Umair Shikari: Muslim community honours popular businessman

Friends of a popular Dundee businessman have banded together to build a mosque dedicated to him.

Umair Shikari died suddenly of a heart attack on February 27 while on a family holiday in Pakistan.

He was just 27 years old.

There has been an outpouring of love on social media since news of his passing emerged.

Umair was at Mecca with his wife, seven-month old daughter, mother and father for the Islamic pilgrimage Umrah at the time of the tragedy.

His brother and sister were also there with their respective children.

Umair was well-known in Invergowrie, where he and business partner Amar Salimi set up takeaway Azaad about three years ago.

And now the local Muslim community has set up a Just Giving page to raise £12,850 towards building a mosque in Pakistan named in honour of Umair.

More than £3,500 has already been donated to the drive. Charitable acts made in honour of a deceased, known as Sadaqah, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Amar paid tribute to his friend, calling him a fun-loving and sociable person.

The pair knew each other from growing up in Dundee. The 35-year old said: “If I was ever feeling down, just a few minutes with him would have me rolling around with laughter.

“He loved a joke and was a real people person. “He handled a lot of the front of house things with the business because he was so great with people. We were a good team that way.

“His face was well-known in Invergowrie. “When he wasn’t seen driving around, he was walking about with a smile talking to everyone. “It won’t be the same without him. I’ll miss him. “I spoke to his brother on the phone the other day and he said the best thing to do is say a little prayer every time I remember him.

“That way he’s in our hearts in a positive way,” added Amar.

“In our religion, it’s important to leave something good behind when you go.

“Mosques are more than just religious places, they are community centres in a way.

“Anyone who is homeless will have a place to stay, for example.

“So, if 10 years down the line someone is helped at his mosque it would be in his name.

“With one being built in Umair’s honour, whenever someone is helped in a place named after him, that’s a good thing.

“Whatever Umair did, he put in 100%. He worked really hard to get us to where we were.

“After his death, a lot of other local restaurants and takeaways called to say if we needed anything, to let them know.

“I didn’t expect that from what is supposed to be competitors, so that was really nice.”

Umair Shikari died of a heart attack while on holiday in Pakistan.