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| 'I stood there. I felt helpless': relatives recall Grenfell Tower as they lay loved ones to rest | 'I stood there. I felt helpless': relatives recall Grenfell Tower as they lay loved ones to rest |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| As the flames and smoke advanced up towards the 17th floor of Grenfell Tower, Kamru Miah, his wife Rabia Begum, and their three adult children prayed to Allah and waited for death. | As the flames and smoke advanced up towards the 17th floor of Grenfell Tower, Kamru Miah, his wife Rabia Begum, and their three adult children prayed to Allah and waited for death. |
| The family tried to find a way through the choking smoke and disorientating darkness to safety. But Kamru Miah was 82 years old and had difficulty walking. Hamid, 29, Hanif, 26, and 22-year-old Husna – the only daughter of four children – knew the odds were stacked against them. | The family tried to find a way through the choking smoke and disorientating darkness to safety. But Kamru Miah was 82 years old and had difficulty walking. Hamid, 29, Hanif, 26, and 22-year-old Husna – the only daughter of four children – knew the odds were stacked against them. |
| At 3.02am Husna spoke to another brother, Abdul Hakim, the only member of the immediate family not to be at the family home when the fire broke out 13 floors below the family’s home. | At 3.02am Husna spoke to another brother, Abdul Hakim, the only member of the immediate family not to be at the family home when the fire broke out 13 floors below the family’s home. |
| “Brother, we have no chance,” she said. “Please pray for us and forgive us.” | “Brother, we have no chance,” she said. “Please pray for us and forgive us.” |
| On Sunday, Hakim knelt by his sister’s grave, trembling and wiping his eyes as he patted down the mound of earth with his bare hands. A couple of feet away, the body of his mother had been laid in freshly dug earth of the tranquil Gardens of Peace Muslim cemetery in Hainault. | On Sunday, Hakim knelt by his sister’s grave, trembling and wiping his eyes as he patted down the mound of earth with his bare hands. A couple of feet away, the body of his mother had been laid in freshly dug earth of the tranquil Gardens of Peace Muslim cemetery in Hainault. |
| Husna’s body had been found near the lifts on the 17th floor of the tower’s blackened shell; Rabia’s was in the family flat. Both were identified by dental records. The three men, Kamru Miah, Abdul Hanif and Abdul Hamid, are officially listed as missing; although the reality, everyone knows, is that their remains are yet to be recovered. | Husna’s body had been found near the lifts on the 17th floor of the tower’s blackened shell; Rabia’s was in the family flat. Both were identified by dental records. The three men, Kamru Miah, Abdul Hanif and Abdul Hamid, are officially listed as missing; although the reality, everyone knows, is that their remains are yet to be recovered. |
| By Hakim’s side at the graves was Husna’s fiance. The couple were due to get married this month; wedding invitations had already been sent to hundreds of guests. Instead of preparing for a new life with his bride, he helped his almost-brother-in-law shovel earth over her shrouded body. | By Hakim’s side at the graves was Husna’s fiance. The couple were due to get married this month; wedding invitations had already been sent to hundreds of guests. Instead of preparing for a new life with his bride, he helped his almost-brother-in-law shovel earth over her shrouded body. |
| Mohammed Abdul Rahim, the siblings’ cousin, told the Guardian that the family had broken the Ramadan fast at about 9.20pm on the night of the fire. Hakim, who had recently moved out of the family home after getting married, left at 10.30pm. At about 1.40am Abdul Rahim received a call from Husna. | Mohammed Abdul Rahim, the siblings’ cousin, told the Guardian that the family had broken the Ramadan fast at about 9.20pm on the night of the fire. Hakim, who had recently moved out of the family home after getting married, left at 10.30pm. At about 1.40am Abdul Rahim received a call from Husna. |
| “She said, ‘Brother, please come quickly, our building is on fire. We can’t go down the stairs, they are full of smoke and darkness and people trying to get out’.” | “She said, ‘Brother, please come quickly, our building is on fire. We can’t go down the stairs, they are full of smoke and darkness and people trying to get out’.” |
| Abdul Rahim reached the tower in 12 minutes. “I stood there, dumb. I couldn’t do anything. I felt helpless. Then I saw my uncle open the window and shout ‘please help us’. But nobody could help.” | Abdul Rahim reached the tower in 12 minutes. “I stood there, dumb. I couldn’t do anything. I felt helpless. Then I saw my uncle open the window and shout ‘please help us’. But nobody could help.” |
| Earlier, after funeral prayers at the east London Mosque attended by hundreds of mourners, Abdul Rahim read a statement on behalf of the family as a desolate Hakim stood at his side. | Earlier, after funeral prayers at the east London Mosque attended by hundreds of mourners, Abdul Rahim read a statement on behalf of the family as a desolate Hakim stood at his side. |
| “Our family have been devastated with the loss of an entire household due to the fire at Grenfell Tower,” he said. “Today we bury Rabia Begum, the mother of four children including her daughter Husna Begum, who will be buried beside her. | “Our family have been devastated with the loss of an entire household due to the fire at Grenfell Tower,” he said. “Today we bury Rabia Begum, the mother of four children including her daughter Husna Begum, who will be buried beside her. |
| “We do not know the whereabouts of Husna’s father, Kamru Miah and her two brothers, Abdul Hamid and Abdul Hanif. | “We do not know the whereabouts of Husna’s father, Kamru Miah and her two brothers, Abdul Hamid and Abdul Hanif. |
| “They had their whole lives ahead of them and only one member of the family survives, Abdul Hakim and his wife.” | “They had their whole lives ahead of them and only one member of the family survives, Abdul Hakim and his wife.” |
| The Grenfell Muslim response unit estimated that 80% of those living in the tower were Muslim, although in the absence of comprehensive lists of residents and victims it is hard to be precise. | The Grenfell Muslim response unit estimated that 80% of those living in the tower were Muslim, although in the absence of comprehensive lists of residents and victims it is hard to be precise. |
| “We’ve been on the ground since the day of the fire, supporting, consoling and advising victims and families,” a spokeswoman said. | “We’ve been on the ground since the day of the fire, supporting, consoling and advising victims and families,” a spokeswoman said. |
| She said an added trauma for the families of victims had been not being able to bury their dead in accordance with Islamic customs and rituals, she added. | She said an added trauma for the families of victims had been not being able to bury their dead in accordance with Islamic customs and rituals, she added. |
| Muslim funerals usually take place as soon as possible after death. But the burial of bodies that have been recovered from Grenfell has been delayed by complex identification processes and the need for inquests to be opened. | Muslim funerals usually take place as soon as possible after death. But the burial of bodies that have been recovered from Grenfell has been delayed by complex identification processes and the need for inquests to be opened. |
| The Grenfell Muslim response unit has been working with Eden Care, a specialist Muslim end-of-life and burial service. The two organisations have offered to organise funerals for Grenfell victims – including non-Muslims – without charge. | The Grenfell Muslim response unit has been working with Eden Care, a specialist Muslim end-of-life and burial service. The two organisations have offered to organise funerals for Grenfell victims – including non-Muslims – without charge. |
| They have consulted Islamic scholars to reassure relatives that rituals to prepare bodies for funerals, such as washing and viewing the deceased, may be bypassed in exceptional circumstances. | They have consulted Islamic scholars to reassure relatives that rituals to prepare bodies for funerals, such as washing and viewing the deceased, may be bypassed in exceptional circumstances. |
| “The delays and the difficulties of preparing bodies for burial have been an added trauma for relatives on top of their already overwhelming loss,” said GMRU. “Loss is always difficult, but in these circumstances it is horrific. These families need the support of the Muslim community, and they will gain strength from their faith.” | “The delays and the difficulties of preparing bodies for burial have been an added trauma for relatives on top of their already overwhelming loss,” said GMRU. “Loss is always difficult, but in these circumstances it is horrific. These families need the support of the Muslim community, and they will gain strength from their faith.” |
| Abu Mumin of Eden Care said the organisation had laid on six funerals of people who died in the fire, as well as offering counselling, transport and accommodation for relatives. He expected to be organising more funerals in the coming weeks as bodies were released by the coroner and remains were recovered. | Abu Mumin of Eden Care said the organisation had laid on six funerals of people who died in the fire, as well as offering counselling, transport and accommodation for relatives. He expected to be organising more funerals in the coming weeks as bodies were released by the coroner and remains were recovered. |
| The relatives of the five members of the Begum family who died were “completely broken”, he said. | The relatives of the five members of the Begum family who died were “completely broken”, he said. |
| The family was angry, too. “We want to know why no fire brigade hoses could reach beyond the lower floors or why cranes weren’t used to rescue people,” said Abdul Rahim shortly after burying his cousin and aunt. “Why won’t the authorities admit how many people died? Why didn’t they make the building safe? Why weren’t they there to help us? | The family was angry, too. “We want to know why no fire brigade hoses could reach beyond the lower floors or why cranes weren’t used to rescue people,” said Abdul Rahim shortly after burying his cousin and aunt. “Why won’t the authorities admit how many people died? Why didn’t they make the building safe? Why weren’t they there to help us? |
| “Hillsborough [the disaster at Hillsborough football stadium in Sheffield, in which 96 people died] happened in 1989. It took their relatives 28 years to get answers to their questions. How long will it take us?” | “Hillsborough [the disaster at Hillsborough football stadium in Sheffield, in which 96 people died] happened in 1989. It took their relatives 28 years to get answers to their questions. How long will it take us?” |