Arba’in

The History of the Islamic Revolution
Arba’in

Arba’in is an Arabic word that means forty. It refers to the fortieth day (which coincides with the 20th day of the month of Safar in the Islamic lunar calendar) after the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (a) and his companions.

 

On this day, Shi’ahs hold mourning sessions for the Imam (a) and martyrs of Karbala. Iranians also hold the Arba’in ceremony on the fortieth day after his martyrdom. In the history of the struggle of the people of Iran against the regime of the Shah, “Arba’in” recalls the successive demonstrations and fights of the people in different cities of the country which slowly brought the Pahlavi regime to the brink of collapse. On February 8,  1978, the first bloody Arba’in took place in Tabriz. After participating in the Arba’in ceremony held for martyrs of the January 9, 1978 incident in Qom, the people of that city came to the streets but the agents of the Pahlavi regime opened fire on them thereby killing thirteen and injuring many others.

 

Forty days before that, the people of Qom started a mass protest due to the publication of an article in the newspaper “Etela’at” in which Imam Khomeini (ra) was insulted, and therefore six people from that city were killed, several were injured and a group was arrested by the police.

On March 29, 1978, forty days after the martyrdom of the people of Tabriz, the people of other cities protested against the imperial regime by holding the Arba’in ceremony for the martyrs in Tabriz, and so the cities became the scene of confrontation between the agents of the regime and the people.

 

That day in Yazd, the clashes and fights were more widespread and the agents of the regime killed three people and injured some others. In the cities of Arak, Sirjan, Bushehr, Shiraz, Ahvaz, Jahrom, etc., the Arba’in ceremony for the martyrs of Tabriz was also held and the regime forces clashed with the people. Subsequently, with the Arba’in ceremony held in various cities, the scope of the uprising against the imperial system became wider and the tradition of Arba’in - which is a reminder of the bloody uprising of Imam Husayn (a) – was used as a weapon to overthrow the Pahlavi regime.

 

In the last days of the imperial regime, three days after Mohammad Reza Pahlavi left Iran, on January 19, 1979, the day of Arba’in reached. In a message during his stay in Neauphle-le-Château, France, Imam Khomeini (ra) addressed the people of Iran: “This year the Arba’in of the Imam of Ummah has coincided with the Arba’in of the followers and Shi’ahs of that great man of Islam and as if the blood of our martyrs is the extension of the pure blood of the martyrs of Karbala, and the recent Arba’in of our brothers is the reflection of the Arba’in of those courageous men… This year Arba’in is exceptional and typical; participation in the existing demonstrations and rallies marking this Arba’in is our religious and national duty.”

 

After receiving Imam Khomeini’s message, the people of Iran, on December 20th, 1978, held a massive demonstration against the Pahlavi regime. On this day, people came to the streets in all cities and towns and while expressing grief for the martyrs of Karbala demanded the immediate return of Imam Khomeini (ra) to the country. Moreover, they chanted slogans condemning the Royal Council and the government of Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiari.

That day, although many soldiers loyal to the Shah were still in the country, they did not fight with the people, and the demonstration was held with minimal casualties dashing the regime’s hopes for survival.

 

Reference: The Encyclopedia of the Islamic Revolution.

 









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