Guidelines for Organizing Mawakeb Participation in the Arbaeen Pilgrimage
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Ensure cleanliness of the mawkib and its surrounding area; designate specific locations for animal slaughter and cooking, and distribute waste containers alongside service tents with regular follow-up.
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Adhere to the official schedule issued by the department for participating in the processions and avoid repeated entries.
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Follow the designated dates for different types of processions:
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Safar 14–15: Processions of Al-Dha’n (symbolic journeys)
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Safar 16–17: Zanjeel processions
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Safar 18–19: Latmiyya (chest-beating) processions
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Safar 20: Reserved solely for pilgrimage and visitation
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Processions are permitted from 6:00 AM until 12:00 midnight.
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The route for processions should start from the Qibla gate of Imam al-Husayn’s shrine, passing through the Husayni sanctuary, the area between the two shrines, continuing to the Abbas shrine, and exiting from the Qibla gate of al-Abbas — with the exception of Al-Dha’n processions.
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Each governorate may participate with a single unified procession.
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Once the designated time for a governorate ends, its processions must conclude to avoid overlap with others.
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Mawakeb organizers must allocate emergency exits within the mawkib space for safety purposes.
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Preserve public property: do not set up mawakeb that block roads, damage gardens, or cut down trees.
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Preserve the authentic Husayni rituals and refrain from introducing foreign styles (e.g., “shoor”), while adhering to the Iraqi recitation tradition.
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Adhere to loudspeaker cart dimensions: 1m x 1.5m, height 2m. No radial drums are allowed in Zanjeel processions. Only bring the necessary number of traditional leather drums.
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Control noise levels with a maximum of two opposing speakers per mawkib.
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Loudspeakers must be turned off during adhan and prayer times.
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Equip each mawkib with fire extinguishers, checked prior to setup.
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Women are not permitted to participate in men’s processions during Arbaeen.
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Due to high temperatures and for public safety, cooking is prohibited in the areas surrounding the two shrines.
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For Al-Dha’n processions: dramatizations unrelated to the Arbaeen occasion — such as carrying severed heads or corpses — are prohibited. Non-compliant processions will be denied entry at main checkpoints and sent back.
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Follow all health and safety instructions issued by the Ministry of Health.
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Strangers should not be allowed into processions. The mawkib sponsor is directly responsible for security.
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Stay alert for any suspicious activity or behavior near the mawkib and report it immediately to nearby security personnel.
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Tampering with electrical or water networks is strictly prohibited.
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Carrying sharp tools or firearms is strictly prohibited.
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Do not raise images or flags of political or religious figures.
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Do not carry sticks or banners that are inconsistent with the spirit of Arbaeen.
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The mawkib sponsor must present their official ID and written pledge issued by the Department of Rituals and Mawakeb at all checkpoints and gates.
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All mawakeb owners must ensure removal of metal structures and debris immediately after the pilgrimage rituals conclude.