Tributes have been paid to a charity worker and inter-faith campaigner whose work ‘epitomised the community spirit of Blackburn’.

Hafez Sadiq Patel (pictured above) was one of Blackburn’s hardest-working and well-known volunteers and community workers who was at the forefront of a number of campaigns.

In 2017, a picture of him comforting a Jewish neighbour and friend following the Manchester Arena terror attacks went viral.

Around 1,000 people turned out to pay their final respects to Sadiq who was buried at Pleasington Cemetery on Friday in one of the largest funerals to be held there in recent years.

The 53-year-old had worked at the Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) and most recently was UK Country director at the Al-Imdaad Foundation. Anyone who met Sadiq was taken in by his humility and his willingness to assist with any task big or small.

In May 2017, Mr Patel was pictured united in grief alongside Jewish campaigner Renee Black. Renee was pictured weeping and praying with Sadiq Patel in Albert Square two days after the Manchester Arena terror attack.

She had travelled to Manchester two days after the May 2017 atrocity with Mr Patel who regularly helped her with shopping and other trips. The picture was shared across the world and featured on a number of national and international news websites.

Miss Black died aged 96 in a care home in Prestwich in 2020.

Speaking later Sadiq said: “I was distressed by the horror of the Manchester bombing and like many others, Renee and I just wanted to express our sympathy for all the affected families. I love Blackburn and I’m optimistic about its future.”

The Al-Imaad Foundation said in a statement Sadiq’s ‘impact and legacy lives on in every act of kindness, in every heart he touched’.

The statement read: “Hafiz Sadiq was not just our leader – he was a shining light, a soul who touched the hearts of thousands through his unwavering dedication to serving humanity, a role he served with absolute devotion till it led him to his last breath.

His kindness, humility, and compassion were a testament to his faith, and his tireless work with the Al-Imdaad Foundation changed countless lives. He was there for the most vulnerable, always striving to bring comfort where there was pain, hope where there was despair, and joy where there was hardship.”

It continued: “Hafiz Sadiq was a man of immense integrity and profound faith, driven by a deep love for Allah (SWT) and our beloved Prophet (SAW). He dedicated his life to the service of others, and in doing so, he became a source of inspiration for all of us.

His legacy is one of boundless generosity, selflessness, and a heart overflowing with compassion. His absence leaves a void that can never be filled, but his memory will forever be a guiding light.”

Cllr Suleman Khonat said: “This is such a sad loss to the community of Lancashire. The funeral and the number of people who turned up showed what an impact he had on others.

In many ways his work was inspired by his late father, Haji Ismail Master, who was always wanted to assist the community and was an extremely humble person.”

Chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, Abdul Alim said: “Sadiq was an integral part of the Blackburn with Darwen inter-faith council since its inception.

Without his contribution, the inter-faith forum would have struggled. He is irreplaceable and was a true inspiration to others.”

Sadiq was a finalist of the 2008 Fusion Awards and was honoured with a lifetime award in 2018 for his efforts in helping to bring communities together at the 1V awards.

Zaffer Khan, of One Voice, said: ‘We are all deeply saddened by the passing of Sadiq Patel. Sadiq won the 1V Outstanding Achievement Award in 2018 for his work on community cohesion.

I always admired Sadiq’s dedication to his work but also his genuine warmth he displayed whenever you met him. He was able to unite communities and forge friendships from across the borough and beyond. In his untimely death we have lost a true community champion, and a friend.

Our sincere condolences to the family.”