We fear we will be next, says family of newsagent who was stabbed to death by another Muslim in a religiously motivated attack after posting Happy Easter message

The family of a Muslim shopkeeper stabbed to death after posting an Easter message online say they now fear for their lives. 

Newsagent Asad Shah, 40, was killed at his shop in Glasgow on Thursday, hours after writing on Facebook: ‘Good Friday and very happy Easter, especially to my beloved Christian nation.’ A 32-year-old Muslim man was arrested on Friday and last night remained in police custody in connection with the attack, which officers confirmed was ‘religiously motivated’

Mr Shah’s family, originally from Pakistan, are members of the Ahmadiyya Islamic sect, which preaches ‘love for all, hatred for none’, but is seen as sacrilegious by orthodox Muslims. 

Yesterday, close relatives of Mr Shah revealed they are ‘fearful for their own security’ in the wake of his death. Speaking to The Mail on Sunday on the condition that their names are not published, they paid tribute to a ‘much loved’ husband, brother and uncle.

One of Mr Shah’s brothers, who flew to Glasgow from his home in the US following the news, added: ‘We’re still coming to terms with what happened and we have to be careful now about our security. We’re scared for our lives.’

Police arrested a 32-year-old Muslim man on Friday in connection with Mr Shah’s death. A spokeswoman said: ‘A full investigation is underway to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death which is being treated as religiously prejudiced.’

Mr Shah was a member of the Ahmadi movement, which has its origins in British-controlled northern India in the late 19th Century, identifies itself as a Muslim movement and follows the teachings of the Koran. However, it is regarded by orthodox Muslims as heretical because it does not believe that Mohammed was the final prophet sent to guide mankind, as orthodox Muslims believe is laid out in the Koran. In some predominantly Muslim countries Ahmadis are persecuted, and in Pakistan a constitutional amendment passed in 1974 declaring Ahmadiyya non-Muslims. 

Sources at a Glasgow mosque say there are only 500 Ahmadi in Scotland, with around 400 of them based in and around Glasgow. Many of them are thought to have known Mr Shah.