BEIRUT // Hundreds of thousands of mourners braved extreme heat and humidity yesterday to pay their last respects to Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, a spiritual leader and guide to millions of Shiite Muslims around the world.
The funeral at the Two Imams Mosque, where Fadlallah gave his famously logical and nuanced Friday sermons, filled the streets of Beirut's southern suburbs with mourners. Those attending came from across the Middle East and Central Asia representing different sects and religions to honour the figure whose calls for justice for the oppressed and huge charitable efforts won him respect far beyond south Lebanon's Shiite community.
Black flags of mourning were draped alongside photographs of the diminutive cleric throughout the neighbourhood he lived in for more than 30 years, while banners proclaimed love and adoration from his "children" to their "marja", or source of emulation.
As the streets filled with black-clad mourners, their cries that God should accept their deceased leader echoed off the canyon-like walls of the narrow roads framed by new high rise apartment buildings erected since Israel destroyed much of the area in the 2006 summer war with Hizbollah.
"He was our leader, our father, the man we all hoped to become," said Ali Moussawi, 36, from Beirut. "He taught the Shiite of Lebanon dignity: dignity as people, as a country and as individuals."
As a cleric at the beginning of the Lebanese civil war, Fadlallah pushed the large but previously ignored Shiite community to organise and protect itself as a sect as the rest of the country divided up into sectarian militias.
This focus on the deeply impoverished and disenfranchised situation facing Lebanon's Shiites at the time led not only to the formation of the militant group Hizbollah, but also ushered in a new era of Shiite political assertiveness that changed Lebanon forever.
But to most of the people who turned out yesterday, he was not nearly as important a political figure - there was virtually no mention of his hardline political stances towards Israel and the United States - as he was a charitable organiser who funnelled millions of dollars from his association into benevolent works to help Lebanon's least supported community.
His sense of duty towards Lebanon's poor and powerless was on full display as mourners marched from his heavily guarded home, through the streets of southern Beirut, where every block appeared to have a school, community centre, clinic or donation box from his vast network of charities.
Iran, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain and even the main Sunni theological school Al Azhar University all sent high ranking figures to the funeral out of respect for his opposition to sectarian and political rivalries in a country that can often feel defined by them.
The Iraqi government, currently ruled by the Dawa Party, which considered the ayatollah to be its spiritual founder and leader, sent official ministers for the occasion.
A spokesman for Hizbollah, to which Fadlallah was often linked despite having no official role with the group, told Al Jazeera and other journalists at the funeral that his loss extended far beyond just the Shiite community in Lebanon.
Ibrahim Mousawi said: "We're talking about a great loss, actually, not just to Hizbollah but ... to the Islamic community, and to the Arab world. He has always spread the message of tolerance, of opennness, of transparency, [and] of dialogue."
He said Fadlallah was important as a "spiritual guide" for the Shiite militants in their fight to liberate southern Lebanon from a 20-year Israeli occupation.
"[He had] always been there to support the resistance and the fighters of the resistance," he said. "They all studied in his school and under his guidance and under his directions."
It was this relationship that had the US government designate him a terrorist in the 1980s and the ayatollah survived several assassination attempts by various parties throughout the Lebanese civil war. The most recent attempt on his life came in 2006 as Israeli warplanes bombed his home and office complex.
Lebanon's president, Michel Slieman, a Christian, and the prime minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, both paid their respects to Fadlallah's family, including his sons Ali and Jafaar, both of whom are also Shiite clerics and will continue to manage his charities.
Although born in the Iraqi city of Najaf to Lebanese parents, where he distinguished himself as a brilliant scholar, his family decided to bury him in his mosque rather than returning his remains to Iraq, so that pilgrims could continue to come and visit his grave in Lebanon.
"Generations of Lebanese children should come here to see his shrine, study his teaching and read his books," said Hajj Ali, whose eyes filled with tears as he described his feelings about the ayatollah.
Despite his infamy in the West for being the first major Muslim cleric to call suicide bombings permissible under certain, very narrow conditions, Fadlallah was better known among his followers for his exhaustive study of religious law and the efforts to combine it into a modern society.
He wrote more than 40 books, argued that "honour killings" of female relatives were prohibited, ruled that abused women had the right to hit their husbands in self defence and even concluded that Sharia required that women be allowed to lead men in prayer.
These comparatively liberal stances did little to endear him to the mainstream Shiite clergy in Iran, which runs that country as an Islamic republic, an idea that Fadlallah found rather unsettling. And although they remained in complete agreement on resistance to Israel, Fadlallah's scholarship, liberal reasoning and devoted followers often found him at odds with an Iranian leadership that lacks much of his resumé.
mprothero@thenational.ae
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20101hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20135Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Six-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh79%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
MATCH INFO
Azerbaijan 0
Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')
MATCH INFO
Asian Champions League, last 16, first leg:
Al Jazira 3 Persepolis 2
Second leg:
Monday, Azizi Stadium, Tehran. Kick off 7pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures (all in UAE time)
Friday
Everton v Burnley 11pm
Saturday
Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 3.30pm
West Ham United v Southampton 6pm
Wolves v Fulham 6pm
Cardiff City v Crystal Palace 8.30pm
Newcastle United v Liverpool 10.45pm
Sunday
Chelsea v Watford 5pm
Huddersfield v Manchester United 5pm
Arsenal v Brighton 7.30pm
Monday
Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Omar%20Hilal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Farrag%2C%20Bayoumi%20Fouad%2C%20Nelly%20Karim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
