Walsall community unites to remember father and children killed in crash

Thousands of people came to the Aisha Mosque and Islamic Centre on Rutter Street in Walsall to offer a prayer for Alomgir Hussain and his children Mohammed Zakir Hussain, aged 9, Maira Hussain, aged 4, and Mohammed Yunus Hussain.

The youngest of the children was the unborn child that Mr Hussain's wife lost when she suffered a miscarriage in the crash.

Mr Hussain, who is said to have worked as a chef at Everest Noodle House in Walsall town centre, died alongside his children in a car crash in Leicestershire on Friday, September 8, with Mr Hussain's wife currently still in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

The Janazah (funeral prayer) was held at the mosque following the Zuhr Salah prayer at 1.30pm on Saturday, the second prayer of the day and one which usually brings hundreds of people to the mosque.

Preceding the prayers, people were able to walk through an adjoining room and see the coffins, allowing them to pay their respects before going to pray.

The effect the deaths of Mr Hussain, who worked at Everest Noodle House in the town centre, and his children had on the community could be seen by the number of people filing into the mosque, with every area filling up.

It wasn't just people who came to Aisha Mosque either, but was also people from across the Islamic community in Walsall who came to show their respects.

In order to accommodate all of those who wished to attend the Janazah, the coffins were taken out to the front of the mosque, with people lining up at the front and in the car parks on Rutter Street and Camden Street and walkie-talkies broadcasting the Imam's address to those standing outside.

It was a sombre and emotional occasion as those present prayed for those they had lost, with members of Mr Hussain's family standing front and centre.

This included his uncle Farid Miah, who said he and the family had really appreciated all the heartfelt condolences, but were still taking in what had happened.

He said: "This moment, with all the heartfelt condolences, shows that we are one and it's amazing when we are connected as you are able to face challenges better.

"It's really hard to take in what has happened as all it was was them going out on a family trip and you can't imagine that something like this is ever going to happen and you never get used to seeing more than one body at a time.

"We will cherish their memories though and I remember Alomgir being so easy going and [he] had a child-like sense of humour and I never saw him angry and always saw him smiling, so that's the kind of guy he was."

The president of Aisha Mosque, Shabir Hussain said the family were very much a part of the mosque, with Farid leading prayers at times, and spoke of the sense of loss.

He said: "We are all one community at the end of the day and it's a very sad and tragic loss of a young person in their prime.

"He and they were a big part of the community and a big loss for us, but this shows that we are united as a community and we can be together in happiness as well as in the depths."

The coffins were taken to Streetly Cemetery following the service where the family were laid to rest.