Love, Not Hate

Assalamualaikum sisters and brothers 😊

On Friday, mosques in Christchurch were filled with people who gathered for Friday prayers. They were fathers, mothers, grandparents, daughters and sons. Each and every one of them should have returned home safe to their families.

Instead, 50 people attended their last prayer. The first funerals are happening today, while dozens remain in hospital, many in a critical condition, and those who survived must live with the trauma of having witnessed this horrific act of terror.

Our collective community is in mourning, our hearts weighed down by grief. “We represent diversity, kindness, compassion. A home for those who share our values. Refuge for those who need it.” Since Friday, I’ve had Jacinda Ardern’s words in my head.

At the heart of what happened in Christchurch is fear, intolerance and bigotry. We cannot pretend that hate speech and racism, which is becoming more normalised in our politics and in our society, has nothing to do with this attack in New Zealand.

But hate is not who we are as Muslims. There may be a lot of anger in this world, but there is a lot more love. To all those who feel helpless right now: you are not powerless.

Each of us can - and must - help stop the spread of bigotry and fear. We do that by standing together, acting with integrity and compassion, and using our voice and our vote in a way that reflects those values.

Survivors of Friday’s attack have come out with messages of love for their country and fellow Kiwis. In the midst of what they’re going through - the pain, loss and turmoil - their courage is incredibly inspiring.

I believe it is now our responsibility to follow their lead.

So this week, I want to invite you to be brave and be active.

💗 Ask yourself, “How can I help promote understanding and unity?” We can each play a part in stopping things like this from happening again.

We need to lead by example in our own communities. We know that most hate and discrimination stems from a fear of ‘the other’.

💗Comment below and share how you are going to show you care

#love #diversity #community #welcome,brother #NZ #martyrs #Faith #peace #share #care