W.Va. Muslim group seeks proper burial for Kanawha City man

CHARLESTON – A deceased Charleston Muslim’s journey to the Hereafter will include a stop in a secular American courtroom.

In a petition filed March 4 in Kanawha Circuit Court, the Islamic Association of West Virginia asked that it be appointed as representative for Ahmad Fadaie. Specifically, IAWV, a non-profit organization based in South Charleston that promotes understanding of the Muslim faith, wants to take possession of his body so as to provide Fadaie a burial “in accordance with Islamic laws and traditions.”

According to the petition, Fadaie was born in Iran in 1957. No other details are provided about his life except he died of natural causes on Feb. 7 at his apartment in Kanawha City.

Because he has no living relatives in the United States, IAWV says nobody has come forward to claim his body, which is currently in the custody of the state Medical Examiner’s Office in South Charleston. Once it takes possession of Fadaie’s body, IAWV says it plans to coordinate with Bartlett, Burdett and Cox Funeral Home of Charleston to provide an “appropriate Islamic prayer service” for him.

Also, IAWV says it will pay for any funeral and burial expenses. The petition was filed by Mahmoud M. Shahbandy, IAWV’s former president and current executive committee member.

The case is assigned to Judge Charles E. King, Jr.

Kanawha Circuit Court, case number 13-MISC-108