Next: about 24 Jul 2027
Arbaeen
The fortieth day after Ashura: millions of pilgrims walk to Karbala, welcomed with free food and rest along the road.
When is Arbaeen in 2027?
Arbaeen 2027 is on Saturday, 24 July 2027. The date follows the moon or a local calendar, so it can move by a day. Other years: 2026, Monday, 3 August 2026; 2028, Thursday, 13 July 2028.
About Arbaeen
Arbaeen, meaning forty, marks the end of the forty days of mourning for Husayn ibn Ali, on the 20th of Safar. Each year, many millions of Shia pilgrims, along with Sunni and non-Muslim visitors, travel to the shrine of Husayn in Karbala, Iraq, and it is one of the largest annual gatherings in the world. Many walk for days, some from Basra in the south, 500 kilometres away, or from Iran, along a route lined by mawkibs, roadside stations set up by Iraqi families and tribes, which offer free meals, tea, a bed, a place to wash and medical care to every walker, whether or not they know them. The occasion is also marked in Pakistan, India and Lebanon, with local processions and gatherings.
Arbaeen dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Arbaeen date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday, 3 August 2026 |
| 2027 | Saturday, 24 July 2027 |
| 2028 | Thursday, 13 July 2028 |
This date follows the moon or a local calendar and can move by a day, so check with a local source nearer the time.
What is eaten
- free meals of rice and stew
- tea
- dates
Also part of it, and being written: Karbala (The city of the shrine.), Mawkib (The roadside hospitality stations.), Husayn ibn Ali (The figure mourned.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Arba'een" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.