LONDON: The London Central Mosque held a service to honor the life of Queen Elizabeth II and mark the accession of King Charles III on Thursday.
Muslim community leaders from across London and elsewhere in the UK attended the memorial event during which the national anthem, God Save the King, was sung.
The Director General of the mosque Dr. Ahmad Al-Dubayan said the purpose of the event was to show the sympathies and feelings of Muslim communities in the UK on the passing of the queen.
A man a writes a message of condolence in a book prior a national Muslim memorial for the late Queen Elizabeth II at the London Central Mosque on Sept. 15, 2022. (AP)
“We join many millions of people across the globe in paying tribute to a much-loved and respected monarch; a figure known for her profound sense of duty and devotion to her country and the Commonwealth,” Al-Dubayan said previously.
“The Queen spoke of the value of all faiths, and the healing power of faith to bring together and unite communities. She will be most remembered for her sense of duty and her devotion to a life of service.
“The Queen dedicated her life to public service and led the way in bringing communities together,” the director general said.
Shaykh Kazi Luthfur Rahman, right, prays next to guest speaker Sarah Joseph, left, during a national Muslim memorial for the late Queen Elizabeth II at the London Central Mosque on Sept. 15, 2022. (AP)
Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI ceremoniously laid the London Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Center’s foundation stone and opened the place of worship in 1944.
On Thursday, tens of thousands of people waited patiently in line to pay their final respects to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch as her body lies in state in London’s ancient Westminster Hall.
World leaders will gather on Monday for the funeral of Elizabeth, queen of Britain for 70 years whose global stature was almost without equal.
