500 REVERT TO ISLAM AFTER SAUDI KING’S FUNERAL

Jeddah 11 Rabi’ul Akhir 1436/1 February 2015 (MINA) – A YouTube video shared by a Saudi paper has showed 500 Chinese Muslims reverting to Islam after being touched by the “simplicity” of the funeral of the late King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.

“They all became Muslims after chanting through loudspeakers ‘there is no God but Allah, Mohammed (PBUH) is the messenger of Allah,” the YouTube film, published by Ajel Arabic language daily, said.

The video showed the Chinese workers gathering near their company offices in the eastern town of Jubail and reciting the Shahada, or the declaration of faith, On Islam quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

They were also receiving instructions from Saudi religious authorities on how to embrace the new religion.

King Abdullah passed away last Friday, giving a way to his 79-year-old half brother, Salman, to be crowned the new king.

The king’s body was carried in an ambulance heading to the mosque for janazah (funeral prayer) before being buried in an unmarked grave.

He was shrouded in a simple white coffin according to the teachings of Islamic Sharia’h law.

Islam calls for respecting human beings whether alive or dead.

A Muslim’s dead body should be immediately taken to a mortuary for washing and preparation.

Two or three adult Muslims should wash the body and then put on the shroud (kafan). Before the burial, the funeral prayer should be done.

The burial should be done as soon as possible. It is makruh (reprehensible) to delay the burial of the dead. (T/P011/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)