Abu-Bakr Rauf - Missed But Never Forgotten

There are no words that can fully describe the heartbreak and absolute shock of Abu-bakr Rauf's passing. Barely 30, he died of a suspected heart attack, outside Mumtaz restaurant in Bradford, while leafleting for George Galloway's election campaign.

With his impeccable manners and keen intellect, Abu-bakr was a rare specimen, a one of a kind. He came across as unboundedly humble and had a smile that could truly light up your entire week - he simply was one of the most likeable persons I have ever met. I had the pleasure of working with him in Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK (MPACUK) many a time, and I cannot count the number of times people would finish a conversation with him and turn around to me and say “what a great guy!”.

Even though he has gone and is no longer with us, he has left behind him one clear and simple legacy and I know Abu-bakr would have wanted me to share this with you all. He had a great love and sympathy for all the oppressed in the world, but without a doubt he loved his Palestinian brothers and sisters the most. He passed away leafleting for George Galloway’s Bradford campaign earlier this afternoon, but let me be clear, he did all this leafleting and campaigning not because he owed some allegiance to George or because he had ambitions for politics. He never owed anything to MPAC, PSC, Respect or any of the other countless organisations he worked in.

The only reason he did any of this was because he loved Palestinians, and this was his way of helping. He just wasn’t like many of us in that he could live his life oblivious to the oppression that Muslims and non-Muslims alike were facing all over the world. His cause, his passion was to right these wrongs and there aren’t many who have departed this life whilst doing what they love. Allah is indeed the Master and Judge of us all, but let me tell you this, Abubakr died a Shaheed. He died as he struggled to help the oppressed, he passed away as he strived in Allah’s way – and that is the noblest way to depart this world. His last word was 'Palestine'.

May Allah bestow upon him every bounty a Muslim of his stature deserves, and may He give us even an iota of the brilliance and faith Abubakr possessed. Our sympathies and prayers are with his family, his wife and his child.

From Him we come and to Him we must all return.

We will allways miss you Abubakr.

Dr. Ramadhan Saeed (CEO MPACUK)
Twitter: @rsaeed

Update: The Jannaza of late Beloved Br Abu-Bakr is today (22nd March) at
Masjid Ahl-Ul-Hadith
Camden Terrace (off Lumb Lane)
BD8 7HX, after Maghrib (around 6.15 pm ish)