• Humbleness
Humility is one of the lost rings from the chain of interrelation in societies which are economically lesser developed. Humbleness fits under the category of respecting the rights of others and accepting their values.
This important matter is scarcely observed in everyday interactions in such societies even for example by large manufacturers whose life depend on the consumers’ satisfaction.
Psychological and sociological analyses are needed to search for the reasons for this absence; of course, centuries of living under the yoke of usurpers, and dictators supported by exploiters, colonizers and neocolonizers has had its destructive consequences. But this lost ring and link appears miraculously and unbelievably, in a war-torn land, between the hosts and the guests of Arba‘een.
The host is humble before the guest while he does not know him and he is not going to return the visit of the guest in the future, and while he is not going to financially benefit from the guest. This humility also appears between the pilgrims and for a few days during the Walk the people who are mostly from lesser economically developed countries turn into extremely humble people. These are all of the miracles of Imam Hussain and his last living reminder, Imam Mahdi (PBUT).
• Unanimity of hearts
Unanimity of hearts has also been one of human’s rare qualities in all his life. Unanimity of hearts and togetherness of humans are of the very good occurrences which their individual and social effects and consequences are not hidden from anyone.
Unanimity of hearts during the journey, during hardships, during possible illnesses, while getting lost in the crowds, etc. are of the precious memories of any pilgrim who has stepped or is stepping into this Walk.
The result of this unanimity of hearts and mutual kindness is the formation of a unique Ummah of Believers; as Imam Sadiq (PBUH) has said:
“You see believers in benevolence kindness and friendship with one another as one body that when one member is in pain and complains the other members call each other and accompany him with fever and sleeplessness.” (Al-Kāfī, Vol. 2, p. 166)
The most sublime form of unanimity of hearts in this Walk is a unity in loving and mourning for Imam Hussain (PBUH)’s hardships, for his thirst, his patience, etc. and imploring Allah to hasten the glorious Appearance of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) who shall set everything right.
Comparison to World Events
Cultural events all over the word have backgrounds, attractions, motives, history and cultural roots. These events- according to the extent of the area they cover, their content and historicity, also based on their compliance with people’s culture- have their own characteristics.
Many of these characteristics are unique so much so that they are understood as differentiating factors of one nation and its beliefs from its neighbors and other nations.
Much heed is given to public Events, totally incomparable with the subject at hand, such as the Bullfighting event in Spain or even the Olympics.
One of the features which makes the Arba‘een Walk different from all world events is its outwardly observed unique dimensions; and indeed sadly that which is never observed is its main differentiating characteristic and that is the essence and truth of its Shi’i beliefs.
Differentiating factors of the Arba‘een Walk compared to other events are:
• Number of participants (estimates of between 12 to 26 million).
• Hundreds of millions of free meals distributed among participants.
• Making of the roads unsafe by opposers, yet insistence of the participants to continue even on unsafe roads.
• Free, humble, obliging and enthusiastic hosting by the Iraqis in their best manner while being war-torn and poor.
• Presence of people with different opinions yet becoming united in the Walk.
• Unity of slogan among all pilgrims from different nations and with different languages, expressing readiness to respond to Imam Hussain (PBUH): Labbayk Ya Hussain!
None of these aforementioned factors in this manner and extent, and collectively has ever been observed in other events, neither today nor throughout history. The Arba‘een Walk due to its content, manner of execution, side issues, effects and consequences has special and unique advantages which all have surpassed every qualitative and quantitative border. Therefore, comparing the Arba‘een Walk with other events is neither practical nor logical nor possible.
