Hundreds pay respects to Blackburn girl who died after ice fall (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Hundreds pay respects to Blackburn girl who died after ice fall
8:00pm Sunday 17th January 2010 in News
UNITED IN GRIEF: Some of the hundreds of mourners at the funeral of Naeemah Achha
A COMMUNITY has said goodbye to an 11-year-old girl who died after falling on ice outside her school.
Hundreds of mourners gathered at Pleasington Cemetery to pay their last respects to St Michael with St John Primary pupil Naeemah Achha.
Naeemah, described as an ‘intelligent and popular’ pupil, died on Friday after slipping on ice in Victoria Street, Blackburn, just yards away from her school.
Blackburn MP Jack Straw joined Naeemah’s family and friends at the service.
The mourners at the cemetery greeted the arrival of Naeemah’s green-velvet covered coffin, passing it along to each other at the entrance to the cemetery’s prayer house, which was filled to capacity.
Prayers were said before the procession made its way to the graveside.
Community leaders said Naeema’s death had affected the whole community.
Hussain Akthar, a former councillor whose grandson is in the same year at the school, said: “It is a shocking and sad event which has upset us all. These are very hard times for her family and they need everyone’s support.”
Coun Salim Mulla said: “The whole community is shellshocked. She was a lovely, bright girl with a wonderful attitude. Her death is a loss to the whole Muslim community.”
Coun Suleman Khonat, who oversees the ward Naeema’s family and school are in, said: “It is a very shocking accident, particularly towards the end of the cold weather.”
Mr Straw said: “It is such a terrible tragedy. The shock of what happened has spread right across Blackburn. The grief of Naeema’s relatives is indescribable.”
Blackburn with Darwen Council has launched an urgent investigation.
One line of inquiry is that she arrived at school early and a member of staff directed her to another entrance, leading her to use the icy pavement.
Michael Lee, leader of the council, said: “I don’t know if that is the case.
"We have not had the full details, but the investigation will be looking into issues such as that.”
Comments(17)
Excluded
says...
8:23pm Sun 17 Jan 10
Deepest condolences to the family. I hope you find some peace.
Wikidi
says...
11:59pm Sun 17 Jan 10
jogalot
says...
12:30am Mon 18 Jan 10
golazzo
says...
7:00am Mon 18 Jan 10
Very sad and a terrible accident.
AnthonyUK
says...
7:46am Mon 18 Jan 10
A Darener
says...
10:01am Mon 18 Jan 10
Could somebody please explain to me why at muslim funerals only males seem to attend. Do muslim women not grieve? And if they do why do they not attend the funeral? Is it the usual muslim dictat that muslim women are subservient to men and have to be oppressed?
nosimongarner
says...
11:43am Mon 18 Jan 10
midas
says...
12:44pm Mon 18 Jan 10
.
Shame on you and you ilk!
akon
says...
12:49pm Mon 18 Jan 10
As low as his cowardly war-dodging father !!
A Darener
says...
12:55pm Mon 18 Jan 10
midas wrote:As Blackburn has a muslim community I thought it appropriate to ask a question in which I was interested, hoping that I would get a genuine response from someone who knows the answer. Not an abusive response from the likes of you.
If you are that interested in the ettiquette of muslim funerals why don't you do some research on the internet rather than coming on here with your sham condolenses when all you want to do is make a "political" point. . Shame on you and you ilk!
My condolences were very genuine and I feel for the parents, relatives and friends of the young girl.
midas
says...
2:13pm Mon 18 Jan 10
A Darener
says...
2:49pm Mon 18 Jan 10
Below is a quote I found.....
http://islam.about.c
om
"Women are forbidden from attending the burial.
This is according to the authentic Hadith of Um-Atiyah who reported that we were forbidden to accompany funeral processions.
( Bukhari & Muslim)."
But presumably this "law" was conceived by the religious leaders i.e. men".
Thereby reinforcing my original point.
madari
says...
7:20pm Mon 18 Jan 10
Excluded wrote:Madari the snake charmer says:
And, of course, if they had not attended they would have been criticised for not attending. Deepest condolences to the family. I hope you find some peace.
Surely when it comes to paying genuine respect a sole representative of all parties as one should suffice,(instead of turning a tragedy into a circus), these people have their own agenda and motives and you will never convince me otherwise.
Try again Mr Excluded.
Mr-Reasonable
says...
11:53pm Mon 18 Jan 10
My sincere heart felt sympathy to the family oif the young girl.
nosimongarner
says...
9:51am Tue 19 Jan 10
paperboy100
says...
10:01pm Thu 21 Jan 10
nosimongarner wrote:nosimongarner - that's not a nice thing to say about 'Black Jack' ;-)
If this poor little girl had not been Asian would Jack Straw personally have attended? I think we all know the answer to that.
madari says...
8:09pm Sun 17 Jan 10
I see that the so called community leaders are out in force, Straw,Akhtar,Mulla,K
honat and Lee are sameless individuals who are once again making the most out of someone else`s tragedy to further their own causes.
Shame on you.
Rest in peace little angel........