Shafaq News- Karbala/ Najaf

Husseini mawakib, volunteer-run service processions that provide pilgrims with food, water, rest areas, and mourning spaces, began operating in Karbala and Najaf ahead of Ashura, with millions of pilgrims expected in Iraq for one of the largest annual Shiite commemorations.

Service stations, banners, and mourning sites were set up near roads and shrine routes used by pilgrims walking toward Karbala.

In one event, Mawkib Jumhour Al-Haidariya organized a mourning reenactment on Thursday evening, the second day of Muharram, depicting the arrival of Imam Hussein, his family, companions, and caravan in Karbala through symbolic scenes using horses, camels, and traditional clothing.

Ashura, marked on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, commemorates the killing of Imam Hussein ibn Ali ibn Abi Taleb, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, along with his family and companions in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. In Iraq, the occasion draws large crowds from inside the country and abroad, especially to Karbala, where Imam Hussein is buried, and Najaf, home to the shrine of Imam Ali, one of Shiite Islam’s most revered figures.

Read more: Discover Iraq: Najaf, a city of dust and divinity

About 250 hotels in Najaf are ready to receive visitors after months of weak activity linked to regional tensions, Saeb Abu Ghnaim, head of the Najaf Hotels Association, told Shafaq News. The tourism and Husseini mawkib sectors have begun preparations with Muharram approaching, especially after reports of an end to the Iran-US war.

Hotel operators are also prepared to “reduce profit margins to encourage foreign pilgrims, particularly Iranians, to return to the holy shrines.”

Preparations for the 10th of Muharram have also entered their final stage in Karbala, provincial council member Mohammed Al-Masoudi told Shafaq News. Security, transport, service areas, and coordination with the Transport Authority are ready, and Karbala’s residents, mawakib, and service bodies will remain mobilized throughout the visit.

Read more: Discover Iraq: Karbala, where memory breathes and future beckons