Hosting millions of pilgrims by the people of a war-torn country is a difficult task that requires serious faith and determination. Many Iraqi people love Imam Hussein (AS). When you interact with them, you realize that some of the hosts are just simple workers who have worked for a whole year to serve Imam Hussein's pilgrims with their savings.
The sincere devotion of the Iraqis to the third Imam of the Shiites can clearly be seen throughout the whole Arbaeen route. Most of them set up tents and mawkibs on the route to serve the pilgrims with all their possessions, even with a loaf of bread or by washing the pilgrims' feet. They consider serving the pilgrims a great honor for themselves.
The moment the pilgrims enter Iraq, they will be welcomed by Iraqis with a smile and by getting directions to the holy Karbala. If the pilgrims are thirsty, the Iraqis will treat them with a glass of water, and in return, they will only ask for saying "Ya Hussein". because they know very well that Imam Hussain (AS) will reward the hosting, himself.
With every level of livelihood situation, the Iraqi people welcome pilgrims to their homes so that they can rest and have food for a few days.
But the mawkibs on different routes to Karbala depict the depth of this hospitality. They serve the pilgrims day and night by offering food and hot and cold drinks and even providing services such as massaging.
Therefore, there is no shortage in this route, and the Iraqi people, as the hosts of this great epic, sincerely provide the pilgrims with everything they have.
Ali Yamani, one of the Iraqi mawkib owners, says: "We started our activity about 2 weeks before Arbaeen, and we start cooking and distributing sweets and cakes in the morning, and cooking falafel starts around noon. In the evenings, we also cook french fries and offer pizza at night."
Some mawkibs insist that pilgrims should take even a bite from their food. Of course, long lines may be formed to get food from some mawkibs, but no one returns empty-handed, and the phrase "There is no more food" has no meaning here. Also, despite the hot weather in Karbala, there is so much food and water that no one remains thirsty or hungry.
In the end, it must be admitted that the hospitality of Iraqis is unique in history; they have been trained since childhood to host the pilgrims of Imam Hussein (AS) regardless of their nationality and race.
