Ayatollah Fadlullah’s Funeral in Lebanese Newspapers

The sad scene in Beirut’s southern suburb on Tuesday reflected the grave loss of Ayatollah Mohamad Hussein Fadlullah as a religious authority and a benevolent father for the orphans and the downtrodden. Lebanon’s newspapers observed the moment.

Most headlines in Wednesday’s newspapers described the sea of mourners who carried the casket of the late Ayatollah to his final resting place.

THE FAREWELL OF THE MARJA’A…AS IF EVERYONE WAS PRAYING BEHIND HIM
Assafir daily’s headline read: “The Farewell of the Marja’a…As if everyone was praying behind him.”

“This is how the final journey looked like on the streets of Dahiyeh yesterday. A solemn, sad, and tearful funeral…The Ayatollah was laid to rest in the court of the Hassanein (Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein pbut) Mosque, where he used to lead daily prayers and condemn oppression…It was a farewell that befit this great man,” Assafir read.

It was not an easy task to carry the casket of the Ayatollah to its final destination. From his residence to the nearby Hassanein Mosque, a sea of people gathered on every road leading to a place Ayatollah Fadlullah loved to visit; Dahiyeh was literally overcrowded with people.

“Lebanon as well as the Arab and Islamic worlds was present to bid the Sayyed farewell. Shiites from all diversities came for the Sayyed, putting their religious and political opinions aside. Religious and non-religious, Muslims and Christians, Shiites, Sunnis, and Druze…they all marched side by side behind the casket. Delegations from Syria, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and other countries took part in the funeral procession thus reflecting the depth of the Ayatollah Fadlullah’s status and school,” Assafir added.

AYATOLLAH FADLULLAH, THE FATHER AND THE SONS
“Ayatollah Fadlullah, the father and the sons” read the headline of the Al-Akhbar newspaper. “Yesterday, Lebanon bid the Sayyed Fadlullah farewell. Beirut’s southern suburb wandered inside its memory with his body as if standing in front of a mirror. People from Lebanon and the world who loved the Sayyed took part in this journey; most of them expressed their reverence for the openness, enlightenment, and the participation in producing the resistance of the occupation…among other aspects the late Ayatollah was known by. Most of the participants in the funeral said they knew the Sayyed in person and they felt his fatherhood,” Al-Akhbar newspaper said.

SOLEMN FUNERAL FOR SAYYED FADLULLAH WITH ARAB AND ISLAMIC PARTICIPATION; ERDOGAN CALLS SAYYED NASRALLAH TO OFFER CONDOLENCES
Al-Liwa’ newspaper’s headline read: “Solemn funeral for Sayyed Fadlullah with Arab and Islamic participation and Erdogan calls Nasrallah to offer condolences.”
The daily detailed Ayatollah’s Fadlullah’s final journey from his home to the Hassanein Mosque and how he was laid to rest away from cameras. Al-Liwa’ also focused on the Lebanese, Arab and Islamic high level participation in the funeral.

FUNERAL OF SAYYED FADLULLAH AMID QORANIC VERSES, CHURCH BELLS, MASSIVE PARTICIPATION
For its part, the Asharq newspaper said that a sea of people from Lebanon and abroad had escorted Ayatollah Fadlullah to his final resting place in the Hassanein Mosque. “Funeral of Sayyed Fadlullah amid Quranic verses, church bells, and massive participation,” read Asharq’s headline. “The demise of Ayatollah Fadlullah gathered Muslims from all sects together as he did during his life.”

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS TOOK PART IN AYATOLLAH FADLULLAH’S FUNERAL…HIS THOUGHTS AND VISIONS DWELLED IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE PEOPLE
“Hundreds of thousands took part in Ayatollah Fadlullah’s funeral…His thoughts and visions dwelled in the hearts and minds of the people.” This was Addiyar’s headline. “Sayyed Mohamad Hussein Fadlullah could be seen yesterday on the faces of those who took to the streets for his funeral…His death was a great loss for all the Lebanese of every confession,” said Addiyar.