Page 82 - Pure Life 31
P. 82
The Spiritual Importance of the Arbaeen Pilgrimage… S. Fahs and Y. Ali / (81
International media's politicised in history is currently
handling of the Husseini underway. (Dearden, 2014)
rites. He asserted that if a It pointed out that the
few hundred anti-immigration Pilgrimage of Hussein
protesters demonstrate in known as the Arbaeen, is
London and garner media five times more than the
attention, a pro-democracy Muslim Pilgrims to Mecca
march in Hong Kong or an in terms of the number of
anti-Putin rally in Russia Pilgrims; And it continues:
will also receive equal It is also more significant
airtime. But a crowd of 20 than the Hindu festival
million protesting obstinately (Kom Mela), which only
against injustice and occurs once every three
terrorism somehow fails to years, as the forty days are
even appear on the TV repeated each year and last
news ticker. (Modarresi, 2014) for a number of days.
For instance, The Independent, The BBC newspaper
as the most famous headline read: Huge number
newspaper in Britain, of Shia Muslim pilgrims
described the Arbaeen gathered in the Iraqi city of
Pilgrimage as the largest Karbala at the climax of a
and riskiest religious gathering Key festival, despite threats
ever, writing; One of the of violence. (BBC News, 2014)
biggest and riskiest pilgrimages The International Media
turns a blind eye toward the
