Pir Sahib: Bradford Remembers Muslim ‘Professional’

Thousands of people gathered to pay their respects to Syed Mahroof Shah, an icon of Bradford’s Muslim community.

Mourners gathered at Jamiyat Tabligh-ul-Islam Bradford Central Mosque on Friday evening.

Speaking at his funeral, Sofia Buncy, from community charity Khidmat Centres, said he was a “very wise man” with an “immense reach”.

Pir Sahib helped set up the Bradford Council of Mosques and has been instrumental in building the city’s Muslim communities over the past 60 years.

Ms Buncy said Pir Sahib “resonated with all generations” and was celebrated for his service to local communities.

As part of his work, he helped oversee the development of 18 mosques and additional schools in Bradford.

He was also a “pioneer” of the Masajid movement, which began in the city and influenced the development of mosques in Britain and Europe.

The Bradford Council of Mosques estimated that between 8,000 and 10,000 people attended the funeral.

The Bishop of Bradford, Toby Haworth, was among those present.

“People loved him and he was a pioneer. We owe him so much,” he said.

“I spoke to colleagues from the Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Christian traditions and we all made a statement to express our condolences.

“We recognize what a loss this is for Bradford and want to pay tribute to our Muslim brothers and sisters.”

Former Bradford Mayor Mohammed Ajeeb, who was a close friend of Pir Sahib for 45 years, described himself as “kind, compassionate and tolerant” and “a man who wanted to promote peace and harmony in the city Bradford”.