Scarborough mourns loss of young basketball star Affan Razzaq
Affan, who grew up in Scarborough before pursuing his basketball dreams in Vaughan and the United States, was widely admired for his grit on the court and his warmth off it.
Scarborough is mourning the loss of one of its rising basketball stars, Affan Razzaq, who passed away on Saturday, August 9, 2025, after a courageous fight with stage 4 brain cancer. He was 20 years old.
Affan, who grew up in Scarborough before pursuing his basketball dreams in Vaughan and the United States, was widely admired for his grit on the court and his warmth off it.
He earned a coveted Division I scholarship in the U.S. through sheer dedication and love for the game — a dream cut short by his diagnosis in December 2024.
His story drew an outpouring of support from Scarborough’s basketball circles, friends across Canada, and the broader Muslim community.
The “Support Affan’s Fight Off the Court – Cancer Battle” GoFundMe campaign, co-organized by his sister Adeena Razzaq, raised more than $43,000 from over 300 donors.
In her final update, Adeena shared:
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. Today, at around 11am, my beloved brother Affan returned to his creator. He fought with unwavering strength, grace, and faith until the end… My family is truly heartbroken, but also comforted knowing that Affan is in a better place, at peace, free from suffering, all in the mercy of Allah SWT.”
Local politician and community leader Ibrahim Daniyal, a longtime family friend, described Affan as “born with the heart of a warrior.”
Daniyal, in his Facebook post, recalled first meeting Affan as a child and again on January 20, 2025, at the onset of his cancer battle:
“Affan greeted every moment with an unwavering smile—even as he faced the beginning of his courageous battle with cancer. While his body may have given way, his spirit remained unshaken. He stayed positive, anchored in his faith, and even encouraged his family when they struggled to find hope.”
Daniyal noted Affan’s achievements as a 6-foot-8 athlete, respected for his competitiveness, energy, and humility.
He had multiple U.S. basketball scholarship offers and a promising career ahead.
“On Saturday, this extraordinary young man passed away just as he lived: as a warrior, fighting until his last breath,” Daniyal said. “Though his time with us was tragically short, it was marked by purpose, impact, and countless moments of inspiration.”
The funeral prayer (Salaat al-Janazah) for Affan Razzaq was held on Monday, August 11, 2025, after the Zuhr prayer at Masjid Usman (Pickering Islamic Centre). Burial followed at Thornton Cemetery, Oshawa, ON.