The day of Arbaʹīn (61 A.H. / 680 A.D.)

Introduction

 The Arbaʹīn ceremony is one of the largest peaceful gatherings in the world that annually occurs forty days after the martyrdom of Imam al-Hussain and his companions on the day of ̒Āshūrā in Karbalā (Iraq) where the holy shrine of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson (Imam al-Hussain) is held in. Every year, millions of Muslims around the world make their way to this city to commemorate the day of Arbaʹīn. Many of these pilgrims make a journey of 55 miles or so, on their own feet for the love of the Imam. It was estimated more than 25 million people in the previous Arbaʹīn.

It has been said that the household of Imam al-Hussain, returning from Damascus to Medina, arrived in Karbalā on this day in 61 A.H. / 680 A.D. Also on this day, it is famous that Jābir bin ʹAbd Allah al-Ansārī (one of the sincere companions of the Prophet) was the first one who visited the tomb of Imam al-Hussain, so it is recommended to visit the holy shrine of the Imam in Karbalā or through al-Ziyārah from a distance.

Imam ʿAskarī(a) said: "The signs of a believer are five: the fifty-one rak'ahs of prayer, the visitation of Arba'een, wearing a ring on the right hand, prostrating on the ground, and pronouncing Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim aloud." Biḥār Al-anwār, v. 98, p. 106

Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī said: "On the twentieth of Ṣafar, the holy head was returned to his body and buried with it. In it is the visitation of Arbaʿīn, and the coming of his family after their return from Syria." Al-Āthār al-Bāqiyah, p. 331

Shaykh al-Tusi said: "And it is the day when Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Anṣārī, the companion of the Messenger of Allah(p), came from Madinah to Karbala to visit the grave of Abī ʿAbdallāh (a) and he was the first to visit him from among the people." Miṣbāḥ al-Mutahajid, p. 787

Shaykh al-Bahā’ī said: "And on this day, which is the fortieth day of his martyrdom (peace be upon him), Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Anṣārī(r) arrived to visit him(a), and on that day, his family(a) arrived from Syria to Karbala, heading towards Madinah, upon its inhabitants be peace and greetings." Tawḍīḥ al-Maqāṣid, p. 7

Al-ʿAllāmah al-Majlisī said: "It is well-known among the companions that the reason for this (i.e., the recommendation to visit him on the day of Arbaʿīn) is the return of his family on that day to Karbala after their return from Syria, and the joining of the heads with the bodies by ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn(a)." Biḥār Al-anwār, v. 101, p. 334

In addition, there is a spiritual significance to some numbers like the number 40 and this is seen in the Quran and traditions such that the number 40 is repeated in many places of the Quran:

﴿وَ إِذْ وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَى أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذْتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ أَنْتُمْ ظَالِمُونَ﴾^[1]

“And when We appointed a time of forty nights with Muses, then you took the calf (for a god) after him and you were unjust.”

﴿و وَاعَدْنَا مُوسَى ثَلَاثِينَ لَيْلَةً وَ أَتْمَمْنَاهَا بِعَشْرٍ فَتَمَّ مِيقَاتُ رَبِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً وَ قَالَ مُوسَى لِأَخِيهِ هَارُونَ اخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي وَ أَصْلِحْ وَ لَا تَتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ﴾^[2]

“And We appointed with Moses a time of thirty nights and completed them with ten (more), so the appointed time of his Lord was complete forty nights, and Moses said to his brother Aaron: Take my place among my people, and act well and do not follow the way of the mischief-makers.”

In addition, there are numerous traditions which mention the number “40” such as the following:

قال الإمام الصّادق: «يَا زُرَارَةُ إِنَّ السَّمَاءَ بَكَتْ عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحاً بِالدَّمِ وَ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ بَكَتْ أَرْبَعِينَ‏ صَبَاحاً بِالسَّوَادِ وَ إِنَّ الشَّمْسَ بَكَتْ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحاً بِالْكُسُوفِ وَ الْحُمْرَةِ... وَ إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بَكَتْ أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحاً عَلَى الْحُسَيْن‏...»^[3]

Imam al-Sādiq says to Zurārah, “The heavens cried for forty days with blood (weeping) over Imam al-Hussain; the earth cried for forty days by being covered with darkness; the sun cried for forty days by being in eclipse and turning red… and the angels cried for forty days over him...”

However, the Ziyārah of Imam al-Hussain 40 days after the tragic massacre of him and his companions, as Arbaʹīn has not been marked for any other Imams. It is obvious that this brings his revolution back to memory. It also brings back to memory the cruelty committed by the Umayyad and their followers. Of course, it is one of the essentials of this pilgrimage that the pilgrim, in addition to remembering Imam al-Hussain's sacrifice and devotion in the way of Allah, observes the teachings of Islam including those relating to prayer, hijāb, self-reform, selflessness and moral etiquettes and the like. It is only by so doing that attending these ceremonies will be practically the same as attending the lessons of the Imam. Maybe, that is why the eleventh Imam (Imam al-Askarī) have said,

«عَلَامَاتُ الْمُؤْمِنِ خَمْسٌ: صَلَاةُ الْإِحْدَى وَ الْخَمْسِينَ وَ زِيَارَةُ الْأَرْبَعِينَ وَ التَّخَتُّمُ بِالْيَمِينِ وَ تَعْفِيرُ الْجَبِينِ وَ الْجَهْرُ بِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ‏»^[4]

“The signs of a real believer are five: To offer the fifty-one units of daily (obligatory and supererogatory) prayers, to visit the shrine of Imam al-Hussain on the 20^th of Safar, to put a ring in the right hand, to place the forehead on dust (in prostration and not on carpet and the like that are not made from the earth), and to recite “Bism-e Allah al-Rahmān al-Rahīm” loudly in his prayers.”

Rituals of the day of Arbaʹīn

It has been said that the household of Imam al-Hussain, returning from Damascus to Medina, arrived in Karbalā on this day in 61 A.H. /680 A.D. Also on this day, it is famous that Jābir bin ʹAbd Allah al-Ansārī (one of the sincere companions of the Prophet) was the first one who visited the tomb of Imam al-Hussain.

However, pertaining to the Ziyārah of the Imam on this day, we sufficiently wrote something in timeline.

Ziyārah al-Arbaʹīn

It has been reported in Tahdhīb al-Ahkām and Misbāh al-Mutahajjid, from Safwān al-Jammāl who has said, “My master Imam al-Sādiq, Allah’s blessings be upon him, instructed me to visit Imam al-Hussain on the day of Arbaʹīn, advisably in the early forenoon, and to say the following words:

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَى وَلِيِّ الله وَحَبِيبِهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَى خَلِيلِ الله وَنَجِيبِهِ

Peace be upon the intimate servant of Allāh and His most-beloved. Peace be upon the friend of Allāh and His elite.

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَى صَفِيِّ الله وَابْنِ صَفِيِّهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ الْمَظْلُومِ الشَّهِيدِ

Peace be upon the choice of Allāh and son of His choice. Peace be upon Al-Ḥusayn the wronged and martyred.

اَلسَّلاَمُ على أسِيرِ الْكُرُبَاتِ وَقَتِيلِ الْعَبَرَاتِ

Peace be upon the captive of agonies and victim of the shed tears.

اَللَّهُمَّ إِِنِّي أشْهَدُ أنَّهُ وَلِيُّكَ وَابْنُ وَلِيِّكَ وَصَفِيُّكَ وَابْنُ صَفِيِّكَ

O Allāh, I do bear witness that he is verily Your intimate servant and son of Your intimate servant, Your choice and son of Your choice,

الْفَائِزُ بِكَرَامَتِكَ أكْرَمْتَهُ بِالشَّهَادَةِ وَحَبَوْتَهُ بِالسَّعَادَةِ

and the winner of Your honoring. You have honored him with martyrdom, endued him with happiness,

وَاجْتَبَيْتَهُ بِطِيبِ الْوِلاَدَةِ وَجَعَلْتَهُ سَيِّداً مِنَ السَّادَةِ وَقَائِداً مِنَ الْقَادَةِ وَذَائِداً مِنْ الذَّادَةِ

privileged him with legitimate birth, made him one of the chiefs, one of the leaders, and one of the defenders (of Your religion),

وَأعْطَيْتَهُ مَوَارِيثَ الأنْبِيَاءِ وَجَعَلْتَهُ حُجَّةً عَلَى خَلْقِكَ مِنَ الأوْصِيَاءِ

gave him the inheritances of the Prophets, and chose him as argument against Your created beings and one of the Prophets’ successors.

فَأعْذَرَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ وَمَنَحَ النُّصْحَ وَبَذَلَ مُهْجَتَهُ فِيكَ

So, he called to you flawlessly, gave advices, and sacrificed his soul for You

لِيَسْتَنْقِذَ عِبَادَكَ مِنَ الْجَهَالَةِ وَحَيْرَةِ الضَّلاَلَةِ

to save Your servants from ignorance and perplexity of straying off.

وَقَدْ تَوَازَرَ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ غَرَّتْهُ الدُّنْيَا وَبَاعَ حَظَّهُ بِالأرْذَلِ الأدْنَى

Yet, those whom were seduced by this worldly life, who sold their share (of reward) with the lowliest and meanest,

وَشَرَى آخِرَتَهُ بِالثَّمَنِ الأوْكَسِ وَتَغَطْرَسَ وَتَرَدَّى فِي هَوَاهُ

retailed their Hereafter with the cheapest price, acted haughtily, perished because of following their desires,

وَأسْخَطَكَ وَأسْخَطَ نَبِيَّكَ وَأطَاعَ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ أهْلَ الشِّقَاقِ وَالنِّفَاقِ وَحَمَلَةَ الأوْزَارِ الْمُسْتَوْجِبِينَ النَّارَ

brought to themselves Your wrath and the wrath of Your Prophet, and obeyed the dissident and hypocritical servants of You and the bearers of the burdens (of sins) who deserve Hellfire—all those supported each other against him.

فَجَاهَدَهُمْ فِيكَ صَابِراً مُحْتَسِباً حَتَّى سُفِكَ فِي طَاعَتِكَ دَمُهُ وَاسْتُبِيحَ حَرِيـمُهُ

However, he fought against them painstakingly with steadfastness expecting Your reward until his blood was shed on account of his obedience to You and his women were violated.

اَللَّهُمَّ فَالْعَنْهُمْ لَعْناً وَبيلاًَ وَعَذِّبْهُمْ عَذَاباً ألِيماً

So, O Allāh, pour heavy curses on them and chastise them with painful chastisement.

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ الله اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ سَيِّدِ الأوْصِيَاءِ

Peace be upon you, O son of Allāh’s Messenger. Peace be upon you, O son of the chief of the Prophets’ successors.

أشْهَدُ أنَّكَ أمِينُ الله وَابْنُ أمِينِهِ عِشْتَ سَعيداً وَمَضَيْتَ حَمِيداً وَمُتَّ فَقِيداً مَظْلُوماً شَهِيداً

I bear witness that you are verily the trustee of Allāh and the son of His trustee. You lived with happiness, passed away with praiseworthiness, and died missed, wronged, and martyred.

وَأشْهَدُ أنَّ اللَّهَ مُنْجِزٌ مَا وَعَدَكَ وَمُهْلِكٌ مَنْ خَذَلَكَ وَمُعَذِّبٌ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ

I also bear witness that Allāh shall inevitably fulfill His promise to You, exterminate those who disappointed you, and chastise those who slew you.

وَأشْهَدُ أنَّكَ وَفَيْتَ بِعَهْدِ الله وَجَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ حَتَّى أتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ

I also bear witness that you fulfilled your pledge to Allāh and strove hard in His way until death came upon you.

فَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ ظَلَمَكَ وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ أمَّةً سَمِعَتْ بِذٰلِكَ فَرَضِيَتْ بِهِ

So, may Allāh curse those who slew you. May Allāh curse those who wronged you. May Allāh curse the people who, when informed about that, were pleased with it.

اَللَّهُمَّ إِِنِّي أشْهِدُكَ أنِّي وَلِيٌّ لِمَنْ وَالاَهُ وَعَدُوٌّ لِمَنْ عَادَاهُ

O Allāh, I do ask You to witness for me that I am loyalist to those who are loyalists to him and enemy of those who are enemies of him.

بِأبِي أنْتَ وَأمِّي يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ الله أشْهَدُ أنَّكَ كُنْتَ نُوراً فِي الأصْلاَبِ الشَّامِخَةِ وَالأرْحَامِ الْمُطَهَّرَةِ

May my father and mother be accepted as ransoms for you, O son of Allāh’s Messenger. I bear witness that you were light in the sublime loins and purified wombs;

لَمْ تُنَجِّسْكَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةُ بِأنْجَاسِهَا وَلَمْ تُلْبِسْكَ الْمُدْلَهِمَّاتُ مِنْ ثِيَابِهَا

the impurities of the Ignorance Era could not object you to filth nor could its murky clothes dress you.

وَأشْهَدُ أنَّكَ مِنْ دَعَائِمِ الدِّينِ وَأرْكَانِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَمَعْقِلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

I also bear witness that you are one of the mainstays of the religion, the supports of Muslims, and the haven of the believers.

وَأشْهَدُ أنَّكَ الإِمَامُ الْبَرُّ التَّقِيُّ الرَّضِيُّ الزَّكِيُّ الْهَادِي الْمَهْدِيُّ

I also bear witness that you are the God-fearing, pious, pleased, immaculate, guide, and well-guided Imām.

وَأشْهَدُ أنَّ الأئِمَّةَ مِنْ وُلْدِكَ كَلِمَةُ التَّقْوَى وَأعْلاَمُ الْهُدَى وَالْعُرْوَةُ الْوُثْقَى وَالْحُجَّةُ على أهْلِ الدُّنْيَا

And I bear witness that the Imāms from your progeny are the spokesmen of piety, the signs of guidance, the firmest handle (of Islam), and the decisive Argument against the inhabitants of the world.

وَأشْهَدُ أنِّي بِكُمْ مُؤْمِنٌ وَبِإِِيَابِكُمْ مُوقِنٌ بِشَرَايِعِ دِينِي وَخَوَاتِيمِ عَمَلِي

I also bear witness that I believe in you all and in your Return, I have full confidence in the laws of my religion and in the seals of my deeds,

وَقَلْبِي لِقَلْبِكُمْ سِلْمٌ وَأمْرِي لأمْرِكُمْ مُتَّبِعٌ وَنُصْرَتِي لَكُمْ مُعَدَّةٌ حَتَّى يَأذَنَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ

my heart is at peace with you all, all my affairs are based on your commands, and my support for you all is already all set until Allāh permits you.

فَمَعَكُمْ مَعَكُمْ لاََ مَعَ عَدُوِّكُمْ صَلَوَاتُ الله عَلَيْكُمْ

So, I am with you. I am with you, not with your enemies. Allāh’s blessings be upon you,

وَعَلَى أرْوَاحِكُمْ وَأجْسَادِكُمْ وَشَاهِدِكُمْ وَغَائِبِكُمْ وَظَاهِرِكُمْ وَبَاطِنِكُمْ آمِينَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ

upon your souls, upon your bodies, upon the present and the absent from you, and upon the apparent and the invisible from you. Respond to us, O Lord of the Worlds.

Sayyid Ibn Ṭāwūs said: "It has been narrated that this ziyārah has a specific farewell, which is that you stand in front of the shrine and say:

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَابْنَ رَسُولِ اللّهِ ،

Peace be upon you, O son of the Messenger of Allah,

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَابْنَ عَلِيٍّ الْمُرْتَضَى وَصِيِّ رَسُولِ اللّهِ ،

Peace be upon you, O son of ʿAlī al-Murtaḍā, the successor of the Messenger of Allah,

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَابْنَ فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاءِ سَيِّدَةِ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ ،

Peace be upon you, O son of Fāṭimah az-Zahrā’, the mistress of the women of the worlds,

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا وَارِثَ الْحَسَنِ الزَّكِيِّ ،

Peace be upon you, O inheritor of al-Ḥasan the Pure,

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حُجَّةَ اللّهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَشَاهِدَهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ ،

Peace be upon you, O proof of Allah on His earth and witness over His creation,

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللّهِ الشَّهِيدُ ،

Peace be upon you, O Abā ʿAbdillāh the Martyr,

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مَوْلاَيَ وَابْنَ مَوْلاَيَ ،

Peace be upon you, O my master and son of my master,

أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ قَدْ أَقَمْتَ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَيْتَ الزَّكَاةَ ،

I bear witness that you established the prayer and gave the zakat,

وَأَمَرْتَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَيْتَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ،

And enjoined what is right and forbade what is wrong,

وَجَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ حَتَّى أَتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ ،

And strove in the way of Allah until certainty (death) came to you,

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ،

I bear witness that you are upon clarity from your Lord,

أَتَيْتُكَ يَا مَوْلاَيَ زَائِراً وَافِداً رَاغِباً مُقِرّاً لَكَ بِالذُّنُوبِ ،

I have come to you, O my master, visiting, seeking refuge, and confessing my sins to you,

هَارِباً إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا لِتَشْفَعَ لِي عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ يَابْنَ رَسُولِ اللّهِ ،

Fleeing to you from my mistakes so that you intercede for me with your Lord, O son of the Messenger of Allah,

صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْكَ حَيّاَ وَمَيِّتاً ،

May Allah’s blessings be upon you, alive and dead,

فَإِنَّ لَكَ عِنْدَ اللّهِ مَقَاماً مَعْلُوماً ،

For you have a known position with Allah,

وَشَفَاعَةً مَقْبُولَةً ،

And an accepted intercession,

لَعَنَ اللّهُ مَنْ ظَلَمَكَ ،

May Allah curse those who wronged you,

لَعَنَ اللّهُ مَنْ حَرَمَكَ وَغَصَبَ حَقَّكَ ،

May Allah curse those who deprived you and usurped your right,

لَعَنَ اللّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ ،

May Allah curse those who killed you,

وَلَعَنَ اللّهُ مَنْ خَذَلَكَ ،

And may Allah curse those who abandoned you,

وَلَعَنَ اللّهُ مَنْ دَعَاكَ فَلَمْ يُجِبْكَ وَلَمْ يُعِنْكَ ،

And may Allah curse those who called you but did not answer you and did not assist you,

وَلَعَنَ اللّهُ مَنْ مَنَعَكَ مِنْ حَرَمِ اللّهِ وَحَرَمِ رَسُولِهِ وَحَرَمِ أَبِيكَ وَأَخِيكَ ،

And may Allah curse those who prevented you from the sanctuaries of Allah, His Messenger, your father, and your brother,

وَلَعَنَ اللّهُ مَنْ مَنَعَكَ مِنْ شُرْبِ مَاءِ الْفُرَاتِ ،

And may Allah curse those who prevented you from drinking the water of the Euphrates,

لَعْناً كَثِيراً يَتْبَعُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضاً .

A curse that follows one after another.

اَللّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّموَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ ،

O Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth,

عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ،

Knower of the unseen and the seen,

أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ،

You judge between Your servants concerning that in which they used to differ,

وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنْقَلَبٍ يَنْقَلِبُونَ .

And those who have wronged will know to what [kind of] return they will be returned.

اَللّهُمَّ لاَ تَجْعَلْهُ آخِرَ الْعَهْدِ مِنْ زِيَارَتِهِ ،

O Allah, do not make this my last visit to him,

وَارْزُقْنِيهِ أَبَداً مَا بَقِيتُ وَحَيِيتُ يَا رَبِّ ،

And grant me this forever as long as I live, O Lord,

وَإِنْ مِتُّ فَاحْشُرْنِي فِي زُمْرَتِهِ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحمِينَ

And if I die, then gather me in his group, O Most Merciful of the merciful.