Virginia Tech Tragedy and Waleed Shaalan

From: Muslim Family Services
Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 07:24:11 -0700 (PDT)

On behalf of the Virginia Tech Muslim Students Association we would like to
express our sincere gratitude to all of the MSAs and Muslims that have
contacted us here in Blacksburg, VA in the midst of this tragedy.
Alhumdulillah we have a national Muslim community that is supportive of each
other, like you all have been to us these past few days. Unfortunately we
lost a brother from our MSA here in Blacksburg. His name is Br. Waleed
Shaalan and he was a graduate student here at Virginia Tech. Waleed left
behind his wife of three years, Amira, and his one-year-old son, Khaled.
With the help of MSA National, we have set up a fund to support his family
during these difficult times. The link in which individuals and MSAs all
over the US and Canada can donate is below. Please keep the brother (may
Allah have mercy upon his soul), his family, and all of us here at Virginia
Tech in your duas.

Jazakumu Allahu Khairan for all of your duas and support.

Wa'alaikumu Assalam waRahmatu Allah,

Nassiba Adjerid
Virginia Tech MSA President

Please donate to support the family of Br. Waleed Shaalan

http://www.msanational.org/finance/vt07donate.html
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=bcdq75bab.0.0.dh4se8bab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msanat
ional.org%2Ffinance%2Fvt07donate.html&id=preview>

Narration by a student in the classroom with Waleed:

The student mentions that Waleed saved his life and wants to convey this to
Waleed's family. Apparently, the murderer came into Norris 206 and shot Dr.
Loganathan and a number of students injuring Waleed. Waleed was sitting in
the front row where he always sat. Everyone jumped to the floor after
hearing the gun shots including the person narrating the story. The murderer
then left Norris 206 to go to another classroom. The student that narrates
the story was not shot but pretended to be dead and lay on the ground beside
Waleed who at that time was only injured. The murderer then re-entered the
classroom and was checking for alive victims. He had approached the person
narrating the story who mentions that his heart was pounding out of fear.
Waleed at that instant made a movement to distract the murderer's attention
and was shot for the second time. At that time Waleed died and the murderer
left the narrator to search for other victims.

Ina Lillahi wa ina Ilayhi rajeoon. We ask Allah to forgive Waleed all his
sins and grant him paradise.

"Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in
goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those
who patiently persevere, Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah We
belong, and to Him is our return":- They are those on whom (Descend)
blessings from Allah, and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive
guidance. [Quran 2:155-157]


F. Hafeez
Program Coordinator
Muslim Family Services
mfs_adm1@yahoo.com
http://www.muslimfamilyservices.org/