Pictured: Two women stabbed to death by knifeman during rampage at Muslim religious centre in Lisbon

Photos have been taken of the two women stabbed to death by a knifeman who went on a rampage at an Islamic religious center in Lisbon.

Portuguese nationals Mariana Jadaugy, 24, and Farana Sadrudin, 49, were at the Ismaili Center when an Afghan refugee, locally named Abdul Bashir, came in with a large knife and fatally attacked them after seriously injuring his English teacher.

The father-of-three, whose wife is believed to have died about a year ago, was taken to hospital after being shot in the leg by police responding to emergency calls.

Officers said they fired at him when he ignored orders to drop his weapon and began to walk towards them. The knifeman was transported to São José Hospital, where he is in critical condition and is still under arrest.

Friends and well-wishers today paid tribute to Mariana and Farana, who both worked at the religious center.

Farana Sadrudin was killed by the knifeman in the attack on the religious center in Lisbon

Farana’s friend Gabriela Navalho described her loss as ‘irreparable’ and added: ‘Abide in me saved, your light, smile, our crazy conversations full of laughter. Rest in peace Farana Sadrudin. Blessings to all your family and friends.’

Teresa Pinto added in an online tribute to Mariana, “How cruel this world can be. Portugal opens its arms to those in need and this is the reward.

“Mariana Jadaugy, you will always be in my heart as that happy, kind and generous woman.”

It is not yet clear what the motive for the attack was, but authorities say it was an “isolated incident”.

The brother of a witness to the attack, which took place just before 11am on Tuesday, said he was told the knife man had turned on the victims after they tried to intervene when he stabbed his teacher. The male teacher was seriously injured in the attack.

Omed Taeri, president of the Association of the Afghan Community in Portugal, said the suspect had shown “signs of fear and desperation” in his daily struggle to feed his children with the scarce resources he had.

But Portuguese President Marcelo Reblelo de Sousa, after visiting the scene of the fatal double stabbing and speaking with the mother of the younger of the two murdered women, said: “There is nothing that justifies a criminal act.”

The country’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa said everything points to an “isolated incident”.

The knifeman is now under police guard at Sao Jose Hospital in Lisbon.

The attack took place at the Ismaili Center on Tuesday. Pictured: Officers standing outside after the attack

The attacker is an Afghan who had lost his wife “in difficult circumstances” in a refugee camp in Greece before moving to Portugal with his three children aged four, seven and nine, Portuguese minister José Luis Carneiro said.

He had arrived in Portugal through a European Union program that transfers asylum seekers to member states to ease pressure on Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy, Carneiro added.

In a statement, Rahim Firozali, the chairman of the National Council of the Islamic Ismaili Community, said the gunman “attacked three people who were in the Ismaili center, killing two of them and wounding a third.”

The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, commonly known as the Ismailis, belong to the Shia branch of Islam.

Members of the minority group have been attacked by extremist groups in countries such as Pakistan.

The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, commonly known as the Ismailis, belong to the Shia branch of Islam.

According to their website, Ismaili Muslims form a culturally diverse community living in more than 25 countries around the world.

There are about 7,000 Ismaili Muslims living in Portugal, a country of about 10 million people.

Portugal has not recorded any significant terror attacks in recent decades and religious violence is virtually unheard of.

However, members of the minority group have been attacked by extremist groups in countries such as Pakistan.