A Spiritual Religious March
In a series of talks on “Social Life with Sayyid al-Shuhada (AS)”, Quran scholar Hojat-ol-Islam Seyed Javad Beheshti, spoke to IQNA on practical lessons that one can learn from the life of Imam Hussein (AS). Following are excerpts from his speech in the second session:
Religious march begins in Hajj pilgrimage. There is no stillness in this pilgrimage as the pilgrims are required to move from their lands toward Mecca. Arriving at defined points, pilgrims change their clothes and say: “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik”.
Entering the Grand Mosque, pilgrims walk seven times around the Kaaba, perform prayers, and walk back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times. This is a religious walk that God has deemed necessary for pilgrims.
After performing Halq and Taqsir, Hajis head to Mount Arafat so as to obtain a better understanding of God and truth far from the cities and hotels. At the end of that night, they leave Arafat for Muzdalifah. With the next sunrise, they enter Mina to perform acts related to Eid al-Adha rituals. So pilgrims move in order to fight satan and various temptations and then make a sacrifice.
The march performed in Arbaeen is rooted in the Hajj pilgrimage. Ahl al-Bayt (AS) used to make a pilgrimage to Mecca on foot, despite having the means to do it more conveniently, so as to express their love for God Almighty.
