By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

 

The world’s largest annual pilgrimage yet again proves that faith, spiritual values, and devotion to Divine injunctions, as usual is neither restricted by fears of terrorism nor by political ploys to dampen the enthusiasm.

In other words, to the horror of mischief-makers, the US and the Zionists and also the few secular elements trying in vain to turn Iraq into a client state of western powers, the Islamic faith of the Iraqi people and their devotion to the path of the Prophet and his Infallible Ahl al-Bayt (Blessed Household) far outweigh the risks posed by Covid-19 or any other pandemic.

It is indeed a magnificent spectacle to see the pilgrims, including over four million Iranians and thousands from other countries marching on foot towards Karbala from the different directions of Iraq, especially from the holy city of Najaf where reposes in eternal peace, the Prophet’s Divinely-designated Vicegerent, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb – the Immaculate Father of Imam Husain (AS).

As usual, the pilgrims were treated with the same hospitality of the past years by the local villagers and townspeople, who provided them with free food, fruits, beverages, medical services, and even accommodation, through strict observation of the precautions suggested by physicians.

The large presence of ulema, religious authorities, and seminary students, in their traditional robes, also indicated the fact that faith triumphs over fears as the pilgrims paid tribute to the martyrs of Palestine as well as the martyrs of the cowardly Israeli aggression on Lebanon and Palestine. They emphasized that the genocide in Gaza will terribly boomerang on both the Zionist entity and the US, ultimately throwing these two evil powers into the dustbin of history, as was the fate of the tyrant Yazid and the perpetrators of the heartrending tragedy of Karbala.

We pray to God Almighty to deliver not just Muslims but all mankind from the evil of the satanic elements in human form.

Hopefully, next year’s Arba’een in Karbala will be on a grander scale, whether the enemies of humanity, such as the US, and the Zionists like it or not, as is evident by the silence of the western media and its vain efforts to belittle this greatest gathering on Planet Earth every year.