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
June 14,2020

Mumbai, Jun 14: Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput committed suicide on Sunday, leaving all his fans and the industry in shock. While the reason behind him taking up the extreme step is still not clear, a look into Sushant’s social media feed suggests that things were not well for him for quite some time.

Sushant had been inactive on Twitter since months. His last tweet was on December 27, 2019. Since then, he did not even reply to any one on Twitter. Same is the case with his Facebook account as the last post on his timeline was on the same date. Interestingly, Sushant's Twitter cover picture is the popular painting - 'Starry Night', by Van Gogh, who had also reportedly committed suicide in 1890.

On Instagram, the young actor had last posted on June 3. It was a collage picture of him and his mother along with a cryptic caption that read, “Blurred past evaporating from teardrops Unending dreams carving an arc of smile And a fleeting life, negotiating between the two...#माँ”.

Was Sushant’s inactivity on Twitter, Facebook and his last cryptic post on Instagram a signal that the actor was having a tough time? Well, may be it will remain a mystery forever.

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News Network
May 21,2020

Bengaluru, May 21: With temples yet to open for devotees as coronavirus restrictions are in place, the Karnataka government is preparing for live streaming of sevas (service) and poojas offered to deities at temples that comes under the state's Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Department.

The government has also decided to develop an app and web-based software with an intention to provide information to devotees regarding temples, also to facilitate online donations and advance booking for various sevas offered there.

Regarding online live streaming, Commissioner of the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Department has written to the Deputy Commissioners of all the districts and Executive Officers seeking a list of temples that comes under their jurisdiction where such facility can be provided.

"It has been intended to do online live streaming of sevas and pooja rituals at temples that come under the department in the backdrop of COVID-19 crisis. In this regard it is requested to provide a list of temples where online live facility can be provided to devotees, by abiding the traditions and practices of the temple," the letter said.

Though the temples are holding daily poojas and rituals, they are not open to public for now, with COVID-19 induced lockdown restrictions in place.

Officials had recently had stated that the department was planning to have a standard operating procedure (SOP) in place, that needs to be followed at temples in a post lockdown scenario, once they are opened for the public.

There are over 34,000 temples in the state that come under the department.

Meanwhile, in another letter to DCs of 15 districts, also Executive officers and administrators of 'A' grade temples, aimed at development of app and web-based software, the Commissioner has sought information regarding sevas offered at temples in their jurisdictions and those sevas for which option can be provided for devotees to do advance booking.

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News Network
April 24,2020

Wayanad/Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 24: Amid the strict lockdown, a school teacher travelled from Thiruvananthapuram to Muthanga in Wayanad -- a distance of about 465 km -- on her way to neighbouring Karnataka en route to Delhi following which cases have been registered against her and an excise official.

The woman, Kamna Sharma, said to be working in Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, undertook the journey on April 21 along with her two year-old daughter, police sources told news agency PTI.

An Excise Circle Inspector, Shahjahan, had provided his vehicle to travel allegedly on the instructions of Malappuram excise officer, in whose private vehicle, the woman and the child had reached Wayanad border from Thiruvananthapuram, the sources said.

The two were charged under the Kerala Epidemic Act and various sections of the IPC including sect 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection) and 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule).

Because of the lockdown even inter-district travel is not allowed by police and district administration, unless there is an extremely genuine reason.

A senior police official in Thiruvananthapuram said he does not remember issuing any such pass.

The woman may have "misused" government machinery as private vehicles would have been stopped somewhere during the long journey, he said.

She came to Kalpetta in Wayanad allegedly in an official car of the excise department.

Wayanad District police chief R Elango said that an FIR has been filed based on preliminary information and investigations have begun.

"We will check if she has followed procedures in obtaining a pass and if she made any false claim to get the pass."

As per preliminary information the woman came in an excise official's car from Thamarassery (Kozhikode) to Muthunga(Wayanad), he said. Her mode of transport before that--from Thiruvananthapuram to Wayanad--will also be investigated, he said, adding they have no information if she has reached Delhi.

"We will track down her movement," he said Meanwhile, theWayanad district administration has intensified the lockdown protocol from Thursday to prevent people's movement within and from outside the district/state.

Interception at all the check posts on district an state borders of the district, bordering Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, will also be intensified. No one would be allowed to travel frequently to and fro the district under the pretext of official duty.

Wayanad collector Adhila Abdulla said officials from outside the district will no longer be allowed to commute daily.

"Elderly people above the age of 65 should confine to their homes unless it is extremely urgent or unavoidable. Cases will be registered against family members who allow elderly people to go out for buying medicines and other essentials," she said.

Senior citizens, who live alone, can call either the Fire (101) or Police (100) departments for any help and to get things they need, the collector said.

Whatever relaxations were in place have also been withdrawn with effect from Thursday, she added.

Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram come under the "Orange B" zone where there are some relaxations.

However, Thiruvananthapuram city limits falls under the hotspot area.

Police said a case was also registered against a doctor and her husband who entered Kerala from Tamil Nadu border.

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