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Date: 01 Feb 2010
Time: 19:48:34 -0700
Mosques offer reward in homicide of Chester man By Mari A. Schaefer Inquirer Staff Writer Abulaash Ansari was always first to help with repairs at his Chester mosque, and first at the door for morning prayers. He had a smile and word of encouragement for everyone. The lamb-and-rice dish he served up at many weddings and celebrations was legendary. Now the Muslim community - all four of the city's mosques - is offering a $5,000 reward for information that they hope will lead police to his killer. On the night of Dec. 12, Ansari, 57, was at home with his son, two daughters, and some grandchildren when there was a knock on the door, and someone who called himself John asked for him. "The minute the door opened, he was shot," said Mohamed Habib, a friend of Ansari's. "Who shot him, we don't know." Another friend, Mustafa Ilyaas, was at home when he received a call about the shooting. He rushed to Crozer-Chester Medical Center to be at Ansari's side. About 20 other neighbors and friends were also there when doctors told the family that Ansari had died from a gunshot to the chest. Chester police say that the investigation is ongoing and that there is a person of interest. "There were some domestic issues that took place prior to the shooting," said Darren Alston, deputy chief of police. "We can't say for sure whether that is connected or not." Irfan Ansari, 30, said he would miss the long talks he had every day with his father. They talked like friends, he said. His father often told him about his family in India. "I'll miss that," he said. "I can't tell you what I lost. I lost everything." The shooting occurred at 9 p.m. on a Saturday near a busy intersection, Habib said. "Somebody saw something," he added. Habib described Ansari as a "softhearted guy" who would help everyone. Ansari was a familiar face in Chester. A native of Ahmedabad, India, he moved to the United States about 20 years ago with his four children. An electrician, he often worked for free on projects at his mosque. He also owned and operated a convenience store in a gas station at 12th and Kerlin Streets, Habib said. Ansari was a devoted Muslim who rose every day by 5 a.m. to pray, Habib said. "He was always there even if he had to open up the mosque by himself to pray," Habib said. "This is really horrific. It has shocked everyone." The last time Fatima Ahmad, 54, of Chester, saw Ansari, he gave her encouraging words and a big smile. "He was like the godfather of the community, and that was putting it mildly," she said. "He would always have something to lift my spirits." Ahmad said she hoped the reward money would generate information for the police. "Hopefully, as a Muslim community, we can stop the violence at our end," she said.