What is Arbaeen?
Arbaeen is a Shia commemoration held 40 days after Ashura, marking the end of the mourning period for Husayn ibn Ali, the Prophet's grandson, who was killed at Karbala. It falls on 20 Safar and is best known for a huge walking pilgrimage to Karbala in Iraq. It is not one of the two Eids, and Sunni Muslims don't observe it as a religious day.
What the word means
"Arbaeen" (also spelled Arba'een or Arbain) is simply Arabic for "forty". In many cultures, Muslim and non-Muslim, the fortieth day after a death is a traditional moment of remembrance. For Shia Muslims, Arbaeen is the fortieth day after the death of Husayn, who was killed with members of his family on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH (680 CE) at Karbala.
The Prophet ﷺ loved his grandsons deeply and called Hasan and Husayn the leaders of the youth of Paradise (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3768). So the story of Karbala moves Sunnis and Shia alike. See What is Ashura and should I fast on it?
What happens on Arbaeen
- The walk to Karbala. Millions of pilgrims walk from Najaf and other cities to the shrine of Husayn, often over several days. It is one of the largest yearly gatherings anywhere in the world.
- Free hospitality. Along the route, local families and groups set up tents (mawkibs) offering free food, water, tea and places to sleep.
- Mourning gatherings. In Shia communities in Europe and the USA, mosques and centres hold lectures, poetry recitals and processions.
How Sunni Muslims see it
Sunni scholars honour Husayn as a martyr and a member of the Prophet's family, and condemn his killing. But they don't mark the fortieth day, because there is no instruction for it in the Quran or the Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ taught that Muslims have two yearly festivals, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha (Sunan Abi Dawud 1134), and he limited mourning for a death to three days, apart from a widow's waiting period (Sahih al-Bukhari 1280). See How many holidays do Muslims have?
What this means for you as a convert
You don't have to take part in Arbaeen to be a good Muslim, and you don't have to pick a side the day you take your shahada. If you have Shia friends or colleagues, it's kind to show respect for a day that means a lot to them, even if you don't observe it yourself. Keep conversations calm and avoid mocking anyone's beliefs. See Do I have to choose Sunni or Shia to become Muslim?
- Arbaeen means "forty" and falls on 20 Safar, 40 days after Ashura.
- It commemorates Husayn ibn Ali, the Prophet's grandson, killed at Karbala.
- It is mainly a Shia observance, famous for the walking pilgrimage to Karbala.
- Sunnis love Husayn but don't mark the day; Islam's two festivals are the Eids.
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