HOLY CITY OF KARBALA, Iraq: Yom-i-Arafah or the Day of Arafah is of Allah’s grand days when hearts are attentive to His court and they pray for cleanness of souls from evils hoping blessings and forgiveness.

Millions of pilgrims from across Iraq and different parts of the world thronged the holy shrine of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (peace of Allah be on him) on the night and day of Arafah, an occasion when a visit to the grandson of holy Prophet (peace of Allah be on him and his pure progeny), Chief of Youth of Paradise Al-Imam Al-Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Taleb (peace of Allah be on them) is highly recommended by traditions.

Karbala was crammed with visitors; special stalls for free drinks were set up to facilitate the ‘Visitors of Hussein”. They recited zyarah in front of the holy grave of the Imam (peace of Allah be on him) and performed other rituals.

A hadith, or a saying, of Prophet Muhammad (peace of Allah be on him and his pure progeny) goes that Allah surely looks to the visitors of Hussein in Karbala before He looks to His (Allah’s) visitors in Mt. Arafat.

Al-Imam As-Sadeq (peace of Allah be on him) said about excellence of visitation to Imam Hussein (peace of Allah be on him) on Arafah Day that Allah writes 100,000 goods for the pilgrim, forgives his 100,000 sins, elevates his status 100,000 times, fulfils his 100,000 needs lowest of which is deliverance from fire of hell, and will write with those who kissed martyrdom with Al-Imam Al-Hussein (peace of Allah be on him).

Arafah night (night between 8 and 9 Dhol-hijjah) keeps many other events in its lap: envoy of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (peace of Allah be on him) Muslim bin Aqeel and Hani bin Arva were martyred; Al-Imam As-Sadeq (AS) said it was the same night when Prophet Jesus (peace of Allah be on him), son of Mary (peace of Allah be on her), was born as is reported in the book Masaar ash-Shiiah; in the same night Prophet Abraham (peace of Allah be on him) was born; according to kitab Al-Kaf’ami, Allah ordered the holy Prophet (peace of Allah be on him and his pure progeny) to shut all doors that were opened in the mosque except that of Fatimah Az-Zahraa (peace of Allah be on her) and Ali Al-Mortaza (peace of Allah be on him) as is in the Ayah of Quran … “wa Tah-her masjedak”.