In Basra, the city that knows how to cry for its heroes and mourn its martyrs as brides do, the night of Al-Qasim bin Al-Hassan (peace be upon him) does not pass by. Here, where the waters of the Shatt al-Arab mix with the tears of mothers, and where stories grow among the ancient alleys like patience trees, the Basrans commemorate the Hashemite boy Nasser al-Hussein, peace be upon him, who went with insight to the field and was marched to martyrdom as a groom preceded by flowers and accompanied by sighs. In Basra, when the chant chants: “Yumma, remind me of the dates of the wedding of youth,” not only his voice is heard, but also the beating of the grieving hearts that find solace in this affliction of young people who rose to support Iraq. Timeless ritual In the neighborhoods of ancient and modern Basra, Husseini processions are widespread, preparing for the “Al-Qasim Wedding” ceremony, where children and young people come forward wearing white clothes in a scene that simulates a symbolic wedding. The “symbolic wedding” is one of the rituals rooted in the conscience of Basran people, as a white horse is decorated with flowers and a child rides it wearing the clothes of Al-Qasim (peace be upon him) in a scene in which sadness is mixed with pride, and tells the story of childhood innocence that was unjustly slaughtered in Karbala. In Husseiniyahs and mosques, councils were held in which preachers reviewed the biography of Al-Qasim (peace be upon him) and his bright positions, emphasizing the lessons of obedience, altruism and courage, and drawing inspiration from this eternal incident the meanings of sacrifice for the sake of truth. Al-Qasim...and the youth of Basra today In the hearts of the Basran people, the night was not only a remembrance of history, but rather a renewal of the covenant with the martyrs, when they remembered their children who followed in the footsteps of Al-Qasim (peace be upon him) and answered the call of the supreme religious authority as they defended Iraq in the liberation battles against the terrorist organization ISIS and became martyrs in the prime of their youth. Between the tears of the mothers that flowed upon parting from Al-Qasim in Karbala, and the tears of the mothers of Basra who bid farewell to their sons on the thresholds of the battlefields, history converges with the present, to form a single epic whose title is faith and heroism. Continuation of the message The mourners affirm that the memory of Al-Qasim (peace be upon him) will remain a burning flame that will illuminate the path of future generations, and that the blood of the martyrs, whether on the land of Karbala or in the modern battles of Iraq, will continue to create victory, preserve dignity, and preserve identity. At the end of the night, the chanter repeats amidst the tears of the audience: “Remind me of the dates of the wedding of young men...and always tell them if they are gone,” in a touching scene that embodies the continuity of the message and the union of hearts between the martyrs of Karbala and the martyrs of contemporary Iraq.