The annual symbolic trek by faithful of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky holding every month of Safar in the Islamic calendar is scheduled to take place this Sunday, 3rd September, 2023 in Pambegua exit of Kaduna.
The Pambegua axis comprises Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, Nasarawa, and Plateau among others which usually undertake the annual trek exercise from the Pambegua starting point.
Speaking with Journalists on Saturday, the Bauchi representative of the Islamic movement, popularly known as Shi’ite, Malam Ahmad Yusuf Yashi, said, “As usual, having found ourselves in the month of Safar, the Islamic Movement under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky is about to embark on what we call symbolic trek.”
He explained; “Just as the name implies, it is to symbolise what is actually taking place in Iraq presently.”
“But, we here, due to some economic constraints, we would not be able to find ourselves there in Iraq, therefore we would do what we can do in our locality here.”
Ahmad Yusuf added; “Under this opportunity, the movement is used to categorise the whole country under seven axis that the Muslim Brotherhood uses to gather and conduct this trek. We have the Kano axis, Malumfashi/Katsina, Funtua axis, Kaduna, Pambegua among others.”
Arbaeen Trek is a Shiite annual religious practice usually conducted on 20th Safar of Islamic calendar to mark the 40th day of the murder of Imam Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammed who was killed on 10th Muharram.
Malam Ahmed Yashi explained that the event is not a new thing, but they make use of these mediums of communication to enlighten some people who may be ignorant about the day of commencement of the symbolic trek, which would be embarked this weekend.
He stressed; “It is an annual event being undertaken over a long period of years. It is called ‘Arba’een Trek’ under the Islamic tenet. It is usually observed 40 days after the demise of a person, which started after the assassination of Imam Hussyein who was killed on the 10th of Muharram, 61 years after the Wafat of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).”
According to him, “Before 2015, we used to trek from the starting point of the Pambegua axis up to Zaria, where we met the leader. From there, he gives the closing remarks and people return back to their states. From 2015, after the former President Buhari led regime descended on the Islamic movement, especially our leader, killing thousands of people, we changed the practice.”
He then called on Muslims to properly understand the message of the Arba’een Symbolic Trek rather than condemn it entirely.
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