A Muslim scholar, Khalid Latif, has expressed his condolences to the relatives and friends of Farbin Towhid, a first-year student at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts who was killed along with her family in the unfortunate events that took place in Dallas, Texas.
While expressing his condolences on Tuesday April 6, 2021, via his Facebook page, Latif stated, “Some of you have likely heard news of already. May Allah grant her and her family members peace and entrance into jannah without any judgement. Ameen.”
“For those who knew Farbin, they knew her to be a source of illumination. Her friends that I’ve spoken to thus far describe her literally as someone whose presence would light up a room. Her energy was infectious and her smile was unforgettable.
“She was a dedicated student, friend, and daughter. Her art moved people and her kind soul and its everlasting impact on those privileged to have met her will never be forgotten,” he added.
“In the 16 years that I’ve been blessed to serve our community at the Islamic Center at NYU, one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced is the passing of one of our students.
Khalid Latif
“It’s a very different kind of loss that I don’t really have words to describe. I have a deep love for each of you and our students have a very special place within that. The devastating nature of this instance makes it that much more difficult.
“I’ve been in communication with people in Dallas who are close to the situation to see if there is anything that we can do to support them and those who are left behind,” Latif wrote on Facebook.
Commenting about Towhid’s death, a resident, Sagir Hasnain, said, “Farbin was friend of my daughter. She told me she [had] never seen another girl with so much generosity and good will.
“I pray that we preserve her memory, celebrate her accomplishments, and let not define her with this tragic event.”
Khalid Latif is the Executive Director and Chaplain for the Islamic Center at New York University. In 2005, Latif was appointed the first Muslim chaplain at NYU. In 2006, Latif was appointed the first Muslim chaplain at Princeton University.
