Emotional Burial In Lebanon For The Young Victim Of UK Shooting

Souad Lazkani·
Lebanon News
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19-year-old Aya Hachem was just on her way to buy groceries at a local market when shots fired from a passing car took her life on May 17th.

The innocent law student took a bullet to the chest in a nasty drive-by shooting in Blackburn, Lancashire; the bullet was not even targeting her, according to Preston Magistrates’ Court, who has charged five people for both the heinous murder and attempted murder.

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You returned to your lord in the holiest months, performing the holiest of acts (fasting), on the holiest of nights. Your death has touched the whole of humanity, most of us don’t know you but we feel the pain like your our blood. And that’s why we are all behind your family Shia, sunni, Christian, Jewish, hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and atheists. The ones who acted like they wanted to help and then changed their mind when they found out you are a Shia Muslim, and the ones who withdrew their donations for the same reasons, and the ones who supported them on their social platforms, we ask Allah to soften their hearts and guide them to the true teachings of our holy prophet of mercy and love. As a fellow Shia Muslim I was deeply hurt for so many reasons but yet I received so much love and support from all Muslims and non Muslims, let’s not forget the pain her family and loved ones are going through, they have lost their daughter at the tender age of 19 in the most barbaric way. As a father of a girl I can’t even imagine how the father feels right now, I know the connection of a daughter to her father and wallah every time I think about it I cry. May Allah give her family the patience to Get through this tragedy. Imam Ali (as) says ‘’people are of 2 types, they are either your brothers in faith or equals in humanity’’. Let’s all show solidarity and unity what ever our background or religion and show love and support to Aya Hachem’s family. MAY ALLAH HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL AYA #ripayahachem #ayahachem #unity #humanity #solidarity #unitedwestand

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Being Lebanese born, Aya was brought to her hometown of Qleileh in Tyre to receive a proper burial in the eyes of her family and loved ones.

“We received a lot of solidarity from Arab communities,” Aya’s father Ismail Hachem told The Daily Star. Even the Ambassador of Lebanon to the UK Rami Mortada was a huge support to the family.

In an emotional state, Aya’s mother, Samar, told The Daily Star, “I couldn’t have imagined that my daughter, who was supposed to return [to Lebanon] with a graduation gown from law school, would return in a coffin.”

The Daily Star/Mohammed Zaatari

“I saw in Aya the embodiment of my dreams and wishes,” Ismail said to Arab News on the day of her burial. “She was an ambitious and passionate girl, focusing on her studies.”

He said that he always envisioned that she would one day become Britain’s Prime Minister.

Hopefully, there will be justice for Aya, as thirteen people have been detained over her murder. Five of them have been lawfully charged, and two others remain in custody.