The mood was sombre here as thousands of Muslim worshippers gathered at the city’s mosques for Friday prayers. Groups of men and women, young and old, spoke of their shock and sadness at the Queen ’s passing with many calling her an “icon” and a “constant reassuring presence” in the lives of all.
Waheed Ali said: “It is a huge loss for us. The Queen was someone I always looked to for solace especially in difficult times like during the pandemic. When the nation scraped its knee, she was there with the TCP.
“I find it extraordinary that just two days ago she was welcoming the new Prime Minister. She was dutiful to the end. In a world of celebrity and scandal she exuded sense and stability.”
