Still reeling from the shock of a recent murder-suicide, the Muslim community of Allen has rallied to bring people together through prayer and address mental health issues.
A vigil was held Wednesday night at the Islamic Association of Allen (IAA) in remembrance of the Sherwani family and in an effort to raise awareness about mental health services for community members.
As previously reported in The Dallas Express, the bodies of Farman Sherwani, his wife Layla, and their sons Shaheen, 12, and Mateen, 2, were discovered in their home on Monday morning, fatally shot in an apparent murder-suicide.
The parents had been mourning the death of their 4-year-old girl Lyian, who had drowned earlier this month, as Imam Abdul Rahman Bashir, religious director of the IAA, recalled.
“In this type of situation, it’s not easy for any family. In spite of having many family members here, they were really broken,” Bashir told Fox 4 KDFW.
While a funeral was held for the family on Tuesday in keeping with the Islamic ritual of Janaza, IAA invited the community back the following day.
Together with the Muslim Association of Psychological Services (MAPS), IAA planned the vigil as one of many outreach events to address mental health in light of this crisis.
“We reach out to the community to remind them of the importance of being there for each other, if someone needs help, to reach out to whoever it is that may trust to reach out in these tragic times. We offer the mosque and open these doors to serve as a safe place for them,” Bashir explained, per NBC 5 DFW.
Moreover, in 2021, Allen’s Muslim community was struck by another apparent murder-suicide that resulted in six family members being found dead.
Speaking on Wednesday during a panel, Abida Minhas, Saihba Ali, and Heena Khan, MAPS founders, highlighted the critical importance of reaching out for support.
“Amidst the challenges brought about by the recent incident in Allen, our devoted religious leaders and empathetic mental health counselors are uniting to provide unwavering support for our community. In this trying time, we extend our helping hand, offering guidance, comfort, and resources tailored to your needs,” the event page on Facebook read.
The community has also been invited to participate in a Slido to share their feelings on the incident anonymously, as well as pass on any messages of support to the Sherwani family.
Noting the potential hurdles that culture and language can pose for Muslim immigrants to the U.S., MAPS focuses on a community-driven approach to building awareness about the mental health services available to individuals.
As recently reported by The Dallas Express, the suicide rate in the U.S. hit an all-time high in 2022.
