Karbala hosts millions for annual Arbaeen pilgrimage

Millions of Shia Muslims gathered in Karbala, Iraq, to commemorate Arbaeen, an annual pilgrimage marking the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. Despite temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit, many pilgrims from Iraq, Iran, and around the world traveled hundreds of miles on foot to reach the city.

The event is characterized by a strong sense of community and noncommercial hospitality. Volunteers set up tents along highways and near shrines to provide free food and water to travelers, while local residents often open their homes to pilgrims.

This year, there was a notable increase in portraits of Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is regarded as a martyr in Iran following his death in February.