Muslims praying (illustration)
Muslims praying (illustration)Flash 90

A popular Muslim shopkeeper was murdered in Glasgow, Scotland by another Muslim last Thursday, mere hours after posting a warm Easter message on Facebook to "my beloved Christian nation."

The shopkeeper, 40-year-old Asad Shah, was a devout Muslim who originally hailed from Rabwah in Pakistan, reports The Telegraph on Saturday. According to an eyewitness, in addition to stabbing him his assailants stomped on his head.

Roughly four hours before his brutal murder, Shah wrote on Facebook: "Good Friday and a very Happy Easter, especially to my beloved Christian nation. Let's follow the real footstep of beloved holy Jesus Christ and get the real success in both worlds."

He was then found seriously wounded on Minard Road, Glasgow, and taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where medical staff were forced to pronounce his death.

On Friday afternoon, police announced they had arrested a 32-year-old Muslim man for taking part in the murder.

"A full investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death which is being treated as religiously prejudiced," added a police spokesperson.

An eyewitness told the Daily Record on condition of anonymity: "as I drove past I saw two men standing over the victim. One was stamping on his head. There was a pool of blood on the ground. It was horrific."

“The police arrived in minutes and the poor guy was getting CPR at the scene. I really hope he pulls through.”

Shah was the self-employed owner of the store Shah's Health and Fitness. On his Facebook page he previously called for "unconditional real love for all mankind."

He was reportedly a member of the Ahmadi minority Muslim sect, which is regarded as heretical by other Muslims for, among other things, its pacifist theology.

In the wake of his shocking murder, a fundraising campaign to help support his family was launched on the GoFundMe website on Friday "to show how much he was cared for."

Within six hours, the six had raised over 5,000 pounds (over $7,000).