CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – At 1:30 on Friday afternoon, Muslims in Christchurch began their weekly prayers. A week earlier, these same prayers were interrupted by a gunman who burst into the Al Noor Mosque and killed 42 people, then drove across town to kill eight more at another mosque.
In brief remarks before the silence in Hagley Park, Ardern cited the prophet Muhammad as saying that “the believers, in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body.” In an open air ceremony in front of about 20,000 people, imams who had been in the Al Noor Mosque during the attack – including one who was featured on the front page of the local paper, covered in blood, the day after the attack – led the prayers.
“I think it’s beautiful,” said Mohammad Fahmi, a 29-year-old doctor from Malaysia who moved to New Zealand a decade ago to study medicine. “As a Muslim myself, it really helps to know that the rest of New Zealand is with us. It’s especially beautiful to see all these New Zealand women wearing hijab,” he said after the prayers in Hagley Park.
In the northern city of Tauranga, the mosque was overflowing, leading some worshipers to lay their prayer mats outside in the sun.
charlesadler Sharia law Muslim women treated like dirt cattle
charlesadler Muslim religion where Women are treated like 3rd class citizens dirt under Muslim men’s feet
charlesadler Muslim religion where are 3rd class citizens dirt under men’s feet
One country we can strike off our bucketlist
The islamists will find a way to capitalize on the weakness of these people.
charlesadler Hijab and an assault rifle. Necessities of real socialism
charlesadler Great way to support oppression
Good on them, hate won’t win!
It’s possible to stand with our Muslim brothers and sisters without supporting modesty culture. Not only is it possible, it’s preferable.
Submission never looked so good.