Salaam dear young friends and heartfelt condolences to you all. You know the occasion for consoling you, and what makes our heart full of grief these days.
For the information of our foreign friends, especially the readers of our weekly column abroad, particularly in non-Muslim societies, we are on the threshold of a poignant anniversary that has renewed the moist in our eyes, whether the children amongst us, or whether the grownups.
Yes, there are few more days to go for Arba’een – the traditional 40th day of commemoration for the Chief of Martyrs, Imam Husain (AS). 
This means, our hearts are turned towards Karbala in Iraq, towards the holy shrine of Imam Husain (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), towards each these days everyone seems to be trekking.
Well friends, are any of you going to Karbala?
Perhaps some of you have already departed, since Arba’een is due on Tuesday, August 4.
In this long and large march on foot by many, are devotees of all ages. The young and the old, the toddlers clinging to the hands of their parents, the babes in prams, the briskly walking teenagers, men and women in the prime of life, the grey-haired, the elderly, and even those walking on crutches or traversing on wheelchairs, braving the scorching heat of the sun in daytime and the bone chilling cold of the desert at night.
Their hearts are beating with the love for Imam Husain (AS) and those martyred along with him in 61 AH (680 AD), including his infant 6-month old son Ali Asghar (AS).
This year as many as 20 million-plus pilgrims, from all over the world, are expected to be in Karbala to pay homage to the Chief of Martyrs.
Many are walking the 80 km distance from Najaf from the shrine of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), towards Karbala. This is indeed the experience of a lifetime.
Pilgrimage to the holy shrine on the Day of Arba’een is indeed a clear path towards paradise, as promised by the Prophet and testified by many a hadith.
This is the reason that among the pilgrims there are many Sunni Muslims and even Christians, Izadis, Zoroastrians, Hindus, and Sabians.
So dear friends, please remember us when you visit the holy shrine of Imam Husain (AS) and share with us your experiences of this spiritual journey.