Hawzah News Agency- The solemn procession set off from Tahrir Square in the Douris district, with participants converging from across the ancient city and its surrounding neighborhoods. Columns of mourners, many having walked on foot from villages and towns throughout the Bekaa Valley as part of the "Mashaya" walking pilgrimage, joined the swelling tide of grief and reverence that swept through the streets.
Marching at the forefront were contingents of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) scouts, rows of men draped in white burial shrouds—a symbolic pledge of readiness to sacrifice for the path of Imam Hussain—and flag-bearers carrying black banners emblazoned with slogans and images commemorating the tragedy of Karbala. The shrouded marchers, a hallmark of Ashura and Arbaeen observances in Lebanon, embodied the timeless spirit of self-sacrifice that defines the Hussaini cause.
Throughout the route, civil defense teams from the Islamic Red Crescent accompanied the mourners, providing medical support and ensuring the safety of participants as the procession wound its way toward the holy shrine.
By nightfall on the eve of Arbaeen, the shrine of Sayyida Khawla (peace be upon her)—herself a witness to the tragedy of Karbala as the daughter of Imam Hussain—was already overflowing with pilgrims. The inner and outer courtyards, as well as all access roads leading to the sacred site, were packed with thousands of faithful who had gathered to mark the 40th day of mourning for the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The Arbaeen commemoration marks the culmination of a 40-day mourning period following Ashura, when Imam Hussain (PBUH), his family and loyal companions were brutally martyred in the desert of Karbala over 13 centuries ago after refusing to pledge allegiance to the tyrannical Yazid. For millions of Shia Muslims worldwide, the pilgrimage—and particularly the tradition of walking long distances to sacred sites—is both an act of grief and a reaffirmation of the Imam's stand against oppression and injustice.
The Baalbek procession underscored the deep-rooted devotion to the Ahl al-Bayt in Lebanon, a tradition that continues to draw ever-larger crowds each year despite regional instability and economic hardship. The presence of the shrouded mourners, youth scouts and families marching together served as a stark reminder that the message of Karbala—refusing to bow to tyranny, no matter the cost—remains powerfully alive.
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