Arba’een (forty) is the 20th of Safar (the second month of the Islamic calendar). It is observed by Shia Muslims on the 40th day after Ashura in memory of Husayn Ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad; 40 days is associated with a period of mourning and remembering the loss of a loved one. Husayn was killed at the Battle of Karbala in central Iraq on the 10th of Muharram in 680 AD. In modern times, tens of millions of Shia Muslims from all over the world gather around the shrine of Imam Husayn in Karbala, making Arba’een the world’s largest annual pilgrimage.
To Name this Day:
Prayers
Recite Ziyarah Arba'een, the prayer associated with visiting the shrine of Imam Husayn.
Spiritual Practice
- Make a 40-day commitment to do something beneficial. Maybe you have a bad habit you want to break, or maybe you want to recite a particular prayer. After reflecting on what you will undertake, commit to following through every day for 40 days.
- Identify ways you can take a stand against oppression and for justice, and take a least one action to further the cause you choose.
