May Allah have mercy on him-Aamiin!

[Rahima]

Big crowd farewells 'Crazy John' Ilhan

 

Dewi Cooke

October 26, 2007 - 1:46PM

 

Johns Ilhan's wife and children arrive at the funeral.

 

The funeral prayers have finished for John Ilhan and his coffin has been carried out to soft chants of "God is great".

 

A big crowd, including high-flyers Eddie McGuire and Shane Warne, attended the mobile phone millionaire's funeral.

 

Outside the Broadmeadows Mosque over a thousand people had congregated to farewell Mr Ilhan, who died of a heart attack, aged 42, on Tuesday.

 

During the service he was described as a man who brought the best of Australian and Turkish values forward and someone for future generations of Australians to look up to.

 

A Turkish community member addressed the 1500-strong crowd on the footpath outside the mosque, most of whom had been kneeling.

 

"We hope especially our youth and our community in general would take John Ilhan as a great example of how a successful businessman can be (such a great community representative).

 

"For this reason, it's not only his immediate family who's in mourning but also the whole Turkish and Australian community has lost a son."

 

After the funeral service, Eddie McGuire also spoke of Mr Ilhan's contribution to the community.

 

"I think he built a bridge between Turkish Muslims and Broadmeadows people and the rest of the community, and I think he actually set a benchmark for what a young businessperson should do in his contribution to society," he said.

 

Mr McGuire also spoke of how Mr Ilhan had made the very most of life.

 

"He actually lived his life," he said. "There are plenty of people who could have lived until they are 142 and wouldn't have contributed or had as much fun and achieved anything that John could have done."

 

Weeping widow Patricia was helped into a car to follow the coffin to the Fawkner Crematorium.

 

In a moving message in the funeral program, she wrote of Mr Ilhan's love for his family and dedication to their children.

 

"He was our inspiration and our rock," she wrote.

 

"He loved his family more than anything. We always came first. We saw the man who cared so much about people."

 

"I will remember that we were true soulmates - he always knew what I was thinking."

 

The funeral included traditional Friday prayers.

 

Shortly after 1.15pm Mr Ilhan's body began its journey to Fawkner Crematorium, and at 2pm he was due to be laid to rest.

 

The father of four died after a heart attack as he walked near his home in the southern Melbourne suburb of Brighton on Tuesday.

 

Islamic Council of Victoria president Ramzi Elsayed said eulogies were unusual at Muslim funerals and the ceremony would be brief, including communal prayers and blessings for the deceased.

 

"It's a more sombre thing. It's meant to be an opportunity to ask for final forgiveness for the deceased," Mr Elsayed said.

 

"He's going on a new journey."

 

Mr Ilhan's funeral was delayed pending an autopsy and his parents' return to Australia from holidaying in their native Turkey.

 

Mr Ilhan migrated from Turkey with his family at the age of 5 and settled in Broadmeadows, where his father became president of the mosque.

 

He started a one-shop mobile phone business with $1000 in 1991, quickly amassing a fortune estimated at more than $300 million.

 

A public memorial service is expected to be held on Monday, but the venue and time are yet to be announced.

 

with AAP

 

theage.com.au

[Rahima]

May Allah forgive him of his sins and grant him jannatul firdows.

 

Sad loss for the Muslim community of Australia.

[Buuxo]

Amiin

[-Nomadique-]

Ameen.

[Pujah]

ilaahay ha unaxariisto

[Che -Guevara]

I thought a SOL member died.

 

Janada Alla Haka Waraabiyo Marxuumka

[umu zakaria]

Allahaha u naxariisto