Hawzah News Agency- In an exclusive interview, Hojatoleslam Ahmadi Araki, a respected religious expert, described the Arbaeen march as an unparalleled asset for strengthening public diplomacy across the Muslim world. He argued that the sheer scale and spirit of the event dismantle hostile propaganda aimed at isolating the Islamic Republic.
"This massive popular movement, by displaying a spirit of selfless service, empathy, and remarkable security, neutralizes the Iranophobia narrative in the public opinion of the Islamic world," Ahmadi Araki stated. "It forges a vast network of trust and cooperation among nations, operating entirely outside the control of global hegemonic powers."
More than fourteen centuries after the tragedy of Ashura, the Arbaeen commemoration—marking the end of the 40-day mourning period for the martyred Imam Hussein (PBUH), grandson of Islam's Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)—shows no signs of fading. Instead, it swells with intensity each year, drawing a diverse sea of humanity that defies political and sectarian boundaries.
The Secret of Arbaeen’s Ever-Growing Power
Asked about the secret behind the endurance and exponential growth of the pilgrimage despite immense physical hardship, the cleric pointed to a convergence of spiritual and social dynamics. He described it as a movement rooted not in material or political gain, but in a profound love for the household of the Prophet, which transforms suffering into a sweet spiritual journey.
"In a world obsessed with effortless comfort, Arbaeen teaches that voluntary hardship in the path of a transcendent value is itself the deepest form of pleasure and freedom," he explained. "The pilgrim walks to rediscover himself in this furnace of purification."
He added that the event represents a lived experience of a borderless faith, where national, linguistic, and class distinctions dissolve. The walk becomes a place where the "purest form of human solidarity" is not just preached but practiced, creating an addictive, irreversible sense of global Shia identity and popular sovereignty. People feel they own this epic; the service tents, known as Mawakib, are run entirely by volunteers, embedding a self-reproducing culture of hospitality.
Engaging the Youth and Countering Doubts
Addressing the challenge of transmitting Islamic teachings to a new generation, Ahmadi Araki stressed the need to shift from one-way sermons to dynamic dialogue. He called for establishing dedicated discussion circles along the pilgrimage route, staffed by adept young scholars who can tackle the hard questions of the digital generation.
He advocated transforming the path into a "living museum of knowledge" using augmented reality, artistic installations, and short-form videos that make the philosophy of Ashura tangible. Crucially, the pilgrimage itself must become the classroom for answering ideological doubts, particularly those pitting rationality against sacrifice. He noted that the apparent military defeat at Karbala stands as history's greatest moral victory, a concept that answers the despair of modern political struggles.
Furthermore, he proposed that every pilgrim should be equipped as an "intelligent narrator," receiving brief training before departure to become a responsive missionary for their fellow travelers.
A Civilization Built from the Bottom Up
The scholar argued that Arbaeen's most critical message for contemporary society is its proof that a grand civilization can be built from the ground up, relying on individual sacrifice rather than state compulsion or massive budgets.
"In a society plagued by fierce individualism, social distrust, and despair over large-scale reforms, Arbaeen delivers a practical message," he said. "If hearts unite and everyone steps forward according to their capacity, the greatest epic of our time can be created with complete security and without government funding. This is civilization-building based on altruism, not coercion."
Exporting a Social Model, Breaking Propaganda
The analyst highlighted that the pilgrimage serves as a robust channel for direct people-to-people contact among over 40 nationalities, insulating these ties from geopolitical interference. When Iraqi hosts, Sunni Muslims, Christians, and even non-Muslims witness the warmth and security provided by Iranian pilgrims, the discourse of resistance assumes a merciful, humane face.
He suggested Iran can export this "Mowkib management" model—a grassroots, civilian-led crisis relief system—as a progressive Shia civilizational achievement to the wider Muslim world.
Applying the Arbaeen Remedy at Home
Ahmadi Araki urged authorities to institutionalize the Arbaeen spirit to solve internal social crises. He proposed applying the voluntary service tent model to combat domestic poverty, asking why the same zeal used to feed pilgrims cannot establish permanent "service Mawakib" for deprived regions. He argued that the ethic of the servant and the served being one could revolutionize municipal governance, schools, and bureaucracy, flattening the vertical state-nation relationship into a horizontal brotherhood.
For a youth often caught in fruitless political clashes, he suggested channeling that energy into Jihadi camps inspired by the Arbaeen ethos of solidarity, thus reclaiming a cohesive national identity through service.
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