TEHRAN - During a meeting with students on Wednesday Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei advised the youth to follow the path of Imam Hussein (AS).

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks as millions of Shia Muslims poured into the shrine city of Karbala in southern Iraq to mark Arbaeen, 40 days after the Ashura rituals on the 10th of Muharram.
Imam Hussein, the third Shia Imam and the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was martyred in the Battle of Karbala on October 10, 680 CE. 72 followers of Imam Hussein also were martyred in the battle.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution also said that the youth should not be diverted from the direct path by “evil attractions”.

The governor Karbala had said that some 30 million pilgrims were expected to attend Arabeen rituals. Some four million Iranians traveled to Karbala to attend the Arbaeen procession.

As a sign of devotion and respect to Imam Hussein who stood against injustice, hundreds of thousands or even millions of pilgrims walk tens of kilometers before reaching Karbala, where Imam Hussein is buried.  
  
Following is the text of the Leader’s speech posted on the Khamenei.ir:

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

May your prayers be accepted! May your invocations be accepted! God willing, may your weeping, attentiveness, and supplications receive divine favor and be answered by God. How fortunate you young people are. Enlightened hearts are polished mirrors that are ready to attract God’s favors. This is a true description of you, young people. First of all, I apologize that there was not enough space at the time of the prayer and you were inconvenienced. Each of these gatherings [and mourning ceremonies] for taking recourse and your state of invocation, is a connection and communication with the eternal, spiritual light of Imam Hussein (pbuh). In these invocations, we connect the extinguished candle of our hearts to the all-pervading, shining light of Imam Hussein (pbuh). You enlighten your hearts.

The name of Imam Hussein, the way of Imam Hussein, turning our attention to Imam Hussein, and the invocation of Hussein ibn Ali, the Master of the Martyrs (pbuh), opens the way. Hussein, in the true sense of the word, is the light of guidance. Hussein is the light of guidance. You can sense this guidance in your mind and within yourselves. Anyone who attends a gathering for Imam Hussein will undoubtedly benefit spiritually from it. There is no doubt about this.

Whenever one of us attends one of these religious gatherings for an hour, our hearts become cleaner and brighter in comparison with the way they were at the beginning of that hour. What is important for us is to keep this. It is important to keep this brightness. In the beautiful poem that you sang at the beginning of this meeting, you said that this path is the path of determination. Yes, it is the path of determination. You need to move with determination. You must make decisions as you are moving. There are many attractions to distance you from this straight path. These diversions [from the straight path] have always existed, and this is true even more today than ever before. You need to have strong determination in order to be able to resist these evil attractions. If you resist them, you will be able to reach the peak.

You will reach the peak of the sovereignty of God's religion, the sovereignty of truth, and the sovereignty of justice. You will reach the peak of [realizing] the goal and purpose of human creation, which is human growth and human perfection. This is something that has not taken place since the time of the Messenger of God (pbuh) and up until today. This is your duty. You, today's young people, can be a source of hope. You are a source of hope. It is not a matter of whether you can [be a source of hope or not]. You are a source of hope. Today, each of you can be a source of light that enlightens around you and your surroundings. Try to maintain this. Try to remain steadfast on this path. “So be steadfast, just as you have been commanded – [you] and whoever has turned [to Allah] with you” (Quran 11:112). It is important to be steadfast and persistent. You are capable of doing this, and God willing, you will do this due to the blessings that you gain when you turn to and take recourse in Hussein ibn Ali (pbuh).

Your will and determination were seen in the great walks that took place today and on previous days on the route between Najaf and Karbala, and [in general] on the way to Karbala. Or in other cities, there were walks that were following what is being done in that walk. Just as you walked with strength, the way young people walk, God willing, you will be able to move on the path of spirituality, truth, and the sovereignty of tawhid [monotheism], with the same strength, God willing, in all your endeavors. This is the kind of hope we have in you, the youth of today, the youth of the Islamic world, and especially in you, our dear Iranian youth. I hope that the Almighty God will help you and grant you success, and you will remain steadfast on this path, live like [Imam] Hussein, and remain like [Imam] Hussein.

May God’s greetings and mercy be upon you.