(RNS) — Commemorating a month of tragedy and mourning is not the way my thrill-seeking almost-6-year-old child typically envisions spending her holidays.
The Islamic months of Muharram and Safar are marked by two key days of commemoration for many Muslims worldwide: Ashura and Arbaeen. On Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, observed July 4 to 5 this year, Husayn, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was martyred in the battle of Karbala alongside his family and close companions in their stand against a tyrannical regime. Arbaeen, which means 40 in Arabic, is commemorated 40 days later — this year from Aug. 14 to 15. The mourning period typically continues until the end of Safar, marked by the death anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad, which falls on Aug. 23 this year.
On our summer bucket list, my daughter and I had planned to do all the typical fun things we can in the limited months of warmth we get in Canada, from splash pads and the beach to barbecues and amusement parks. This year, Arbaeen fell in the midst of a heat wave in Toronto. Turning a lemonade stand into a commemoration and charitable initiative was not part of the plan, but it turned out to be the most important highlight of our summer.
The idea began with a neighborhood mom friend, who, like me, was brainstorming ways to occupy her two young girls this summer. We texted back and forth late into the night after the kids were asleep, and I was immediately attracted to her idea of a lemonade stand — an innocent, screen-free way to enjoy the warmth, learn skills and socialize with friends.
But holding a lemonade stand simply for the sake of occupying our kids didn’t feel like enough in the world that we live in today, as we witness one Palestinian child after another being killed by starvation as a result of Israel’s intentional withholding of humanitarian aid. How could we preserve the sanctity of these months of religious observance with the innocence of childhood summer and with the grief of witnessing children being deprived of basic human rights across the world?
The answer came as I witnessed the annual Arbaeen walk.
Followers of Imam Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, distribute food to pilgrims heading to the holy city of Karbala for the annual Arbaeen pilgrimage, in Najaf, Iraq, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)
Every year, millions of people walk more than 45 miles from the Iraqi cities of Najaf to Karbala in what has come to be known as one of the world’s largest annual peaceful gatherings. Although primarily attracting Shia Muslims, the walk has garnered the attention and admiration of people of all faith backgrounds, from Sikhs to Christians. The Arbaeen pilgrimage consistently heralds over 21 million people from across the globe.
The walk is most famous for the generosity shown toward pilgrims.