Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during the funeral for Faraz Tahir at Masjid Baitul Huda, in Sydney, Friday, April 26, 2024. Security guard Faraz Tahir was one of the six victims killed at Westfield Bondi Junction on April 13 in a mass stabbing rampage.(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) Source: AAP / DAN HIMBRECHTS/AAPIMAGE
Published 26 April 2024
By Liz Maddock
Presented by Alex Anyfantis
Source: SBS News
The family and friends of the security guard who was killed during the Bondi Junction mass stabbing have come together to say goodbye. The Prime Minister, New South Wales Premier, and leaders of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community were also present, hailing Faraz Tahir as a national hero.
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On Wednesday, Faraz Tahir would have celebrated his 31st birthday.
Instead, the people closest to him have gathered at the Baitul Huda Mosque in Blacktown for his funeral, the security guard one of the six victims of the man who attacked shoppers at Bondi Junction a few weeks ago.
Faraz was on his first day shift as a security guard at the complex when Queensland man Joel Cauchi began attacking people.
The 30 year old’s three brothers were among those who attended the funeral service, eldest brother Mudasar Bashir describing Faraz as the strongest person he has ever known.
“He was very brave. And he was strong. The strongest person in our family obviously, and now in Australia, he was the strongest person, he was the bravest person I’ve ever seen.”
Inamul Haq Kauser is the President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Australia.
“His sacrifice has been recognised by all Australians. Although he was a stranger in this country, you can say, in one way, but he sacrificed his life for all Australians.”
Mr Kauser says a blood donation program has been set up in his name.
“His life is not going to go into vain. He has (been) sacrificed and it will be taken care of and has been recognised by the Australians. And we will keep it, his legacy, through the blood donation. We’ll be doing it, we already started it, but every year we will have the blood donation, we will give other blood to save the Australians’ life. That will be (the) legacy for his name.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns were among the public figures at the funeral.
The Prime Minister has hailed Mr Tahir as a hero who will be remembered by all Australians for confronting the knife-wielding attacker, only to be killed himself.
“Faraz Tahir gave everything to help others: his time, his energy, his optimism and dedication, his heart and his soul. And on that devastating Saturday afternoon at Bondi Junction, he gave his life. Running toward danger, to protect people he had never met.”
Mr Minns described Faraz Tahir as a kindhearted and courageous person who was happy to live in Australia.
“Across his life and in more ways than one, Faraz showed himself to be a man of great character as well as courage. As a friend said of Faraz last week, he had a great heart. He was grateful to be part of this community. He was grateful to call Australia home.”
Faraz Tahir was born in the Punjab region of Pakistan.
He had fled from religious persecution, initially moving to Sri Lanka before settling in Sydney.
Mr Bashir says Faraz had hoped to help the rest of his family.
“He had lots of dreams. He had lots of dreams. He said that ‘I will go (to) Australia and I will settle down’ and his mission was – because he said that his younger brother, he was very loving for him. So every time, when I spoke to him he said that ‘I want him to come to me.'”
Security guard Muhammad Taha was with Faraz at the time of the attack, and was also stabbed.
He attended the funeral in a wheelchair as he recovers from his injuries.
Although suffering from lingering pain and broken sleep, Mr Taha had refused to miss the chance to say goodbye.
“I wanted to attend this funeral. So I request them so that they can allow me to attend his funeral, even for a short period of time. But I wanted to see him.”
Mr Taha says he remembers the final words spoken by Faraz Tahir during the dramatic attack.
“When the incident happened, people were shouting and screaming. We were trying to save people at that time. And his last words were, at that time was, ‘let’s find out what’s going on.'”
Faraz will now be buried in Riverstone.
Categories: Australia