ARBA’IN: I WENT TO KARBALA WITH QUESTIONS AND RETURNED WITH ANSWERS

By SAIFUL SIDEK KARBALA, Iraq – From August 1 to 6, I witnessed millions of pilgrims converge on Karbala for Arba’in, walking long distances in intense heat to honour a man killed more than 1,300 years ago. I arrived in Iraq seeking to understand what could inspire such extraordinary devotion across countries, cultures and generations....