The Muslim observance of Arba'een attracts millions of visitors annually to what Iraqi city?
"Liberation of Jurf Al Sakhar Liberation of Jurf Al Sakhar, codenamed Operation Ashura (), was a two-day military operation by Iraqi government forces and Iranian-backed Shia militia beginning on 24 October 2014, aimed at retaking the strategic city of Jurf Al Sakhar near Baghdad from ISIL. The operation was mainly aimed at preventing ISIS militants from reaching the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf, where ISIS threatened to carry out attacks against the millions of Shia visitors commemorating the Day of Ashura. Jurf Al Sakhar is a strategic town 50 kilometres south of the Iraqi capital. It is part of"
"was forbidden to mark Arba'een publicly in Iraq. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the observance in April 2003 was broadcast worldwide. The city of Karbala in Iraq is the center of the proceedings which many pilgrims travel miles on foot to reach. As of 2016 “between 17 million and 20 million” pilgrims usually attend Arba'een there, including about three million foreigners, most of whom are Iranians. Arba'een is consistently among the largest peaceful gatherings in history. Every year, huge crowds of pilgrims travel to the city of Karbala in pilgrimage to the Imam Hossein holy shrine in Karbala on"
"Arba’een Day. (For example it is over 500km from Basra the largest city in southern Iraq where Shia predominate to Karbala.) It is traveled annually on foot by Iraqi pilgrims, which takes them two weeks, or approximately one month to come from other countries like Iran. The crowds become so massive that roads are blocked for hundreds of miles. In 2008, approximately nine million religious observers converged on Karbala to commemorate Arba’een. In 2009, over ten million people were estimated to have reached Karbala, according to BBC News and Press TV. In 2013, 20 million pilgrims from 40 countries came"
"Arba'een Pilgrimage The Arba'een Pilgrimage is the world's largest public gathering that is held every year in Karbala, Iraq at the end of the 40-day mourning period following Ashura, the religious ritual for the commemoration of martyrdom of the grandson of Prophet Mohammad and the third Shia Imam, Husayn ibn Ali's in 680. Anticipating Arba'een, or the fortieth day of the martyrdom, the pilgrims make their journey to Karbala on foot, where Husayn and his companions were Martyred and beheaded by the army of Yazid I. The number of participants in the annual pilgrimage reached 30 million or more by"
"with tens of millions of tourists from several countries visiting Holy cities and places in Iraq every year. These include: Amiralmomenin library established by Abdul Hosein Amini and tens of personal and public libraries. Traditional mosques which were teaching centers along the history like Al-Hindi mosque, Al-Tusi mosque. Great Mosque of Kufa where Noah's Ark stopped. Karbala is considered one of the holiest cities in Islam according to Shia Muslims and some Sunni scholars due to the family members of the Islamic prophet that are buried there. It is considered one of the most influential cities in Islam internationally. Baghdad"
"of dozens of participants. The Nigerian police had also brutally attacked and murdered hundreds of the members of the community in 2015 in the Zaria massacre. In reference to 2017 Arabeen pilgrimage, head of Iran's Islamic seminaries Ayatollah Alireza Arafi said ""Arbaeen pilgrimage has truly become a manifestation of unity and brotherhood within Muslim community so much that even followers of other religions have been drawn to it and attend the ceremony alongside Shia Muslims."" Arba'een Pilgrimage The Arba'een Pilgrimage is the world's largest public gathering that is held every year in Karbala, Iraq at the end of the 40-day"
"The martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali is commemorated annually by millions of Shi'ites. Up to 8 million pilgrims visit the city to observe ""‘Āshūrā’"" (the tenth day of the month of Muharram), which marks the anniversary of Husayn's death, but the main event is the ""Arba‘īn"" (the 40th day after Ashura), where up to 30 million visit the holy graves. Most of the pilgrims travel on foot from all around Iraq and more than 56 countries. There are many opinions among different investigators, as to the origin of the word ""Karbala"". Some have pointed out that ""Karbala"" has a connection"
"family member or loved one in many Muslim traditions. Arba'een is one of the largest pilgrimage gatherings on Earth, in which up to 45 million people go to the city of Karbala in Iraq. The significance of the number 40 has roots in a saying (hadith) of Muhammad: ""On the day of judgment, among my people, God will consider whoever memorized forty Hadiths as an erudite man"". Numerous Islamic scholars have gathered collections of forty hadith, quoting from the prophet and the Imams who followed him in Shia Islam. Writing in forty batches has become a tradition among Islamic scholars."
"blamed on Sunni extremists, who have routinely targeted the pilgrims"" using car bombs or rockets. The pilgrimage is performed under ""tightened security"" guarded by tens of thousands of Iraqi police and soldiers backed by armored vehicles and military helicopters to protect the pilgrims. Iranian advisers also help protect the visitors through a joint operation room. On 20 November 2015, a major bombing plot in Hussainiya in Iraq, Baghdad was foiled by the Iraqi police, where 18 booby-trapped dolls were seized by the security forces. Stuffed with bombs, were meant to be scattered on the roads leading to Karbala during Arbaeen."
"Karbala Karbala (, ), also Kerbala, is a city in central Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 700,000 people (2015). The city, best known as the location of the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, or the Mosques of Imam Husayn and Abbas, is considered a holy city for Shi'ite Muslims in the same way as Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Tens of millions of Shi'ite Muslims visit the site twice a year, rivaling Mecca as a place of pilgrimage."
"Tourism in Iraq Tourism in Iraq refers to tourism in the Western Asian country Iraq. The capital city Baghdad is the second largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. Iraq has several Islamic pilgrimage sites related to Shia Islam. Iraq is considered to be a potential location for ecotourism. Erbil was chosen as ""Arab Tourism Capital"" in 2014 by the Arab Tourism Committee. Yet, the cities of Karbala and Najaf are the most popular tourist destinations in Iraq due to the location of religious sites in the country. Religious tourism is the most popular type of tourism in Iraq,"
"for Arbaeen, according to Iranian media. A car bomb targeting worshippers returning from Karbala killed at least 20 Shiite pilgrims in January 2013. In 2014, up to 17 million people made the pilgrimage and many choose to make the 55-mile journey on foot from Najaf, near areas controlled by the militant Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which has declared Shia Muslims apostates. Up to 17 million pilgrams came in 2015 and 2016 The Ziyarat Arba'een is a prayer which is usually recited in Karbala on the day of Arba'een. It is narrated from Safwan al-Jammaal from Imam"
"the city to observe Ashura, which marks the anniversary of Imam Husayn's death. Every year for arba'een rituals that occurs forty days after the Day of Ashura up to 45 million people go to the city of Karbala in Iraq. The boundary wall of the shrine surrounds wooden gates covered with glass decorations. The gates open into a courtyard separated into smaller rooms or precincts with many """"Iwans"""" along the walls. The grave of Imam Husayn is enclosed within a metal-mesh like structure, found directly beneath the golden dome. On 5 March 2013 the process of replacing the zarih (metal"
"in previous years. Despite ongoing dangers, people from around the world continued their journey to Karbala. According to Iraqi officials, approximately three million Iranians visited Iraq, making them the largest contingent of foreigners at the Arba'een Pilgrimage in 2016. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility for the attack. After the offensive launched on 17 October to liberate the last remaining city in Iraq under ISIS control, Mosul, Daesh intensified their attacks aiming to weaken the Mosul offensive. November 2016 Hillah suicide truck bombing A suicide bombing occurred in Iraq on 24 November 2016 when a truck"
"Muslims and even Christians, Yazidis, Zoroastrians, and Sabians partake in both the pilgrimage as well as serving of devotees. Pilgrims from European countries including Sweden, Russia and even a delegation from Vatican City have joined in past observances. Some Iraqi Christian religious leaders also joined the delegation from the Vatican. Many delegations from various African countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and Senegal have also participated in the Arba'een. Since the first Arba'een, it has influenced subsequent Shi'ite uprisings against Umayyad and Abbasid rule. Arba'een has also been used as a political protest, at least in Iran. It was first used"
"Historical Features of the Tigris River in Baghdad Rusafa. In addition to these sites, there are must-see places to visit in person in Iraq, like the Iraqi Plastic Society which houses numerous art work demonstrating traditional as well as innovative styles of design. Tourism in Iraq Tourism in Iraq refers to tourism in the Western Asian country Iraq. The capital city Baghdad is the second largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. Iraq has several Islamic pilgrimage sites related to Shia Islam. Iraq is considered to be a potential location for ecotourism. Erbil was chosen as ""Arab Tourism Capital"""
"is the capital of Iraq. Gravesites of family members of the prophet Muhammad are also found in Baghdad. In addition, there are many places to visit which will provoke a deep understanding of how Iraq had, and has influenced the rest of the world. Baghdad is a city of continuous growth and rapid changes, yet holds onto its history at the same time. The number of tourist arrivals in Iraq in 2013 was 892,000. In the last two decades the highest number of tourists came in 2010 with 1,518,000 tourists. In 2012, the value of international tourism receipt was $1.64"
"2014. Even though the Hindu Kumbh Mela is larger in population, it is only held every twelve years, and hence the Arbaeen pilgrimage is the largest gathering held annually. The pilgrimage is marked by long walks from Najaf or Basra to Karbala. People from different walks of life, ethnicity and sect participate in the march including toddlers in prams and elderly pushed in armchairs. Some Sunnis, Christians, Yazidis and people of other faiths also participate the occasion. Husayn ibn Ali the Muslim saint for whom the pilgrimage is made is believed to transcend all cultural boundaries and be a symbol"
"Muslim who is capable must perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime. Hajj is one of the largest annual Muslim gatherings in the world, second only to pilgrimages to the mosques of Husayn ibn Ali and his half-brother Abbas in Karbala, Iraq, with attendance reaching 3 million in 2012. The Prophet's Mosque is located in Medina, making the city the second-holiest site in Islam, after Mecca. Medina is the final place-of-residence of Muhammad, and where his ""qabr"" (grave) is located. In addition to the Prophet's Mosque, the city has the mosques of Qubā’ and ""al-Qiblatayn"" (""The Two Qiblahs"")."
"Ziyarat of Arba'een Ziyarat Arba'een (Arabic: زیارة الأربعین); ""Ziyarat"" in Arabic language means pilgrimage while ""Arba'een means forty. Ziyarat in Shiite means pilgrimage or visit to pay respect to Imams. Although, the visitation is not obligatory rites of religion like prayer, fasting and hajj, but it plays an integral role in the religious life of Shiite. But technically, Ziyarat Arba'een refers to the 40-day pilgrimage of the holy city of Karbala to mark the 40 day mourning period after the killing of Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Imam Hussein. The culture as stated by a researcher provides ways to express social emotion"
"and from sociological perspective, feelings rules are ″appropriate ways to express internal sensation"". So, also the ziyarat is directly or indirectly used to express the mourning of Imams. The Ziyarat Arba'een is a prayer which is usually recited in the Iraqi city of Karbala on the day of Arba'een. It is narrated from Safwan al-Jammaal from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, the sixth Shiite Imam in which the Imam instructed him to visit Imam Husayn's mosque, and to recite a specific visitation prayer on Arba'een by which believer should reaffirm their pledge to Husayn's ideals. The Ziyarat or prayer is a text"
"at the mosque and burial site of Husayn ibn Ali, the third Shia Imam in the city of Karbala, Iraq. Many Shia go on a pilgrimage to the shrine in Karbala, one of the holiest places for Shias apart from Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Up to one million pilgrims visit the city annually to observe the anniversary of Imam Husayn ibn Ali's death. Shia Muslims believe that pilgrimage to Husayn ibn Ali’s shrine, like weeping, saves them from being condemned to hell on the day of judgment and all their guilt is removed. The Arabic term ""matam"" refers in general"
"of troops and police into the city. Hundreds of thousands of Shia pilgrims who had come together to celebrate the Shaabaniya ritual began leaving the southern city after September 9, 2006 climax ended days of chanting, praying and feasting. Heavy presence by police and Iraqi troops seemed to have kept out suicide bombers who have disrupted previous rituals. On April 14, 2007, a car bomb exploded about from the shrine, killing 47 and wounding over 150. On January 19, 2008, 2 million Iraqi Shia pilgrims marched through Karbala city, Iraq to commemorate Ashura. 20,000 Iraqi troops and police guarded the"
"be carried in Muharram processions. Thousands of ""ta'zīyas"" in various shapes and sizes are made every year for the months of mourning of Muharram and Safar; and are carried in processions and may be buried at the end of Ashura or Arbain. Karbala Karbala (, ), also Kerbala, is a city in central Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 700,000 people (2015). The city, best known as the location of the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, or the"
"in Irbid. Irbid hosted the 1999 Pan Arab Games. Irbid Irbid (), known in ancient times as Arabella or Arbela (Άρβηλα in Ancient Greek), is the capital and largest city of the Irbid Governorate. It also has the second largest metropolitan population in Jordan after Amman, with a population of around 1,770,158 and is located about 70 km north of Amman on the northern ridge of the Gilead, equidistant from Pella, Beit Ras (Capitolias), and Um Qais. It's 20 km south of the Syrian border. Irbid is the second largest metropolitan in Jordan by population after Amman. But as a"
"in Samarra, Iraq under a golden dome that was presented by Naser al-Din Shah Qajar and that was completed by Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar in 1905. The tomb lies within the Al-Askari Mosque, one of the most important of Shia shrines. The mosque was badly damaged in a February 2006 bombing, presumably the work of Sunni militants. As of 2007, the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Iran attracted 12 million visitors annually, second only to Mecca as a destination for Muslim pilgrims. This shrine is known for its healing powers. The shrine of Princess Shahrbanu, just south of Tehran, is"
"billion. Iraqi Kurdistan, an autonomous region of Iraq, was a hotspot for tourism. It was considered to be a safe and stable region and least affected by terrorism. In 2012, Kurdistan recorded a 70% rise in tourist arrivals. In 2007 Kurdistan had 106 hotels which increased to 405 in 2012 in addition to 214 motels and 50 tourist villages. Erbil city in Kurdistan which was declared as ""Arab Tourism Capital"" in 2014. However, as of 2015, activities of the militant group ISIS have affected tourism in Kurdistan. According to the association of hotels, tourism in Kurdistan is going through a"
"Islam in Iraq The history of Islam in Iraq goes back almost 1,400 years to the lifetime of Muhammad (died 632). Iraq's Muslims follow two distinct traditions, Shia and Sunni Islam. Arabic-speaking Shias are known as Iraqiyyuns, and Arabic-speaking Sunnis are known as Jaziran Arabs. Iraq is home to many religious cities important for both Shia and Sunni Muslims. Baghdad was a hub of Islamic learning and scholarship for centuries and served as the capital of the Abassids. Baghdad also is home to two prominent Shia Imams in what is known as Kadhimiya, Iraq. The city of Karbala has substantial"
"in the Qur’an—specifically 22:28—stress the importance of witnessing the traditions of Hajj with one's own eyes. Hajj Badal effectively prevents a follower of Islam from partaking in the ceremonies. This contradiction with the word of the Qur’an is another reason why Islamic scholars disprove of the practice. Arba'een Pilgrimage Hajj the Hajj (; """" ""pilgrimage"") is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the"
"2014, the Citadel of Arbil was inscribed as a World Heritage site. The city has an ethnically diverse population of Kurds (the majority ethnic group), Armenians, Assyrians, Arabs, Iraqi Turkmens, Yezidis, Shabakis and Mandaeans. It is equally religiously diverse, with believers of Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, Christianity (mainly followed by Assyrians and Armenians), Yezidism, Yarsanism, Shabakism and Mandaeism extant in and around Erbil. The name ""Erbil"" was mentioned in Sumerian holy writings of third millennium BC as ""Urbilum"", ""Urbelum"" or ""Urbillum"", which appears to originate from ""Arbilum"" Later, the Akkadians and Assyrians by a folk etymology rendered the name as"
"the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, the Holy Shrine of Lady Fatima Masuma in Qom, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima in Cova da Iria, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Western Wall in Jerusalem and the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Religious tourism has existed since antiquity. A study in 2011 found that 2.5 million people visited Karbala on the day of Arbaeen in 2013, pilgrims visited Jerusalem for a few reasons: to understand and appreciate their religion through a tangible experience, to feel"
"of Muharram, the village of Toulon, have enjoyed a great spacial reputation among the lovers and lovers of the Majesty Imam Hussein (AS), and attracts a large group of people from all over the country every year. The ceremony is carried out by Sadat and the elders of Toulon with special enthusiasm and warmth. Tulun, Iran Tulun (, also Romanized as Tūlūn) is a village in Ojarud-e Gharbi Rural District, in the Central District of Germi County, Ardabil Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 336, in 89 families. Tulun is considered to be one of the historical"
"to narrations, the custom of performing the pilgrimage on foot was forgotten during a time period after Morteza Ansari and it was revived by Mirza Husain Noori Tabarsi in an Eid al-Adha who repeated this action every year performing the last one by 1319 AH (AD 1901). Some other scholars and Marja's kept on the same manner in Arba'een up to the Saddam's time during which the pilgrimage was banned although a small number of people used to perform it secretly. It was revived just after Saddam's overthrow in 2003 and the number of participants grew year after year reaching"