites but Sunnis think that Imam Mahdi (AS) is not alive and it may not be born yet. We on the other hand say that Mahdi (AS) is alive and he is son of Imam Hassan Askari (AS) the 11th Imam of Shiites. This confirms the above narrative that emphasizes Imam Mahdi is from Ahlul-Bayt.

Read more about Imam Mahdi here

Congratulation On Ghadir Feast

Today is the most important feast of Shiites. About 1400 years ago, the prophet Mohammad (PBUH) introduced Ali (AS) as the first Imam to Muslims in his farewell pilgrimage. The event was occurred in the return path from pilgrimage (Hajjatul-Wada) in a place called "Ghadir e Khom":

In Ghadir, the Prophet (PBUH) held up the hand of 'Ali and said:  

"For whoever I am his Leader (mawla), 'Ali is his Leader (mawla)."

::You can read the entire speech of the Prophet here::

 After his speech, the Messenger of Allah [PBUH] asked everybody to give the oath of allegiance to 'Ali [as] and congratulate him. Among those who did so was 'Umar b. al-Khattab, who said: "Well done Ibn Abi Talib! Today you became the Leader (mawla) of all believing men and women."

It is interesting to know, about 70 days after this day, the Prophet went to the mercy of God and some ambitious people forgotten their oath and select Abubakr as leader of the Muslims and a new branch of Muslims was formed known as Sunni. They do not believe in Imam (Ali and his sons) as innocent people that can show the right path to Allah and truly interpret Qoran, and say that we use our wisdom and find the right path. They say Qoran is sufficient itself and we do not require Imam to interpret it.

But it is more interesting to know that they still expect Imam Mahdi (AJ) to be appear as their Imam!

The event of Ghadir is so clear that no one can deny it. But Sunny people interpret the word "mawla" as "friend" and believe that the Prophet said please like Ali and his sons. And I tell that you can find the truth if you want!

In my opinion its so ridiculous to believe in Mahdi (AJ) as a son of Fatemah (sa) and Ali (as) but don't believe in Ali and his sons as Imams of the ummah.

::Read more about Ghadir here::





::Al-Muraja'at: A book containing Shi'a-Sunni dialogue::