What is the opinion of Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani on the Arba‘een procession that millions of Shia Muslims have been participating in recent years?
Question & Answer
There is nothing wrong with people going collectively to visit the grave of Husain ibn Ali on the twentieth day of the month of Safar, but under three conditions:
Firstly, it should not involve any fear of death due to the spread of a pandemic or the dominance of the enemy on the way; because Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ﴾[1]; “And do not cast yourselves into destruction with your own hands.”
Secondly, it should not involve any forbidden action, such as striking and wounding the body, reviling the Sahabah, fabricating lies against the Ahl al-Bayt through commendations, elegies, and sermons that contain exaggerations or lies, or the mixing of men and women in a way that makes it impossible to avoid physical contact; because all of these are idle talk, falsehood, and immorality, while Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا﴾[2]; “And those who do not witness falsehood and when they pass by idle talk, they pass by with dignity,” and said: ﴿أَتَأْتُونَ الْفَاحِشَةَ وَأَنْتُمْ تُبْصِرُونَ﴾[3]; “Do you commit immorality while you see?!”
Thirdly, it should not involve any help to oppressive rulers who may try to exploit it for their political interests, by it being carried out under their authority, increasing the number of their followers, or anything else that would help them in their oppression; because Allah Almighty has said: ﴿وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنْصَرُونَ﴾[4]; “And do not tend toward oppressors, lest the fire seize you, and you have no guardian but Allah, and then you will not be helped,” and said: ﴿وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ﴾[5]; “And do not help one another in sin and transgression, and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.”
All of this is because visiting the grave of Husain ibn Ali is recommended, but avoiding what we mentioned is obligatory, and what is obligatory is not abandoned for what is recommended.
*For more information, look at the appendices.
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Appendices
Sub-Questions & Answers
Please explain the Arba‘een. Did the caravan of Lady Zainab and Imam Zayn al-Abidin pass through Karbala on their way back from Damascus to Medina?
The “Arba‘een” in Shia terminology refers to the twentieth day of the month of Safar, which is the fortieth day after the day of Ashura, the day of the martyrdom of Imam Husain 
his family, and his companions in Karbala. It is well-known that on this day in the year 61 AH, Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari, a great companion of the Messenger of Allah 
visited the graves of the martyrs and established the tradition of visiting them on this day[1]. Also, it has been narrated that on this day, the caravan of survivors of Karbala visited the graves of the martyrs on their way back from Damascus to Medina[2]. However, this is not proven and has not been stated in well-known narrations[3]. Of course, Jabir’s visit to the graves of the martyrs on this day was not due to any specific feature of this day; because no specific feature has been established in Sharia for the fortieth day after the death of a person, but it just happened to be this day. Shia Muslims later adopted it as a tradition, inspired by some narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt[4], and it has flourished greatly in recent years.
What is certain is that visiting the graves of Imam Husain his family, and his companions is good on any day, provided that it is devoid of innovations, sins, and helping oppressors. This rule also applies to the twentieth day of the month of Safar.
↑[1] . See Masar al-Shia by al-Mufid, p. 46; Misbah al-Mujtahid by al-Tusi, p. 787.
↑[2] . See al-Lohuf by al-Sayyid ibn Tawus, p. 114.
↑[3] . For example, see Maqtal al-Husain by Abu Mikhnaf, pp. 215 and 218; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 4, p. 354.
↑[4] . Al-Mazar by al-Mufid, p. 53; Tahdhib l-Ahkam by al-Tusi, vol. 3, p. 113
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