Death of a Muslim member of the House of Lords
That the late Henry Edward John Stanley, third Baron
Stanley of Alderley, was a sincere and devout Muslim, was known
to very few men. Readers of the Safwat-ul-Itbar (Travels
of Sheikh Muhammad Bairam Fifth of Tunis), however, knew very
well that Lord Stanley had long been a sincere believer in the
principles of Islam. But his faith was not limited to a profession
by word of mouth. The author of the Safwat-ul-Itbar relates
incidents which show how deeply Islam had entered into his heart.
He found him not only regular in the five daily prayers, but also
constant at tahajjud (the midnight prayers); and what is
still more wonderful, he found him very humble in his prayers,
and far above most born Muhammadans. When he talked of the Holy
Prophet, it was with profound love and deep respect that he mentioned
or named him. He found him also very well versed on the principles
of Muslim theology, and in his conversation with him he found
that the deep conviction of his mind was the result of a comprehensive
knowledge of the principles of Islam. This was about the year
1880. Who could imagine that such a sincere and devout worshipper
of the true God was living in the heart of Christendom?
Lord Stanley breathed his last on Friday, the 21st
day of Ramadan (corresponding with 11th December 1903). It appears
from the “Crescent” that his Muslim name was Abdul Rahman.
The Crescent gives the following account of his interment:
“On Tuesday, the 25th Ramadan (15th December)
his mortal remains were laid silently to rest in a secluded
plantation in Alderley Park, his late lordship’s ancestral
home. The interment took place at an early hour, and was conducted
strictly according to Muslim usage, in which Holy and Imperishable
Faith his lordship lived and died (Alhamd-o-lillah!)
The corpse was inclosed in a plain deal coffin, and borne from
the hall by workmen on the Alderley estate. Following it on
foot were the successor to the title (the Hon’ble Lyulph
Stanley), his wife, their two sons, and other relatives. By
the late Lord Stanley’s special direction there was also
present as chief mourner his Excellency Hamid Bey, Premier Secretaire to the Ottoman Embassy in London. The Islamic prayers were recited
over the grave by the Imam to the Turkish Embassy. A Janaza service in memory of the deceased was held at the Liverpool
Mosque, and was conducted by His Honour Abdulla Quilliam Effendi,
Sheikh-ul Islam of the British Isles.”
So lived and passed a noble soul, and this must
no doubt be a “terrible blow” to the orthodox Christians
as the Freethinker says, which corroborates this account of Lord
Stanley’s death and burial. May God receive him into His
mercy and open the eyes of other Christians to the shining lights
of the true and living faith of Islam! Amen!
— Review of Religions, February 1904,
pages 65–66.
