Man who died by suicide at mosque ‘shining example of kindness’

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This article was published 20/06/2024 (835 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Syrian man who died by suicide at a mosque last weekend is being remembered by Manitoba’s Islamic community as a compassionate, gentle person devoted to his family and religion.

“Abdul-Hamid’s life reflected his deep faith and devotion to Islam. He was a regular at the mosque, steadfast in his prayers and a memorizer of the Holy Quran,” the Manitoba Islamic Association said in a funeral announcement emailed to members Thursday.

“His character was a shining example of kindness, humility and generosity, always putting others before himself.”

The association released a statement Sunday saying a person died after setting themselves on fire inside the Waverley Grand Mosque.

The victim was later identified as Abdul-Hamid Al-Sheikh Omar, a 29-year-old member of the mosque who was suffering from severe mental health issues, the association said.

The death was confirmed by the Winnipeg Police Service. A police spokesperson said officers responded to a call involving a person with self-inflicted injuries at the mosque Saturday afternoon.

Khawja Latif, the association’s acting chairperson, said the Islamic community is still reeling from the man’s death.

“This is the kind of thing that made everybody upset. Everybody is at a loss; they don’t know what to do, what to say,” he told the Free Press by phone.

“I knew this person personally, but I did not know his name. When I saw his photograph, I could not believe it.”

Omar, who graduated from the University of Manitoba with a fine arts degree, “touched many lives with his sincerity and unwavering commitment to goodness,” the funeral announcement said.

The association apologized earlier this week for previously linking the suicide to the war in Gaza.

A statement released the day after Omar’s death and signed by association board members said the war is “impacting so many people beyond the boundaries of our community.” It made further references to Islamophobia and genocide.

The board posted a statement on Facebook on Tuesday, saying the wording in its original release “contributed to misconceptions and misunderstandings.” The updated statement removed all details about the manner in which Omar died and did not mention Gaza.

The association previously referred to the victim as a “youth” but confirmed his age in the funeral announcement.

A GoFundMe fundraiser accepting donations on behalf of Omar’s mother and three brothers had raised more than $29,000 as of Thursday afternoon.

The correct hyphenation and capitalization of Omar’s name is unclear, with different uses in the funeral announcement and on the GoFundMe page.

Prayers and burial will take place Friday.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca

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