Members of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society, an organisation working in the Shia Muslim community in the capital, took part in the Scottish Arbaeen Peace Walk in Edinburgh.
This follows the Society’s first walk in Glasgow last year and commemorates the sacrifice of Hussain bin Ali, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad. Hussain was killed around 1400 years ago along with family and friends for upholding noble human values, but his teachings still “inspire compassion, justice and righteousness”.
The Arbaeen walk, or the Walk for Peace, inspired by the annual Grand Pilgrimage being undertaken by tens of millions of pilgrims between the Holy Cities of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, was completed in Edinburgh by Brother Ameed Versace, a member of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society, who used the opportunity to show collaboration between faith and non faith communities in the city. Along the way he was met by civic and faith leaders in an effort to strengthen existing relations and foster new ones.
This year the walk was supported by, among others, The Rt Hon Lord Provost, Frank Ross and The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Hon Lord Jim Wallace.
The pilgrim, Ameed, used the walk to visit Big Hearts Community Trust at Tynecastle Stadium, Palmerston Place Church where he met The Very Reverend Dr Colin Sinclair the former Moderator, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place meeting The Rt Rev Dr John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh, The Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland where he met the Moderator, The Rt Hon Lord Wallace with the Principal Clerk of the Church of Scotland, Reverend Dr George Whyte who then walked with Ameed to St Giles Cathedral, St Giles Cathedral where he was met by Rev Calum MacLeod, the University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy Centre where he was met by Reverend Dr Harriet Harrish, University Chaplain, Queen Elizabeth House, the new UK Government Hub, The Scottish Parliament, Hibernian Community Foundation, Priest of Edinburgh Hindu Mandir and Cultural Centre, Priest of Edinburgh Gurdwara, Imam of Shia Mosque, Buddhist Temple Edinburgh, St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral meeting the Most Reverend Leo Cushley,Archbishop and Metropolitan of St Andrews & Edinburgh, Lord Lyon King of Arms Dr Joseph Morrow, The Scottish Government and finally the City Chambers where he was greeted by the Rt Hon Lord Provost.
In London on 3 October walks from all over the UK brought pilgrims together at Marble Arch at the oldest and largest Arbaeen procession where drummers set the beat as people walked to remember Hussain.
The Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society works to establish links and build bridges between Shia Muslims in Scotland and others in Scotland, engaging on a humanitarian basis to promote civic harmony.
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