Arbaeen March A Source of Soft Power for Muslim Ummah
Speaking to IQNA, Mohsen Pakayin said the huge gathering has created a common discourse among Muslims that, by increasing regional solidarity, thwarts the Zionist regime’s plans to destabilize West Asia."
The former Iranian ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan, highlighted the importance of the political and international dimensions of this year’s Arbaeen march, considering the 12-day war and the Gaza crisis, and said, “Taking advantage of the Arbaeen march in the two areas of official diplomacy and public diplomacy can bring many blessings and gifts from this very spiritual and intellectual ceremony.”
Referring to the political and official diplomatic dimension of the Arbaeen procession, he added, “Strengthening official relations between Iran and Iraq is a natural and expected result of this march. Iran and Iraq have many commonalities for cooperation, and the turning point and symbol of the unity of the two nations, as well as the unity of the world’s Muslims, can be clearly seen in the Arbaeen pilgrimage.”
He said the procession, which takes place regularly every year and in close cooperation between the two countries, increases the unity and friendship between the governments of Iran and Iraq and, in fact, neutralizes the conspiracies of countries opposed to Islam, such as the United States and the Zionist regime, against Islamic unity and good relations between Iran and Iraq.
Pakayin continued by referring to the area of public diplomacy of the Arbaeen march and said, “In this area, a large number of people from Iran and Iraq, along with followers of Islamic sects from different countries, with different races and languages, gather with the slogan ‘Love for Imam Hussein (AS) brings us together’.”
He considered the Arbaeen march in the field of public diplomacy as one of the sources of soft power for Muslims, which strengthens their cohesion and unity.
“Today, the Arbaeen march is not limited to Shias as many Sunnis and even non-Muslims also participate in it.”
Arbaeen can play an important role in confronting the enemies of Islam by increasing dialogue between Islamic scholars and committed Muslim intellectuals and mobilizing them to utilize this source of soft power, he stated
Institutions such as the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) World Assembly and the World Forum for the Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought can be active in this event and plan for dialogue with world scholars on the path of Islamic unity diplomacy, he noted.
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In response to the question of what message the strong presence of Iranians in this huge march sends to the resistance front and the enemy, Pakayin said the message of the Arbaeen procession is a shared discourse among Muslims that is shaped around the love for Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) and leads to increased friendship and understanding.
Emphasizing that the large presence of pilgrims will neutralize the Israeli regime’s plots to destabilize the region, he continued, “The increased presence of people from other countries in the Arbaeen march is very important, because (it will send a message to Israel as) the Zionist regime is trying to attack Syria and occupy parts of this country in order to expand its security borders. They also have their eyes set on Iraq and may seek to cause trouble for the country of Iraq after Syria.”
In response to the question of how much this strong presence will thwart this instability by strengthening the empathy and unity of the countries of the region, given that Israel seeks to destabilize the region, he said, the strong and sympathetic presence of the people and countries of the region in the Arbaeen ceremonies is a strong message to the Israeli regime that Muslims in the region and West Asia stand united against conspiracies and defend their religious and Islamic rituals.
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In conclusion, he said, “This year’s Arbaeen is a great opportunity for Muslims around the world to sympathize with and support the deprived and oppressed people of Gaza, who are living in difficult conditions due to the Zionist regime’s genocide, and to draw the world’s attention to their situation.”
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