I know that this book is like no other.
It tells a story of a tragic narrative that happened almost 1,400 years ago – before cameras existed – about people who probably never imagined that their story would be told in this way.
It gives us a glimpse into what people today “experience” when they make the 75 km walk from Najaf al-Ashraf to Kerbala al-Muqaddas to pay their respects to the Father of Free Men – Aba Abdillah al-Ḥusayn, peace be upon him.
It leaves me longing for the day that I am invited to make the same walk that millions make every year.
It leaves me desirous for the day that I can personally experience the words which Sr. Saarah Bukhari has left in my heart.
It leaves me anxious for making “the walk” that Br. Ayaz Ali has so poignantly captured in Arbaeen: A Lens into a Sacred Journey.
Arbaeen: A Lens into a Sacred Journey documents this event, intertwined with poetic expression of the emotions a Zaa’ir may feel and observe throughout the various stages of visitation.
It follows the annual journey undertaken by millions of people as they walk eighty-kilometre from Najaf to Karbala and the final culmination of forty days of mourning.
The aspiration of documenting this journey is to enable further coverage of the annual phenomenon. Due to the scarcity of current reporting, this book is published with the hope that more photographers, journalists and authors will share their work and, in particular, provide more detailed accounts highlighting the experiences of the people of Iraq.
