A Niagara connection to the funeral for Muhammad Ali

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Two brothers from the Niagara and Hamilton area never got a chance to meet boxing legend Muhammad Ali, but the two did get to be apart of his funeral. The brothers provided Ali’s burial shroud for his Muslim funeral service.

At the 74-year-olds funeral, the Hamdanis were invited to pay their respects and attend the services including a private family reception. The brothers met former champions Bernard Hopkins and Evander Holyfield as well as Ali’s son Asaad Amin.

It was about 9 years ago when the brothers, who own Hamdani Textiles, were contacted by a family friend who was planning Ali’s funeral. Ali’s spiritual advisor knew the Hamdani’s during their days together at the University of Toronto. They were asked to make a burial shroud. At the time the two were given just measurements, they didn’t know the shroud would be for Ali.

The cloth known as a kafan, can feature embroideries or be made out of expensive fabrics like silk but its encouraged in Islam to be simple and that’s what Ali chose, a white cotton cloth.

“It was a blessing that it was someone that we love, that stood up for justice that was a fighter in the ring and outside the ring.” Sallah Hussein.