Thousands join funeral prayers for Ismail Haniyeh in several states

KUALA LUMPUR: Mosques in the country on Thursday (Aug 1) held funeral prayers in absentia for Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

In addition to mosques under the supervision of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) and the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi), the funeral prayers were also held in several states as a sign of solidarity from Malaysian Muslims towards the struggle of Palestinian against the oppression of the Zionist regime.

In KUALA LUMPUR, over 100 individuals performed the funeral prayers at the National Mosque, led by Senior Imam Hassan Alfadhli Abdul Rahman.

Meanwhile, at the Putra Mosque in Putrajaya, more than 500 congregants joined the funeral prayers for Haniyeh, which was held after Maghrib prayers and led by Grand Imam Dr Muhamad Zakuwa Rodzali.

In SELANGOR, the Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam also held absentia funeral prayers led by Ismail Hashim and attended by approximately 50 congregants comprising university staff, students and the public.

When contacted, Selangor Islamic Religious Department public relations officer Nur Syamira Md Suffri said that all mosques and surau in the state would hold the funeral prayers after the Maghrib prayers on Thursday night.

The Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, via its official Facebook post, announced that the funeral prayer for the late Haniyeh would be performed after Friday prayers on Aug 2.

In PERAK, a Bernama check at Medan Klebang Restu Jamek Mosque found that around 50 people performed the funeral prayers led by Imam Khair Ahmad Naufal Mohd Khair.

Earlier, Perak Islamic Religious Department director Fadzilah Abdul Halim said that after Maghrib prayers, funeral prayers would be held at mosques and surau throughout the state.

In PENANG, all mosques across the state also held absentia funeral prayers after the Maghrib prayers.

Penang Islamic Religious Council president Datuk Mohamad Abdul Hamid said that the council had requested over 200 mosques in the state to hold absentia funeral prayers for the late Haniyeh.

“On behalf of the state government, I extend my condolences to Haniyeh’s family and the Palestinian people for this loss. The absentia funeral prayer tonight is a sign of solidarity in light of this incident,” said Mohamad, who is also Penang Deputy Chief Minister I.

A Bernama check at Tuan Samad Mosque in Permatang Sungai Dua, Butterworth found that over 200 congregants, including Mohamad and Penang Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Sukki Othman, performed the funeral prayers.

Iranian media reported that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting his accommodation in northern Tehran around 2am local time on Wednesday (July 31).

Haniyeh was in Tehran for the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s new president.- Bernama