The Walk from Sayyidda Zaynab to Sayyidda Ruqayya

One of the local traditions on Arbaeen Day (the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Husayn) is that people drive to Sayyidda Ruqayya's shrine for the morning prayers, pray there and then walk back to Sayyidda Zaynab's shrine. Its a distance of more than 10km and it takes about 3 hours.

Our teacher walks the other way - i.e. from Sayyidda Zaynab to Sayyidda Ruqayya. It was an interesting walk. We laft at 8am and made a pit stop at Sayyidda Zaynab's shrine. Even though it was so early, the shrine was full-ish, with people starting mourning rituals. There were even people handing out tea and bread to the zawwar (pilgrims).

Muharram this year had been toned due due to government restrictions and so this year, the groups of walkers were a lot less. Nevertheless, we did see about 3-4 big groups of people walking and reciting poems and lamentations. I was surprised at how many elderly, children, full-term-pregnant women and disabled people were doing the walk. There were also hundreds walking barefoot too. I was told that in previous years, people stand by the roadside and hand out water and refreshments too, but we only saw a truck handing out bananas this year!

Just like how fasting in the month of Ramadhan reminds us of the hunger of the poor people, this walk made me think about how Sayyidda Zaynab and the other members of the Holy Household made the walk from Karbala to Kufa to Shaam. We (Alhamdulillah) had a energising breakfast and cup of tea, ate vitamins and energy tablets, had water and snacks along the way and were wearing comfy sketchers. It was such an easy experience (even with our power-walking teacher!) The ladies and children did the walk (which was much longer than our walk) on barely enough food and water to keep them alive and in the hot desert sun. And that was just after witnessing their family members being killed. And seeing so many infants and children die along the way.

I've post up the pics on FB and the link for my non-FB readers is below:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=600949&id=775340390&l=482c39050f