The Imam and preacher of Abu Hanifa Mosque in Baghdad, Abdul Wahab Al-Samarrai, warned against reigniting sectarian strife in the country through calls to declare “Ghadir Day” as an official holiday. He hinted that Sunnis would demand a holiday for the “Saqifa Bani Sa'ida” and the appointment of Umar ibn al-Khattab as caliph if the Iraqi Parliament proceeds with legislating a holiday for “Ghadir Day.”
In his sermon at Abu Hanifa Mosque, Al-Samarrai stated, “We hope there will be a stance from the government and the parliament meant to convene tomorrow to determine the identity of the country. Either it is an Iraqi national identity, which we want, or their rights and identities are preserved.”
He added, “We will raise our voices high to be heard by the Islamic world, let Mecca, Cairo, and the entire world hear that Iraq must either be a country for all citizens or all identities must be preserved and none shall be erased.”
Al-Samarrai continued, “We will not accept, nor be satisfied that there should be one identity for all Iraqis as a citizen identity, and that all identities should be respected. There can be a holiday for Ghadir Day, a holiday for Saqifa, and a holiday for the appointment of the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn Al-Khattab, to please whoever is pleased and to anger whoever is angered, for my religion is more important than pleasantries if my identity is not respected.”
The preacher's comments came in response to thousands of supporters of the Sadrist Movement who demanded the declaration of Ghadir Day as an official holiday in Iraq. Earlier that day, Hazem Al-Araji, the preacher of the unified Friday prayer for the Sadrist Movement in Baghdad, reiterated the call for Ghadir Day to be recognized as an official holiday.
Worshipers chanted “Labbayk Ya Ali” in support of their leader Muqtada Al-Sadr's demand for Ghadir to be an official holiday. Al-Araji stated in his sermon that “the project for Ghadir Day holiday did not arise from nothing or for the sake of the comfort of an employee or a student, but is a deepening of the spirit of loyalty and true support for Islam, considering that this holiday is a divine command to the Messenger to declare the guardianship of the Commander of the Faithful, and this is God's command to His Prophet, and His Prophet conveyed it.”
He called on all Iraqis to “make the project of Sadr successful and have Ghadir Day as an official Iraqi holiday.” On April 24, the Iraqi Council of Representatives announced the receipt of a proposed law for “Ghadir Day holiday” from Deputy Burhan Al-Mamouri, following the call of the Sadrist leader Muqtada Al-Sadr. Shia Muslims celebrate Ghadir Day on the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah each year.
