'Moving' Islamic funeral prayers held for Sinead O'Connor in Ireland

Islamic funeral prayers were held for Sinead O’Connor on Tuesday ahead of her burial in Ireland.

The prayers, which were held in a private ceremony, were led by Shaykh Dr Umar al Qadri, chief imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland.

“The funeral was obviously private (for) the family and it was a very moving ceremony and I think it really reflected the beautiful personality of Sinead. It was very spiritual and it reflected her Irish identity as well as her Muslim identity," al Qadri told the PA news agency.

“So I was with the members of the Muslim community and we performed the Janazah prayer, which is the Islamic funeral prayer, over Sinead,” he added.

We were honoured today to be invited to the funeral and the janazah prayer of Sister Sinéad O’Connor. She was an activist for women’s rights and was an advocate for change. May Allah bless her with the highest level in Paradise. #SineadOConnor pic.twitter.com/yb1gB8xDwY

— Muslim Sisters of Eire (@Msoe_Dublin) August 8, 2023

Al Qadri had also been involved in O'Connor's conversion to Islam in 2018, when she changed her name to Shuhada' Davitt, and later to Shuhada Sadaqat.

Hundreds lined the route of the cortege on Tuesday as it passed along the seafront in Bray, 20 kilometres (13 miles) south of Dublin, where the singer had lived for 15 years.

U2 singer Bono, Ireland's President Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar were among those attending the service, while activist and pop star Bob Geldof was part of the cortege.

Al Qadri later shared his eulogy to the singer, who he described as a "beloved daughter of Ireland".

"May God give our pure-hearted sister Sinead the beatific vision of that infinite face through which the heavens and the earth are lit. May she be granted the STATION of the Muslim name she chose for herself, Shuhada, the martyrs and witnesses of God’s Grace and Beauty," he said.

"May her light continue to shine and grace the land of Ireland that she loved so dearly, and may she find the peace of God that she sought so earnestly."