The death of Muhammed Saleem, the 75 year old who was brutally murdered after leaving his local mosque in Birmingham has not just left his family in dissolution but has torn the hearts of some of his closest friends and neighbours.
Asian World spoke exclusively to Khawaja Murtaza Hussain, who had known Muhammed Saleem from his school days he is truly heart broken after learning about the senseless murder of his best friend, he told Asian World “we went to school together, he was such a kind hearted man, not a day went by when he did not come and speak to me. We did everything together, when we where younger we use to go to this local café together,” Mr Hussain then gave us a break down of everything he did with best friend, and how they spent a lot of time together ever since they where young boys, he was very emotional as he talked about the fond memories he had with Muhammed Saleem so much so he kept a box of tissue beside him as he spoke to us.
Mr Hussain went onto to tell us that both him and his best friend where religious men, and always went to the mosque together “we went together to pray most of the time, at Green Lane Mosque we have been praying at Green Lane Mosque for about eleven years, sometimes I prayed and left and he use to stay at the mosque and continue to read the Quran. We have done five hajj’s together we where that close.”
We than asked him how he felt about his best friends murder “people do not believe it is the same Saleem that has been murdered. My heart is broken, I cannot comprehend what as happened, I still expect him to come and knock on my door.
Even when I was in Pakistan I use to phone him we always kept into contact.” He said than he broke down in tears. He tearfully said “it hurts me that I wasn’t even with him he never caused any problems with anyone never hurt anyone said a bad word to anyone. Why him.
Mr Hussain ended in saying “I pray his murderer loses his life too, how can human being take away such an innocent life. I will continue to go to Green Lane mosque and pray this incident has not frightened me I have faith in god.
Pavlo Lapshyn, 25, has now been charged with Muhammed Saleems murder.
By Emb Hashmi
