THE BROTHER of a Bradford teacher who died in a road tragedy has paid tribute to a “kind-hearted” man with an “infectious smile”.

Hafiz Asad Ali Rashid died after a motorcycle crash in Cheshire on 15 September.

The collision involved two cars and two motorbikes as Asad, the rider of one of the bikes, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Asad, 34, was a teacher at the Islamic Tarbiyah Preparatory School (ITPS) in Manningham and was known as a selfless person who would often help people in his local community.

Now, Asad’s older brother, Assam Rashid, has spoken of the “pain” and “shock” his family have since endured, while paying tribute to a man who “rarely turned down an opportunity to help others.”

“Asad was a son, a brother, a friend, a dear uncle and also a primary school teacher at ITPS Bradford”, said Assam, 38.

“Many will remember Asad by his infectious smile, love for children and willingness to lend a hand to any good cause. He was passionate about paving the way and creating a brighter future for the generations to come.

“He brought his classroom etiquette home with his nephews and nieces, with whom he had a close bond.

“His death was very sudden. It was a shock, and the pain is always going to be there.

“The Janazah [funeral] was very difficult. A lot of people in the family and from the Asian community wanted to pay their respects, but we had to limit the numbers due to Covid-19.

“After he died, his body wasn’t released by police straight away, because of the nature of his death and what he went through.

“As Muslims, we like to carry out the Janazah as soon as possible after the death, but we obviously couldn’t do that as the police still had his body - so my parents were really anxious.

"They just wanted to see Asad one last time and get the burial done. Those few days were really, really tough - but the feeling in our family at the moment is content and closure.

“Like always, the loss for a mother and father is bigger than it is for anyone else. But Asad has gone to a better place now.

“He was a great guy. I know I’m his brother and of course I would say that, but I mean it from the heart. He was really supportive, he was quiet, kept himself to himself and liked to stay in the background.

“He wasn’t into fancy things, he was a simple guy. All he’d wear, most of the time, was a white salwar kameez.

“He was a teacher at ITPS for at least ten years and would help out at the nearby Dar-ul Mahmood mosque every other weekend.

“He loved motorbikes and enjoyed riding out on warm summer days, and that’s of course how he passed away.

"He was very active, he enjoyed running, he was a regular at Bradford Parkrun and liked to play football.

"The support we have received in praise of Asad has left us feeling truly blessed. We’ve set up a GoFundMe page to continue the charitable work Asad was involved in, already raising over £10,000, and we thank everyone for their support.

“Some of the money will help with renovation of the Dar-ul Mahmood mosque which Asad volunteered at - he always told me he wanted to get the mosque done, it was very close to his heart.

“The money will also provide clean water to families who don’t have access to it, in the Indian subcontinent and in parts of Africa, and we hope to raise money for these good causes on Asad’s behalf.

“As a family, we’re sticking together and taking it day by day.”

The GoFundMe page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/hafiz-asad-ali-rashid-sadaqa-jariya-projects