PHOTOS: Shias mark Arbaeen amid rising COVID-19 pandemic

Halgurd Sherwani 2020/10/06 07:12

Shia pilgrims head to Iraq’s southern city of Karbala amid spiking coronavirus figures to mark the end of the 40-day-long mourning for the murder of the Islamic Prophet’s grandson in the seventh century.

Kurdistan COVID-19 Iraq

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Shia pilgrims head to Iraq’s southern city of Karbala amid spiking coronavirus figures to mark the end of the 40-day-long mourning for the murder of the Islamic Prophet’s grandson in the seventh century.

Annually, Shias across the world, particularly from neighboring Iran, visit Iraq’s Karbala to attend the Arbaeen ritual – the 40th day of mourning for the killing of Hussien bin Ali – who is the grandson of Prophet Mohammad. Hussien was murdered in the famous Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, on the 10th day of the first Islamic month of Muharram, also known as Ashura.

Iraqi Shia Muslim pilgrims stop at a tent adorned with portraits of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (2nd from right) and General Qassem Soleimani (center) at Baghdad's al-Dora area as they head to the holy city of Karbala to take part in Arbaeen, Oct. 5, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Mohammed Sawaf)

The burial site of Hussien is in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala, which millions of Shia pilgrims visit annually.

Iraqi Shia Muslim pilgrims walk at Baghdad's al-Dora area as they head to the holy city of Karbala to take part in Arbaeen, Oct. 5, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Mohammed Sawaf)

However, during normal times, the ritual draws millions of Shias. This year’s score of attendees is expected to decrease as Iraqi authorities have decided to close down borders and not receive visitors, a bid to stem the coronavirus pandemic.

Shia Muslim men take part in a ritual ahead of Arbaeen, which marks the end of the 40-day mourning period for the seventh-century killing of Imam Hussein, Oct. 5, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Mohammed Sawaf)

Despite the protective measures taken to reduce the risks, transmission rates are still highly likely amid apparent difficulties maintaining social distancing due to over-crowdedness, with most attendees praying shoulder-to-shoulder. As of Tuesday, Iraq has recorded 382,949 cases since the onset of the pandemic in February.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany