It is with great sadness that I inform you of the shocking news that our dear beloved brother and my close personal friend Atta-ul-Qudoss Munawar has passed away this afternoon.

Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāji‘ūn.

He was a wonderful brother masha’Allah, known to many of the local folk in Manchester and surrounding areas and one of my first friends in Manchester who then went on to become one of my closest confidants and someone I always sought advice from on many matters. He will be massively missed, and by Allah, the only thing that brings a smile to my face now in the midst of our tears and broken hearts is the fact that he loved Allah and His Messenger (s), and such people will not miss out on ending up with whom they love.

Qudoss was driving home on the M6 today when a Camper van on the other side of the motorway veered across the barrier and hit his car head on. Qudoss passed away instantly, and I can only ask you O Allah to accept our brother into your Garden, to forgive him all his sins and shower him with Your infinite Mercy, ameen.

I wish to say something else: it is unfortunately very easy to exaggerate when someone dies, especially if you are close to the deceased. Yet without exaggeration, I have just returned from the hospital where I went in with his brothers to the mortuary to identify him. Subhanallah. Despite the severity of the accident, his face was in utter peace and serenity, and…radiant. So radiant.

Just like his name: Munawwar. Brilliantly Radiant.

Allahu Akbar.

I ask you again O Allah by all Your blessed Names, to forgive and pardon your slave Qudoss, to give him strength during the Questioning, to protect him from the Grave, and to give him the very best place in the Akhirah, ameen.

Our thoughts and du’as I request of you are with his wife and his wonderful daughter Maryum and little boy Yahya, Goshi’s parents, and his brothers. May Allah give them patience and reward them for their loss, ameen.

(Qudoss’s Janazah was performed at Makki Masjid after the Dhuhr Prayer on Tuesday, 22nd April, 2008, may Allah have Mercy upon him.)