(Part 3) How does Arbaeen challenge the biggest economic patterns in the world

One of the structures that have changed significantly during the Arba’in pilgrimage is the economic laws of the day, which are usually in effect everywhere in the world. This means that the laws of market and trade, supply, demand and price, profit, loss and gain and other economic principles take on a different nature and form at this time and find new meanings, and concepts and have different functions.

In fact, non-worldly and material motives, due to love and devotion to Imam al-Husayn, give a new nature and colour to the behaviours and economic exchanges, which demonstrate another appearance and manifestation despite the current conditions and in the context of material laws.

In this culture and path, personal gain and benefit aren’t important, especially in competition with others, and unlike everyone else, they are looking for a way to bring benefit to others by going beyond their own interests. It’s interesting that some people who provide their goods and services have the smallest of worldly and material means in life but throughout the year they save and save the little assets they do have in order to spend and gift those savings at this large gathering.

Many times, you will witness people inviting the pilgrims to a banquet of all kinds of drinks and hot and delicious food along the road to Karbala. This invitation sometimes takes place outside the time of the three daily meals and you’ll be able to enjoy various snacks anywhere along the way whenever you feel hungry.

The presence of people from all over the world on this pilgrimage has created various attractions. One of these attractions is the variety of various meals that are based on recipes related to the culture of the countries of the world but the attraction of this is even greater when everyone treats themselves as the guests of Imam al-Husayn and while eating and drinking, they mention his name out of respect in memory of his children who died hungry and thirsty.

From the moment anyone from any part of the world attends this gathering, they connect to this river, their needs will be met without spending money and they don’t even need to express it to receive their needs. Everyone is trying to provide services to others in the most complete way and with the highest quality and to meet the needs of the guests.

In fact, Arba’in has introduced a different economic school and model inspired by the culture of humanitarianism. In this school, worldly and material needs haven’t changed but the form of exchange has changed from material relations to generosity and donating money in the way of love for humanity. Big and small, young and old, poor and rich, each of them has brought what they can in the best way.

Although this behavioural model is different from the laws governing economics but the culture of this huge pilgrimage is expanding and exporting to a range beyond the borders.