In Murad's Honor

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Murad Abusalim was known amongst family and friends for being a kind-hearted and generous young man. He was the type of person who was considered a loyal friend and exceptional son, always quick to forgive and considerate of others. He was also someone who left the world too early in his early teenage years when he passed away one year ago.

His passing left a deep impact not only on his close ones, but the greater community as well. Murad’s friends were in shock when they first heard the news. What could they do to commemorate their beloved friend? What would make Murad proud?

“When Murad died, it made us all reflect upon life,” said one of his friends. “It was a great wake-up call. It reminded us that death can come at anytime.”

“We couldn’t just sit around and do nothing,” said another close friend. “We decided to take action. We wanted to extend Murad’s honor and approached Zakat Foundation of America. They gave us a great opportunity to build a school in Ghana.”

The boys wanted to exemplify Murad’s generous spirit and decided building a school in his name would be the perfect project. The school would be located in Ghana in an area where many of the surrounding villages are afflicted with poverty. The children in this part of the world have to walk at least three miles to attend the nearest school.

This past weekend, the Murad & Brothers group with the help of Zakat Foundation of America hosted an event featuring prominent community figures such as Mohammed Zeyara. All the proceeds from the event were donated towards the Ghana school project. Murad’s friends reminisced on stage about their favorite memories with him as well as the importance of providing education for the less fortunate. Also in attendance was Murad’s mother, Mehtap Abusalim.

“My heart is as deep as the ocean,” said Mrs. Abusalim. “I’m so proud of these boys for what they are doing. It’s a blessing from Allah (swt) and I give them all my support and thank each and every one of you.”

The fundraising event proved to be highly successful as the anticipated goal was met within only a half hour of the night. The soon to be built school, located in the village of Chibriyor, will also offer extensive Islamic studies courses including memorization, tafsir, and tajweed. Soon, they will have an institution of learning, and, maybe one day, they will also learn about Murad Abusalim.

Mehtap Abusalim, the mother of Murad.

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