Muhammad Ali buried as world pays tributes... May Allah grant him Jannah

June 11, 2016

Louisville, Jun 11: Muhammad Ali made his final journey through his hometown Friday past the little pink house where he grew up and the museum that bears his name as thousands of mourners along the route pumped their fists and chanted, "Ali! Ali!" for the former heavyweight champion of the world known simply as The Greatest.

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A hearse bearing Ali's cherry-red casket, draped in an Islamic tapestry, arrived at Louisville's Cave Hill Cemetery in a long line of black limousines after a 19-mile drive via Muhammad Ali Boulevard that was both somber and exuberant.

"He stood up for himself and for us, even when it wasn't popular," said Ashia Powell, waiting at a railing for the hearse to pass by on an interstate highway below.

A private graveside service was held in the afternoon, and was to be followed later in the day by a grand memorial service attended by more than 15,000 people, including former President Bill Clinton and comedian Billy Crystal.

Ali, the most magnetic and controversial athlete of the 20th century, died last Friday at 74 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

The casket was loaded into a hearse outside a funeral home as a group of pallbearers that included former boxers Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis and actor Will Smith filed out, along with Ali's nine children, his wife, two of his ex-wives and other family members.

As the limousines rolled past on the way to the cemetery, fans chanted like spectators at one of his fights, stood on cars, held up cellphones and signs, ran alongside the hearse and reached out to touch it. They tossed so manyFLOWERS onto the windshield that the driver had to pull some of them off to see the road.

Others fell silent and looked on reverently as the champ went by."To me, he was a legend to this city and an example to people. I'm just glad to be part of this history, of saying goodbye," said Takeisha Benedict, wearing an orange "I Am Ali" T-shirt.

"Opening it up and allowing us to be part of it, we're so appreciative."

Among the hundreds gathered outside the funeral home was Mike Stallings, of Louisville, who brought his two young sons to bid farewell to the sports legend who grew up in Louisville as Cassius Clay.

"I've been crying all week," he said. "As big as he was he never looked down on people. He always mingled among the crowds."

Ali chose the cemetery as his final resting place a decade ago. Its 130,000 graves represent a who's who of Kentucky, including Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Harland Sanders. Family spokesman Bob Gunnell said he will have a simple headstone, inscribed only "Ali," in keeping with Islamic tradition.

A traditional Muslim funeral service was held yesterday, with an estimated 6,000 admirers arriving from all over the world.

Among the scheduled speakers at Friday's memorial at the KFC Yum! Center were Clinton, Crystal and TV journalist Bryant Gumbel. The king of Jordan was also expected to attend.

Ali himself decided years ago that his funeral would be open to ordinary fans, not just VIPs. As a result, thousands of free tickets were made available and were snatched up within an hour.

Louisville is accustomed to being in the limelight each May during the Kentucky Derby. But the send-off for the three-time heavyweight champion and global ambassador for international understanding represented one of the city's most historic events.

"We've all been dreading the passing of the champ, but at the same time we knew ultimately it would come," Mayor Greg Fischer said. "It was selfish for us to think that we could hold on to him forever. Our job now, as a city, is to send him off with the class and dignity and respect that he deserves."

President Barack Obama was unable to make the trip because of his daughter Malia's high school graduation. Valerie Jarrett, a senior White House adviser, planned to read a letter from Obama at the service.

Rumors that Donald Trump would attend were quashed today morning when Gunnell said the Republican presidential candidate called Ali's wife, Lonnie, to inform her that he was unable to make it.

Tyson was added at the last moment to the list of pallbearers. Gunnell said that Tyson was upset about Ali's death and wasn't sure if he could handle the memorial, but ended up catching a late flight.

People gathered early in the day outside Ali's boyhood home, which was decorated with balloons, flags,FLOWERS and posters. Fans took photos of themselves in front of the house.

Some people staked out their places nearby with lawn chairs. The Ali Center stopped charging admission. A sightseeing company began tours of Ali's path through the city. Businesses printed his quotes across their billboards. City buses flashed "Ali, The Greatest" in orange lights. A downtown bridge will be illuminated the rest of the week in red and gold: red for his boxing gloves, gold for his Olympic medal.

"Everybody feels a sense of loss with Ali's passing," said Mustafa Abdush-Shakur, who traveled from Connecticut. "But there's no need to be sad for him. We're all going to make that trip."

Also Read:

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Comments

Mohammed Ali
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

I have had many nice moments in my life. But the feelings I had while standing on Mount Arafat on the day of Hajj (5th pillar of Islam) was the MOST UNIQUE.
I felt Exalted by the indescribable spiritual atmosphere there as over a million & a half pilgrims invoked GOD to forgive them of their sins and bestow on them His choicest blessings.
It was an exhilarating experience to see people belonging to different Colors, Races and Nationalities, Kings, heads of states and Ordinary men from VERY POOR countries all Clad in 2 simple white sheets praying to GOD without any sense of either PRIDE or INFERIORITY. It was a practical manifestation of the concept of equality in ISLAM.

Furqan
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

Why have not buried Muhammed Ali as Muslims do or is he not a Muslim before he died??

Sharief
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

it saddens me that Muhammed Ali WASNT buried according 2 his wishes & faith traditions.Why has it become a public spectacle?God knows best!
may Allah grant him jannah

Roy D costa
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

Muhammed Ali being muslim i expected him to be buried asap. Unless famous or important muslims are exempted from that?

Jacintha
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

Shouldn't Muhammed Ali have been buried within 24hrs according to Islamic law?

Sayed Khan
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

As a Muslim they should have buried Muhammed Ali's body 7 days ago, they shouldn't have waited this long but Allahu Ahlam

Zhaharunnisa
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

Rest in peace, rest in Jannah Muhammed Ali. Buried during the most blessed time of the year.

GamzGagger
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

Muhammed Ali's body ought to have been buried according to islamic rights but religion is man made and it can be maneuvered.

Mohammed Zyad
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

Hopefully they buried Muhammed Ali the Islamic way.

Imbran
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

The Fearless Humanitarian and Greatest of all Champs Muhammed Ali buried in Louisville. May Almighty make his hereafter blessed.

Hafsa, Zulaikh…
 - 
Saturday, 11 Jun 2016

Muhammad Ali!
You are always great for us.
BECAUSE OF YOU....
We came to know the existence of USA
We came to know about boxing
We came to know about a disease called Parkinson
And most importantly,
We came to know about Islam
We are grateful to you always. May Allah grant you Jannah forever!

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News Network
February 19,2020

Malappuram (Kerala), Feb 19:  children of a couple in a span of nine years has raised suspicion among police personnel here who have registered a case following a complaint after a three-month-old child of the family died on Tuesday and was buried.

Police exhumed the body, which was buried in the morning, and took it to the district hospital at Tirur for post-mortem.

The infant was the sixth child of the couple, police said.

"A case has been registered (for unnatural death) in the matter to verify the death beyond any suspicion raised by locals since five other children of the couple had died in the past nine years," a senior police official said.

The couple had three boys and three girls of which the third girl child lived till the age of four and the rest died before turning one.

"The post-mortem will take place today itself.We are collecting the medical records of the children who had passed away earlier.

We will identify the cause of death after analysing the records and discuss the matter with forensic doctors," Tirur Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) said.

However, relatives claimed that there was nothing suspicious in the death of the children and that doctors have said it was due to some genetic disease.

"The post-mortem of the third child was conducted and the doctors said the death was due to some genetic problems. They said they were helpless," a relative said, adding that the family was ready to face any probe.

According to the locals, the couple had claimed that the children have died due to epilepsy.

Sources said the baby was taken to a hospital but was dead prior to reaching the hospital early this morning.

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News Network
April 20,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 20: Close on the heels of the Padarayanapura vandalism, Karnataka Cabinet on Monday decided to promulgate an ordinance that gives special powers to implementing authority and also provide protection to frontline health workers.

Briefing media after the Cabinet meeting here, Minister for Law J C Madhuswamy said that the ordinance will be on the lines of one promulgated by Kerala and Uttar Pradesh governments.

“Through the ordinance, a State Epidemic Act will be enacted to protect health workers and any non-cooperation will be punishable. Also, any attempt to deliberately spread the disease or float rumours will attract action,” he added.

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News Network
April 9,2020

New Delhi, Apr 9: The Delhi Police has traced Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, who has been on the run after an FIR was registered against him for organising a religious gathering last month despite restrictions to combat the coronavirus, sources said on Wednesday.

The cleric has been traced to Zakir Nagar in southeast Delhi, sources said.

His lawyer Tauseef Khan, however, said Saad is under self-quarantine and will join investigation after his quarantine period is over.

On March 31, Delhi Police's Crime Branch lodged an FIR against seven people, including the cleric, on a complaint by Station House Officer Nizamuddin for holding the congregation here allegedly in violation of the orders against large gathering and not maintaining social distancing to contain the spread of coronavirus.

A day later, the Delhi Police's Crime Branch wrote to Saad and others, seeking the details under Section 91 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. A second notice was also issued to him this week.

"Saad is currently under self-quarantine and will join investigation once the period of 14 days gets over," his advocate, Tauseef Khan, told PTI.

Saad's quarantine is expected to end next week.

His lawyer said a reply to the second notice will be given soon.

In an audio message last week, Saad said he was exercising self-quarantine after several hundreds who visited the Tablighi Jamaat's Nizamudddin markaz tested positive for coronavirus.

Visited by thousands last month, the Nizamudddin centre also turned out to be a hotspot for spread of coronavirus not only in national capital and country.

According to the FIR, the Delhi Police contacted the centre on March 21 and reminded them of the government order that prohibited any political or religious gathering of more than 50 people.

However, no one paid any heed to the police's direction, it said. Moreover, an audio recording purportedly of Saad was found in circulation on WhatsApp on March 21, in which he was heard asking his followers to defy the lockdown and social distancing and to attend the religious gathering of the Markaz.

On March 24, the government ordered 21-day nationwide lockdown and restricted any social, political or religious gathering.

The same day a meeting was held at Hazarat Nizamuddin police station between SHO and officer bearers of the centre.

The meeting was attended by Saad, Mohammad Ashraf, Mohammad Salman, Yunus, Mursaleen Saifi, Jishan and Mufti Shehzad and they were informed about lockdown orders.

So far, several hundred cases of COVID-19 cases across the country have been found to be linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation held in Delhi last month.

More than 25,500 Tablighi members and their contacts have been quarantined in the country after the Centre and the state governments conducted a "mega operation" to identify them.

At least 9,000 people participated in the religious congregation in Nizamuddin. Later, many of the attendees travelled to various parts of the country.

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