Arba'in of Imam al-Husayn (a): Difference between revisions

'''Arbaʿīn of Imam al-Ḥusayn (a)''' (Arabic: اربعين الحسیني) is [[20th day of Safar]] in the [[Hijri Lunar calendar]] and the anniversary of the 40th day after the [[event of Karbala]] when [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] and his companions were [[martyr]]ed on the [[day of Ashura]], ([[10th of Muharram]] [[61 AH]]/13th of October 680.) It is reported that the [[captives of the Event of Karbala]] came to visit Imam al-Husayn (a) in Karbala on 20th of Safar 61 AH ([[November 22]], 680) on their return from [[Sham]] to [[Medina]]. In a [[hadith]] from [[Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a)]], [[Ziyara of Arba'in]] is considered among the sings of the faithful. This day is a national holiday in [[Iran]]. [[Shi'a]] mourn on the day of Arba'in and mourning groups rally in streets. Great procession of Shi'a who try to arrive in [[Karbala]] on the day of Arba'in is one of the most important mourning ceremonies of Shi'a around the world. [[Procession of Arba'in]] is regarded as an act of following the mentioned hadith.

It is not agreed by all Shi'a scholars whether captives passed [[Karbala]] on their return from [[Medina]], but some scholars including [[al-Muhaddith al-Nuri]] in his ''[[Lu'lu' wa Marjan]]'',<ref>Nuri, ''Lu'lu' wa marjan'', pp. 208-209</ref> and his student [[al-Shaykh 'Abbas al-Qummi]] in his ''[[Muntaha l-Amal]]''<ref>Al-Qummi, ''Muntaha l-amal'', pp. 524-525</ref> believe that the mentioned visit did not happen in the first year after the event of Karbala and that it was not even possible at all. Before al-Muhaddith al-Nuri, [[Sayyid b. Tawus]] expressed his doubt about the issue as well in his ''[[Iqbal al-A'mal]]''.

However, elsewhere in [[Luhuf]], Sayyid b. Tawus mentions that the caravan of the captives arrived in [[Iraq]] from Sham and arrived in Karbala on the day of Arba'in and after visiting Imam al-Husayn (a) moved towards Medina. He also mentions that they also visited [[Jabir b. 'Abd Allah al-Ansari]] and some of [[Banu Hashim]] as well.<ref>Ibn Tawus, ''Luhuf'', p. 225</ref>

[[Jabir b. 'Abd Allah al-Ansari]], one of the [[companions of the Prophet (s)]] is known as the first pilgrim and visitor of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] after his [[martyrdom]]. Accompanied with [['Atiyya al-'Awfi]], he arrived in Karbala on the first Arba'in of the [[martyrdom]] of Imam al-Husayn (a) in [[61 AH]]/680 and visited Imam al-Husayn (a).<ref>Al-Qummi, ''Safinat al-bihar'', vol. 8, p. 383</ref>

In a hadith from [[Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a)]], the faithful are described as having five signs, one of which is Ziyara of Arba'in.<ref>Al-Tusi, ''Tahdhib al-ahkam'', vol. 6, p. 52</ref>

Also, a [[Ziyarat nami]] (Zaiyarah Text) for the day of Arba'in is narrated from [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]]<ref>Al-Tusi, ''Tahdhib al-ahkam'', vol. 6, p. 113</ref> and [[al-Shaykh 'Abbas al-Qummi]] has mentioned it in his ''[[Mafatih al-jinan]]'' in the third chapter after [[Ziyara of 'Ashura ghayr ma'rufa]] with the title of "Ziyarat Arbain".

[[Sayyid Muhammad 'Ali Qadi Tabataba'i|Qadi Tabataba'i]] says that Shi'a also call Ziyara of Arba'in, "Maradd al-Ra's" (return of the head), suggesting that when the captives came back to Karbala on that day, they also brought the holy head of [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] and buried it with the body.<ref>Qadi Tabataba'i, ''Tahqiq darbari-yi awwal Arba'in-i Sayyid al-Shuhada'', p. 2</ref>