Pelaksanaan ibadah selama lima hari tersebut diselimuti awan gelap penggantungan mantan presiden Irak Saddam Hussein, Sabtu, yang dianggap pahlawan oleh sebagian orang Arab Sunni karena sikap anti-AS-nya, tapi dibenci oleh banyak pemeluk Syiah.
The 5-day rites were overshadowed by the hanging on Saturday of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, a hero to some Sunni Arabs over his anti-U.S. stances, but hated by many Shi'ites.