Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Hundreds of thousands of Saudi Shiites took part in what was described as the most crowded gathering in Saudi modern history Monday afternoon (May 25, 2015) which is the mass funeral procession staged in Al-Qatif (located in the country's Eastern Province) for the victims of suicide bombing that targeted a Shiite mosque during Friday prayer, on May 22, 2015.

ISIS, which now occupies large swaths of Iraq and Syria over which it established a so-called Islamic caliphate, claimed responsibility for the attack. In its statement, the terrorist organization threatened the Shiite in Saudi Arabia and promised them "dark days", stressing that they will "expel the polytheists from Arabia".

The gathering turned into a political protest against the Saudi regime which adopts an extremist religious system that has led to the establishment of extremist religious movements around the world, mainly ISIS and Al-Qaeda.

The Saudi authorities prevented buses coming from Al-Hasa, a predominantly Shiite area, from entering Al-Qatif to participate in the funeral procession. Meanwhile, a group of Bahrainis took part in the procession as well.

The funeral rituals held during the procession were very organized. Mourners beat their chests and chanted Shiite slogans such as, "Far away we are from accepting humiliation" and "We are at your beck and call, O Hussein".

Shiites in Saudi Arabia accuse the monarchical regime and its religious institution, which enjoy widespread influence, of publicly describing the Shiites as polytheists, discriminating against them, depriving them of their religious and civil rights, banning them from practicing their acts of worship according to the Jaafari Shiite sect in most of Saudi areas, besides imprisoning a large number of Shiites, including well-known religious figures, such as the religious scholar Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr.

The Saudi Shiites' outrage came out into the open, denouncing the policies of the regime that adopts religious extremism, which they deemed the main reason behind these unprecedented attacks against them in recent years, especially in the predominantly Shiite Saudi areas.

The mourners raised banners that read anti-government slogans and slogans against the Sunni clerics whom the regime adopts. They also held photos of the anti-Shiite Al-Wesal TV channel with a slogan under it that read "Stop Your Sectarian Media", whereas other banners held by Al-Qatif residents read, "We are Victims of Your Sectarianism", "We are Victims of your Fatwe," and "We are Victims of Your Hateful Incitement". Other banners also read tweets that declare Shiites as polytheists and permit spilling their blood. These tweets were posted by Saudi Sunni clerics, namely, Mohammad Al-Arifi, Ibrahim Al-Fares, Abd Al-Aziz Al-Fawzan and others who assume official posts in the government.

One of the mourners held a banner that read: "These are the Murderers". The banner contained photos of the Saudi ministry of education curriculums, in addition to books authorized by the Ministry of Culture and Information that publically declare Shiites as polytheists. They also raised poster that read tweets posted by Sunni clerics and lecturers adopted by the official Saudi institution either through the Committee of Senior Scholars, Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice or others.

Photos of Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr were held in the rally as well. Sheikh Al-Nimr was arrested by Saudi authorities three years ago and is sentenced to death over his anti-regime speeches.

A picture was taken of Saudi tweeter, Sheikh Mikhlif Al-Shammari, who is known for his opposing stance, as he is against declaring the Shiites as polytheists and against the attacks targeting Shiites. Al-Shammari was imprisoned over charges of being close to the Shiites. During the procession, he held a banner that depicted a bomb and read "Sectarian Incitement is a Time-Bomb...Let's stand together against Sectarianism...Al-Qadeeh Martyrs".

The bomb killed 21 Shiite citizens from Al-Qadeeh area, including two children. Meanwhile, more than 100 people were injured. This attack is the second of its kind launched against Shiites in past months, as armed men killed seven Shiite citizens in Al-Daloua in Al-Hasa area on November 3, 2014.

AFP stated that the Al-Qadeeh attack was the deadliest attack in years to strike the kingdom since the Al-Qaeda attacks in the period between 2003 and 2006, causing a shock in the country.

The Arabic Issue