Michigan mosques to offer funeral prayers, aid to earthquake victims on Friday
(CBS DETROIT) - Friday prayer for most Muslims is obligatory. What is not is offering funeral prayers for the thousands of people who have died in Turkey and Syria.
But Council on American Islamic Relations Michigan (CAIR-MI) Director Imam Dawud Walid says most Michigan mosques are expected to do just that on Friday.
"It is not a religious obligation for the deceased to be actually in front of the worshipers in their locality. So we are hoping that there will be congregations that will say special prayers tomorrow during the Jumuah (Friday) services," Walid told CBS News Detroit Thursday.
Walid says CAIR is also calling on mosques to collect monetary donations at Friday prayer to help aid those impacted by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Javaid Siddiqi, CEO of Helping Hand For Relief and Development, says his Southfield nonprofit is already on the ground helping in Turkey. However, he expects the most help to come from mosques which will become one of the largest fundraising efforts in years.
"It's going to be one of the largest fundraising efforts in many years now for Turkey and Syria," Siddiqi said.
The push for more prayer and support comes just one day after CAIR leaders urged the American public and the Biden administration to increase support for earthquake victims as the death toll rises.
"We are calling not just on Michigan Muslims, but Michiganders, in general, to give support to those victims, especially those people who have become widows and become orphans in Turkey right now, in particular," Walid said.
Click here for more information about CAIR Michigan.
To support earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria by donating to Helping Hand For Relief & Development in Southfield, click here.