He is western educated and not a Islamist."
wirestripper, I hope you are right. It really is an arab-culture thing, not a islam-religious thing. I lived in Iran for a few years (many years ago), and before leaving the states was given a class on what not to do. I will never forget the emphasis placed on never showing the bottom of your shoe to someone. And as I said, it has nothing to do with Islam. Even a western-educated mid-eastern person would not do it. I'm not convinced it wasn't deliberate and done as a subtle message ('I'm here with them, but here is my real opinion').
I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think so. In any case, the service was beautiful.
They say memories are golden
well maybe that is true.
I never wanted memories,
I only wanted you.
A million times I needed you,
a million times I cried.
If love alone could have saved you
you never would have died.
In life I loved you dearly,
In death I love you still.
In my heart you hold a place
no one could ever fill.
If tears could build a stairway
and heartache make a lane,
I'd walk the path to heaven
and bring you back again.
Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same.
But as God calls us one by one,
the chain will link again.