Hundreds of thousands’ Friday assemblage in Masjid-e-Uzma Kufa

By: Ismail Zabeeh

HOLY CITY OF NAJAF, Iraq: Muqtada As-Sadr's spokesman said religious leaders are running the holy city of Najaf which houses the holy shrine of Ameerul Monineen Hazrat Imam Ali ibn-e-Abi Talib (AS) without consultations with American forces still camped outside but US troops said they were consulting a retired Iraqi army colonel Abdul Mon'im who had been appointed the city’s mayor and was presiding over a council of elders that include Ayatullah Ali As-Seestani.

While on the other, many Shiites in the holy city of Najaf want clerics like Sadr to be in charge. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who gathered to hear 22-year-old cleric Muqtada As-Sadr speak at Friday prayers at Kufa Mosque in the outskirts of Najaf chanted their support for him.

Kufa Mosque is one of the four greatest Mosques of the world. At the back of the mosque, the holy shrines of Hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel, Hazrat Hani bin Urwah and Hazrat Mukhtar Saqafi are located. This is the mosque, which remained prayer-place of prophets (AS), and is the martyrdom site of Hazrat Imam Ali ibn-e-Abi Talib (AS).

Muqtada As-Sadr is the son of Ayatullah Sadeq As-Sadr who possessed an important status in Shiite world and learning circles. In 1999, Saddam got Ayatullah Sadeq As-Sadr martyred along with two other sons through security forces, and then put the blame on Islamic Republic of Iran government, a charge Tehran denied severely. In early 80s, Ayatullah Baqer As-Sadr - a great philosopher who enjoyed lofty status - and his sister Bintul Huda were also martyred at the hands of Saddam. They two also belonged to As-Sadr family. Since then, Muqtada As-Sadr is on the Iraqi soil; therefore, he enjoys an honorable position in the sight of Iraqi Shiites.

They chanted: “We don't need elections,” “Son of Sadr, we are coming to see you!” and “The leader is whoever the people have chosen and this is the man they have chosen.”  

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