Newark, NJ -
Hundreds of
sympathizers
thronged the Clinton
Street based Masjid
Fallhee on April 10,
to offer prayers
over the remains of
Mamayan Kanneh, who
died suddenly on
Monday April 7, 2008
at her Newark
residence after a
brief illness. She
was the proprietor
of the FATU African
Hair Braiding, one
of Newark’s
professional African
Hair Braiding
Centers.
Imam Sheik Mohamed
Awal Abdullah of the
Philadelphia based
African Islamic
Community Center,
AICC, officiated the
Janaza prayers
dedicated to Muslims
whose candle lights
have been turned off
in this world.
In counseling the
sympathizers and
praying for the
deceased, Imam Sheik
Mohamed Awal
Abdullah evoked the
fear of Allah and
prayed that every
soul will constantly
remain alert of the
existence of Allah
and the Day of
Judgment set to
review everyone’s
earthly sojourn.
Within the writer’s
view, at least two
hundred
sympathizers,
including family
members, customers
and friends,
gathered at Masjid
Fallhee. Others put
the number at over
three hundred who
showed up to pray
for and bid fare you
well to one who was
generally regarded
as a go-happy member
of the community.
“She was always
laughing” one
sympathizer
remembered Mamayan.
“Alla-la, life is
nothing” a female
sympathizer cried.
“Mamayan and I were
just together last
week and now she is
dead?” the female
friend wondered
while breaking down
in soft tears and
personally besiege
God’s blessing on
the late Ma-Mainyah’s
soul.
Imam Sheik Mohammed
must have heard the
soft but soul
staring voice of
Mamayan’s
friend. The Imam, in
his prayers reminded
the audience that
there is “no doubt
about an end to
every life on this
earth”. “We will all
die”, the Imam said.
“Some of us will die
today while others
will face death
tomorrow. Sooner or
later, my brothers
and sisters,
everyone will come
to term with his or
her grave,” the imam
further assured.
He then assured that
in this period of
grief and confusion,
everyone should be
happy that God was
closer to each of us
then we actually
know. He said the
Almighty was closer
to us than the veins
within our bodies.
“God knows you and
he is with us but
that the earthly
account of each one
was accurately
documented by
angels.
“All you need to
worry about” Imam
Mohammed counseled
“is that your good
book should and must
be heavier that the
bad book”. He hoped
and prayed that God
will shower His
mercy and blessing
on the late Mamayan
Kanneh.
Following the
ceremony at the
Masjid (mosque), the
Body was escorted to
its final resting
place at the Jersey
State Memorial Park
in Millstone
estimated at 35 to
40 miles away from
Mamayan’s former
residential setting
in Newark City. The
Cemetery, now
reserved for the
Islamic community,
is said to have a
history dating back
to 1956.
In a brief chart
with the Manager,
Brother Tony Spano
Suleman, Mamayan is
buried in Section
608 D at the
Cemetery, which has
been catering to the
Muslim community
since 1994.
The Jersey State
Memorial Park was
another scene of a
large number of
friends and
sympathizers
including 14
year-old Largee, the
last of four
children of the
deceased.
Others include
Mammie, Ma-Loffo
Sidiby and Fatu.
Also within her
parental care was
Lofo Kamara the
youngest of the
girls. Brother
Suleman assured that
the decency of the
cemetery is always a
top priority. He
said profiteering
was not part of the
management plan of
the Memorial Park.
A burial spot, he
said is sold at only
$700.00. The scene
at the New Jersey
Memorial park
provides a peaceful
atmosphere and does
not seem to suffer
from acts of
despoliation, as is
often the fate of
many cemeteries
