Islamic movement begins annual Arba’een symbolic trek
Story from Ahmad SAKA,Bauchi
The annual symbolic trekking by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky that holds every month of Safar in the Islamic calendar is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 3rd September, 2023 in Pambegua axis.
The Pambegua axis comprises of Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, Nasarawa and Plateau States.
Members that undertake the annual trek exercise use the Pambegua axis as the starting point.
Speaking with journalists, the Bauchi State representative of the Islamic Movement, (popularly known as Shi’ite), Malam Ahmad Yusuf Yashi, said, “As usual, having found ourselves in the month of Safar, the Islamic Movement under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky is about to embark on what we call symbolic trek.
“Just as the name implies, it is to symbolise what is actually taking place in Iraq presently.
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“But we are here due to some economic constraints, since we can not find ourselves there at Iraq, we would do what we can be able to do in our locality here.
“With this opportunity, the movement has categorised the whole country under seven, where the Muslim brotherhood will gather and conduct this trek. We have the Kano axis, Malumfashi/Katsina, Funtua axis, Kaduna, Pambegua among others.”
Arbaeen Trek is a Shiite annual religious practice that is usually conducted on 20th Safar of Islamic calendar to mark the 40th day of the murder of Imam Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammed who was killed on 10th Muharram.
Malam Ahmed Yashi explained that the event is not a new thing, and members make use of these mediums of communication to enlighten some people who may be ignorant about the day of commencement of the symbolic trek, which would be embarked this weekend.
“It is an annual event being undertaken over a long period of years. It is called ‘Arba’een Trek’ under the Islamic tenent.
“It is usually being observed 40 days after the demise of a person, which started after the assassination of Imam Hussyein, who was killed on the 10th of Muharram, 61 years after the Wafat of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).”
“Before 2015, we used to trek from the starting point of the Pambegua axis up to Zaria, where we met the leader. From there, he gives the closing remarks and people return back to their states.
“But from 2015, the Buhari regime descended on the Islamic Movement, especially our leader, killing thousands of people.”
He called on Muslims to properly understand the message of the Arba’een Symbolic Trek.