“We are gathering today for this purpose and showing sympathy. Love for all, hatred for none: that is our message for everyone.”
Source/Credit: Edmonton Journal
By Mariam Ibrahim | November 15, 2015
Carrying a message of peace and sympathy, Muslim worshippers gathered at an Edmonton mosque Sunday to condemn the terrorist attacks in Paris and grieve for the victims.
Congregants of the Ahmadiyya Hadi Mosque at 70th Street and 98th Avenue came together to pray for the more than 120 people slain and hundreds more wounded in the co-ordinated attacks on the French capital Friday.
“All of us are heartbroken. We are sad that such things are happening,” said Mohyuddin Mirza, outreach director for the mosque. “And the name of Islam, which is our religion — my religion — is being maligned that Islam is violent. That is not the case at all.”
Imam Nasir Butt said it was important to come together to condemn the attacks, pray for the victims and show the greater community that Islam is a religion of peace not represented by the people who carried out Friday’s attacks.
“We are gathering today for this purpose and showing sympathy,” he said. “Love for all, hatred for none: that is our message for everyone.”
His comments echoed those from religious and political leaders around the world who worried the attacks would spark a backlash.
Nicolas Chapuis, the French ambassador to Canada, said the Paris attacks should not harden the hearts of nations toward millions of legitimate refugees fleeing war the Middle East.
“The people who are seeking refuge are not the barbarians,” he said. “They are fleeing the barbarians.”
Authorities say three groups of terrorists launched simultaneous attacks Friday night at the France national stadium, the Bataclan concert hall and nearby restaurants and hot spots filled with weekend revellers. The Islamic State claimed responsibility.
“It was just devastating, horrible what happened,” said Edmonton congregant Khalida Khawaja, 30.
She said she was at work when she first heard the news and immediately called her parents to tell them what happened. “It’s just so scary. Something like that should not be happening in our world.”
Worshippers said they were struck by shock and sadness when news of the carnage in Paris began to spread.
But she said she worries that some might equate all Muslims — a diverse community of 1.5 billion people worldwide — with the Paris attackers.
“It does happen sometimes. I’ve faced it, too,” she said.
In one instance, someone pointed at her head scarf and said, “Your people did this,” she said.
“I said, ‘I’m sorry, but I’m completely against these people, too. Terrorism has no religion, in my belief,’ ” Khawaja said. “Whoever these people claim to be, if they were following the teachings that Islam teaches, they wouldn’t be doing this.”
With files from CP
mibrahim@edmontonjournal.com
twitter.com/mariamdena
Read original post here: Edmonton mosque holds special prayers for Paris attack victims
This content-post is archived for backup and to keep archived records of any news Islam Ahmadiyya. The views expressed by the author and source of this news archive do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Ahmadiyya Times. Ahmadiyya Times is not an organ of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, nor in any way associated with any of the community's official websites.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comments. Any comments irrelevant to the post's subject matter, containing abuses, and/or vulgar language will not be approved.