Burial ceremony of Shiite cleric al-Hakim in Najaf

(5 Sep 2021) Thousands of mourners gathered in Najaf on Sunday for the burial ceremony of Mohammed Saeed al-Hakim, one of Iraq’s most senior and influential Muslim Shiite clerics.
The crowd carried the coffin to the shrine of Imam Ali, the son-in-law and cousin of Prophet Muhammad
Al-Hakim died on Friday at the age of 85 after a heart attack.
His office announced that he died of a sudden medical condition it did not specify.
He is survived by a wife and eight children.
Al-Hakim held the highest theological title in Shiite Islam - Ayatollah al-Uzma, which means Grand or Supreme Ayatollah.
He was seen as the top contender to succeed Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who is in his early nineties.
Iraq's president, prime minister and other politicians have issued statements eulogising al-Hakim.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad tweeted its condolences, describing him as "a symbol of peace, love, and harmony across the region".

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