I was headed to the third day of the 2024 Chicago Jazz Festival this morning when I encountered the Annual Arbaeen Procession heading north on Michigan Avenue toward Upper Wacker Drive. I had no idea what this procession was commemorating, but curiosity got the better of me, so I missed 90 minutes of the jazz festival.

The procession honors Hussain ibn Ali, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson. Hussain died a martyr in the Battle of Karbala (680 AD). He is remembered for upholding the values of peace, justice, and generosity.

Shia Muslims honor Hussain on Ashura, which falls on the tenth of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. Ashura also marks the anniversary of Noah’s departure from the Ark, as well as Moses’ escape from death at the hands of the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Yazid ibn Mu’awiya, who is often characterized as impious and immoral, was the second caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, but Hussain refused to recognize him as the caliph. Hoping to avoid the death that would surely follow his refusal, Hussain fled from Medina for Mecca, hoping that Yazid would honor the holy city, thereby sparing Hussain.

Yazid could not accept Hussain’s challenge to his authority, so in 680 AD, he sent an army of 30,000 to capture Hussein and the 72 men with him as they traveled to Mecca. The army surrounded Hussein in what is now Iraq, depriving him and his companions of water from the Euphrates River for days.

Even though Hussein was facing certain death, he refused to acknowledge Yazid as caliph. Hussein urged his compatriots to save themselves, but they refused to leave Hussein to fend for himself. Yazid’s army eventually attacked Hussein and his men, killing all 72 men at the Battle of Karbala. Hussein was then murdered, apparently by poison arrow, followed by beheading.

For Shia Muslims, Karbala symbolizes the battle between good and evil. Hussein is a much revered martyr. His burial site in Karbala includes a mosque. It is one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, making it an important pilgrimage destination.

Today’s procession was straightforward. It was a simple march north on Michigan Avenue to Upper Wacker Drive, and then down Clark Street to Daley Plaza. Along the way, there were several speeches, and I assume prayers—Arabic was the preferred language. Once in Daley Plaza, the men formed into lines that faced each other. They then beat their chests. The ceremony in Daley Plaza didn’t last more than 15 to 20 minutes.

As usual, the children in attendance eventually found their way onto Pablo Picasso’s large statue. It doesn’t matter whether the kids are Arabic, Jewish, Ukrainian, Russian, African-American, or whatever, the downward sloping base proves irresistible. I often wonder whether Picasso knew he was giving the City of Chicago a gigantic slide. No doubt he would be pleased to see kids enjoying themselves.

The procession brought to mind the Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian émigrés who are so comfortable when exercising their newly-found First Amendment rights. In a majority Judeo-Christian country, I enjoy seeing non-Christians (Muslims, in this case) publicly celebrating their religious heritage with ease.

The only potentially contentious moment came when a pro-Israel demonstrator showed up on Upper Wacker Drive with an Israeli flag. The police appeared to tell him to stay on the sidewalk. While there was one pro-Palestinian sign present, I thought the man with the Israeli flag was out-of-line. This was not a pro-Palestinian rally, but a religious ceremony that predates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by centuries. While the man has First Amendments, he would be well-advised to exercise more discretion. Any Pro-Palestinian demonstrators who showed up at Jewish High Holiday services would be equally out-of-line.

For more information about Hussain ibn Ali, visit http://www.whoisHussain.org.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]

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