Iranian and Afghan visitors

Volunteers in Maysan learn Farsi to assist Arbaeen pilgrims

2024-08-13 | 20:45

MAYSAN – In a modest room in Maysan governorate’s Amara city, a group of young men and women diligently listen and repeat Farsi phrases after their instructor. Their goal is simple yet significant: to better communicate with Shia pilgrims from Iran and Afghanistan who flock to southern Iraq’s holy shrines during the Arbaeen pilgrimage.

The instructor, Ban Hussein, has organized this free, intensive training course specifically for volunteers who assist pilgrims on their journey. Focused on practical communication, the course equips participants with essential phrases and expressions to ensure smoother interactions with foreign visitors traveling through Iraq.

Arbaeen, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, commemorates the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Millions of Shia Muslims, particularly from Iran, travel to Karbala annually to visit Imam Hussein’s shrine.

Ban Hussein describes her initiative as a “personal gift” to the volunteers. She designed the course to cater specifically to those who assist during the Arbaeen pilgrimage, where the majority of foreign pilgrims are from Iran and Afghanistan.

“The course aimed to teach basic vocabulary and daily phrases, steering clear of complex grammar, which would take longer to learn,” she told 964Media.

The volunteers have embraced the training. Mohammed Al-Ghalbi, a participant, shared, “The course was beneficial and provided us with a set of words that will help us offer services to pilgrims in Karbala. Previously, the language barrier made it difficult to provide effective guidance to Iranian visitors.”

Kawthar Ahmed, another participant who works with a service caravan near Karbala, noted the positive impact on her work.
“We often communicate with female pilgrims from Iran. Before, gestures were the only way to understand their needs due to the language barrier. This course will improve our understanding of what the visitors want, enabling us to provide better service,” she said.