The funeral prayer for Halid Bešlić, an artist whose voice has been a symbol of emotion, tradition and unity in the former Yugoslavia for decades, was held today in the harem of the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque in Sarajevo.
The funeral prayer was led by hafiz Mensur Malkić, and was attended by family members, friends, associates, colleagues, representatives of political, cultural and social life, and thousands of citizens who came to pay their last respects. Due to the extremely large number of attendees, the funeral prayer was also held along Sarači Street, where citizens filled the entire space between Baščaršija and Ferhadija in silence and dignity.
After the funeral prayer, the sad procession with the vehicle carrying Halid Bešlić’s body set off along Ferhadija Street, and will join the main street at the Eternal Flame. Citizens will gather in silence along the route, while the procession will continue towards the Bare City Cemetery, where the burial is scheduled for 3 p.m.
The funeral prayer at the Bare cemetery will be led by the imam of the Ferhadija Mosque, Muhamed Velić. The Tevhid will be recited at the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque at 4 p.m., after the Asr prayer.
The funeral was preceded by a commemoration at the Sarajevo National Theater at 11 a.m., where those present remembered Bešlić’s artistic and human legacy. LED screens were set up on Susan Sontag Theater Square so that citizens who could not enter the hall could follow the ceremony. Emotional speeches, musical interludes, and respectful silence marked the farewell to a man whose voice marked generations.
