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Arbaeen
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Thousands of people gather in Karbala, Iraq, for Arbaeen under red lights at dusk, with the golden domes of a shrine visible in the distance. Large crowd of Shii Muslims dressed in black reach toward the ornate silver and gold shrine of Husayn in Karbala, Iraq, during the annual Arbaeen commemoration.
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Thousands of people gather in Karbala, Iraq, for Arbaeen under red lights at dusk, with the golden domes of a shrine visible in the distance.
Arbaeen pilgrimage Large crowd gathering in Karbala, Iraq, for the Arbaeen pilgrimage, one of the largest annual public gatherings in the world, August 24, 2024.

Arbaeen

Shiʿi Muslim observance
Also known as: Al-Arbaʿīn
Written by
Adam Zeidan
Adam Zeidan is an Assistant Managing Editor, having joined Encyclopædia Britannica in 2018.
Adam Zeidan
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

Arbaeen, Shiʿi Muslim observance that marks the end of the 40-day mourning period for the death of al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī, which is commemorated annually on Ashura. It is marked on the 20th day of the Islamic month of Safar, especially in the city of Karbala, Iraq, where Ḥusayn was buried after being killed in the Battle of Karbala (680). The Muslim use of a lunar calendar means that Ashura and Arbaeen may occur during any...

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