Chinese to build tents for Iraqi Shiite pilgrims

Chinese workers belonging to a commercial company in south of Iraq, are helping Shiite pilgrims commemorating the "martyrdom" of Imam Hussain by building tents for them as they journey to Karbala on foot.

Marking the 40th day after the "martyrdom" anniversary of Imam Hussein grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, the pilgrims will take the trip on foot to show tribute to the "martyred" Imam.

Imam Hussain is considered the third imam in Shiite Islam, but he is also recognized as the 'Martyr Of Martyrs' by both Sunni and Shiites.

The revered imam opposed Yazid I, the Ummayad Caliph and rose to create a regime that would reinstate a “true” Islamic polity as opposed to what he considered the unjust rule of the Umayyads.

As a consequence, Hussain was killed and beheaded in the Battle of Karbala in 680.

Mourners’ journey

Pilgrims mourning the death of the imam will have to walk 155.2 miles from their city al-Nasseria to Karbala where the imam was buried, and will need the tents as rest stations along the way.

"We plan to stay here (al-Nasseria) for five days, then we'll move to Diwaniyah for the same purpose and finally we will head for a visit to Karbala," Li Oun, one of the staff members of the company.

Oun added that "the event which will take place in Karbala does not belong to Muslims and is the concern of the whole humanity."

Oun who had previous plans to travel to Dubai changed his mind when he learned about the large number of pilgrims heading to Karbala on foot to participate in the 40th anniversary. He decided to stay to experience the ceremony in person.

the event which will take place in Karbala does not belong to Muslims and is the concern of the whole humanity

Li Oun, a staff member of the Chinese company