BLACKBURN today saw one of its largest ever funerals as 3,000 mourners said goodbye to 'murdered' Saheel Ahmed.
There were so many people that the service had to be held outdoors.
The Imam told mourners that the death of Mr Ahmed, who worked as a teacher at the mosque, should remind people that 'life is precious'.
Mr Ahmed was remembered in a service at Chester Street mosque in Audley Range, not far from his home in Accrington Road.
His father Zahoor was in the front row of the thousands of mourners along with other family members.
As prayers were said, Mr Ahmed's coffin was placed under a marquee at the front of the crowds.
Following the prayers, a private family burial took place at Pleasington Cemetery.
The mosque's Imam, Tassada Hussain, said: "I am speechless because I have to do the funeral of a boy that I knew so well.
"Saheel’s killing is a reminder that death is only a moment away and that life is precious. This is a very sad day."
The funeral took place following Friday prayers at 2pm.
It came just two days after a man wanted in connection with his killing was arrested in Edinburgh following a 16-day hunt.
Naeem Butt, 37, of Johnson Street, Blackburn, has been charged with murder after Lancashire police teamed up with Lothian and Borders police to carry out raids on a block of flats in the Scottish capital.
Mr Ahmed, 24, was found dead in an alley at the top of Warrington Street, Little Harwood, after police were called to a report of a disturbance. Shortly after the attack, police named Butt as a suspect.
Mr Ahmed's father, Zahoor, 46, has described his son as ‘one in a million’ and ‘the nicest person you could ever meet’.
He had been married to Sidra for around one year and worked for Manpower at the BT centre in Blackburn town centre for the past two years.
He previously went to Norden High School in Rishton.
Mr Ahmed, who was a Hafiz, having learnt the Koran off by heart, was a regular at the Chester Street mosque.
Audley councillor Zamir Khan said, a close friend of the family, said: "There was a massive turnout with lots of friends and family, especially young people, showing how much he meant to this community.
"His death has been so shocking to the community and it has been a very difficult couple of weeks.
"Without a doubt his family have had a very tough time but the community really came out in force and showed its support."
Another ward councillor, Yusuf Jan-Virmani, said he remembered Mr Ahmed working in local takeaways.
He said: “He used to lead prayers at the mosque and a lot of the younger people looked up to him.”
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