Posted: Thursday, June 9, 2016. 2:56 p.m. CST
By Aaron Humes: The late Muhammad Ali is to be buried tomorrow, Friday, following a public memorial in his native Louisville, Kentucky.
A press statement from the Government of Belize announces that as a mark of 
respect and tribute to the former world heavyweight boxing champion, Belize flags will be flown at half-mast on all official buildings on Friday.
Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay, passed last week Friday night, aged 74, after a three-decade battle with Parkinson’s syndrome.
The Government release highlights Ali’s work as a human rights advocate and former United Nations Messenger of Peace: quote, “(he) devoted most of his time outside of the ring, in pursuit of peace, supporting humanitarian projects, development initiatives and relief to the less fortunate in the developing world.” End quote.
It notes as well that Ali visited Belize in 1965 when it was British Honduras and ends with formal condolences.
In related news, more than 14 thousand persons attended The Je-na-zah or Muslim funeral service for Ali which took place earlier today, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
The Monitor reports, quote: The Jenazah service lasts only about 20 minutes, with people customarily standing in lines as they recite the prayers. At Ali’s service, Muslims lining up to join the recitation were separated by gender, but the wider audience was not.
The service is composed of four recitations of “Allahu Akbar” or “God is Great,” with silent prayers between of a reading from the first chapter of the Quran, a blessing for Abraham, a general prayer for the well-being and forgiveness of the deceased for the next life and a prayer for everyone at the funeral. End quote.
Organizers said Ali planned the twin memorials as a “teaching moment” for his faith and his country; however, People Magazine reports that Louisville city officials are looking into reports that persons are selling free tickets to Ali’s funeral for up to 100 US dollars on Craigslist.
A spokesman for Ali’s family has called it “deplorable” and posts offering tickets in exchange for items of valuable were flagged and taken down from the site almost immediately.
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