Although she and her husband emigrated from Iraq about thirty years ago Umm Hussein (53 years old) used to participate in the Arbaeen pilgrimage in Karbala.

For the past five years, her work circumstances and travel restrictions due to the Corona pandemic prevented her from performing this important religious ritual for Shiites. But the opportunity came to her again this year, and it was her long and arduous journey from Denmark to Sweden, then a transit in Egypt and from there to Iraq, where she walked for two consecutive days until she reached the shrine of Imam Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib, the third Shiite Imam.

Umm Hussein tellssidewalkPavement 22 Her children are "crying with sadness" because they cannot participate in the Arbain pilgrimage this year due to work and education commitments. As for her husband, he preceded her to Iraq about a month ago to experience the zyarah atmospheres.

Joining Umm Hussein in her journey from Cairo was a young Dutch woman, married to an Iraqi man and a recent convert to Islam, who was making the Arbaeen pilgrimage for the first time and on her own. During the walk in Karbala, she met people who had come from Canada, America, Britain and other countries “for the love of Hussein.”

The reporter received an invitation from Iraqi Communications and Media Commission To attend the Arbain pilgrimage as part of a delegation of Arab journalists and influencers, to keep up with the popular and governmental interest in the visitors of Al-Hussein. During the trip from Cairo to Iraq, we met Umm Hussein, who spoke about her passion for the pilgrimage, which she says that every time she attends she feels "stronger feelings and more spirituality than the previous pilgrimage."

On the same trip, we met the young Iraqi woman, Maryam (23 years old), who came from Britain, where she lives and studies, to visit with her mother, Maysoun, who lives in Sweden. Maryam says that the Arbain for her is a great event that fills her with spirituality and “feelings of pride in being a Muslim.” She adds that she looks forward to this event every year and considers herself one of the lucky ones that “Hussein invited her” to visit him.

*sidewalkPavement number 22 An Egyptian newspaper reports on a visitor who joined the Husseini procession on the Arbaeen Pilgrimage 1446 AH link