Iraq declares Thursday a public holiday for Arbaeen observance

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Council of Ministers announced Sunday it will suspend official working hours on Thursday, Aug. 14, to mark the Arbaeen pilgrimage.

In a statement, the cabinet said it had voted to declare the holiday “on the occasion of the visit to commemorate the Arbaeen of Imam Hussein.”

Meanwhile, the governorates of Wasit, Muthanna, Basra, and Diwaniyah announced the suspension of official working hours for three days starting Tuesday. It follows a weeklong break announced by Najaf Provincial Council.

Arbaeen, which falls 40 days after Ashura, commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. The event is among the largest religious gatherings in the world, with millions of pilgrims walking to Karbala, where Imam Hussein is buried.