Hundreds of Bangladeshi Muslims gathered at a New Jersey mosque last night to mourn the 13-year-old girl drowned in the Rockaways with two cousins – a loss their shattered family called “an American tragedy.”
“The only thing we ask from everyone around the world is their prayers for our three beautiful children,” said Asmat Ali, the uncle of the young victims.
Some 600 members of the close-knit immigrant community flocked to the Islamic Center of New Jersey in Paterson for the funeral of Rahela Begum, who died after being pulled from the ocean Monday.
A plain pine coffin, draped in orange and earth-toned fabric – symbolizing the colors of Mecca – was wheeled out of the mosque and placed on the ground.
After a prayer, the crowd turned to the north and south and recited a blessing, the coffin was placed into a hearse and driven to the cemetery.
“If this is the will of almighty Allah, then it will be done,” he said. “This is not an Ahmed or Ali family tragedy, but an American tragedy. America will miss its three beautiful and bright children.”