Karbala Friday Prayer Leader:

We must be vigilant against attempts by Daesh to target Arba’in pilgrimage

Rasa – Hujjat al-Islam al-Safi called for greater vigilance and caution among the security forces in the next few days as Daesh seeks to use every opportunity to attack the pilgrims.

News ID: 424967

Date: 12 November 2016 - 08:35

RNA – During his Friday prayer sermon delivered to a large and fervent crowd of believers in the Iraqi city of Karbala’s Holy Shrine of Imam al-Husayn, Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid Ahmad al-Safi said that the upcoming Arba’in pilgrimage is one of the most important events in Islam and added that believers inside and outside Iraq give Arba’in attention and give great importance to it.

“For this reason, millions of pilgrims seek to renew their covenant with Imam Husayn and the Ahlul-Bayt during this pilgrimage,” he said.

The representative of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in Karbala said in order to perform pilgrimage to the Holy Shrine of Imam Husayn, believers, including men, women and children, walk dozens of kilometres in remembrance of the painful circumstances that Imam Husayn, his family and companions went through and grieve over the tragedy of Ashura.

“God Almighty will reward them and the authorities must also assist the poor and weak, especially the elderly and women along the path to Karbala,” he said.

Hujjat al-Islam al-Safi called for greater vigilance and caution among the security forces in the next few days and said, “The enemies will seek to use every opportunity to attack the pilgrims so the security forces must be on full alert and protect the pilgrims.”

His Eminence thanked the servants and groups of mourners who serve the pilgrims and said that words are unable to express the dignity and generosity of the mourners and servants of Imam Husayn.

On the roads between Najaf and Karbala, Iraqis, most of whom are extremely poor, provide all facilities for the pilgrims, ranging from food, drink and accommodation in service to the pilgrims.

“May God Almighty increase their financial conditions and fortunes,” he supplicated.

The custodian of the Holy Shrine of Hadhrat Abbas called for the pilgrims to reflect on the life and the uprising of Imam Husayn on along their walk toward Karbala and said: “The pilgrims must abstain from committing sins and should take advantage of the lectures of the missionaries and seminary students who have been deployed along the route.”

Hujjat al-Islam al-Safi called on the pilgrims not to forget to pray for and support the Iraqi security forces, police, air force and members of the Popular Mobilization Forces who are fighig Daesh and added, “If the courage and sacrifice of the warriors did not exist and the fatwa calling for jihad against the Daesh Takfiri phenomenon was not issued by Ayatollah al-Sistani, we would have a normal life and would still be dealing with various problems.”

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