Sterling – Final farewells and funeral prayers were said for seventeen-year-old Nabra Hassanen of Reston, Virginia. In a tremendous outpouring of support and compassion, nearly five thousand American Muslims, family and friends gathered at the All Dulles American Muslim Society Center where the funeral service and prayers were held June 21.
Amongst the thousands of well wishers present were representatives of the The Muslims of America, Inc. community (TMOA), who conveyed their sincere condolences to the Hassanen family. One TMOA member described the intense emotion that was palpable at the religious service: “It was quite powerful. The capacity of the spacious ADAMS center was reached an hour before the janaza started and many had to perform the funeral prayer in a pavilion outside. After the funeral, Nabra’s father, Mohmoud Hassanen, with tears in his eyes, tried to express his extreme thankfulness for the outpouring of love, prayers and support that he and his family had received there, and indeed, from all over the world.”
The family of the deceased girl are now represented by a legal team from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), who are closely following the ongoing investigation of the Fairfax County police. Investigators stated their initial conclusion that the girl’s murder by a 22-year-old undocumented immigrant was the result of a ‘road rage’ encounter. The victim’s parents emphatically stated that they believe their daughter was murdered because of her dress ( an ankle-length garment and hijab) that identified her as being a Muslim. CAIR officials are not so quick to rule out the possibility that the killer’s motive may have been hatred for Islam and Muslims.
R.A.Miller/The Islamic Post
