THE UNITY ATTACK😔

15 MARCH 2019

It was one fine Friday. It was a bright day, the green grass glistened in the sun which was blazing in the cloudless sky. Friday is known as a holy day to Muslims. It is more significant and more beneficial than any other day of the week. It is the day Muslims gather together to pray in congregation. Friday is also the day which one of the greatest verses in the Quran was revealed.

"This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and I have chosen Islam as your religion." (Quran 5:3)

I was at school that particular Friday, getting ready to perform Maghrib prayer when suddenly I saw my friend Khadijah broke into tears.

I came to her and she told me about the Christchurch mosque shooting.

We had no smartphones so we kinda feel lame and left behind when it comes to current issues.😕

She used to live in New Zealand before, specifically Christchurch because her mom was having MASTERS education there. She knows almost everyone that died because of the shooting. One of her close childhood friends, Sayyad Milne, 14 years old was performing his Friday prayers was one of the victims affected by this mass shooting.

This was the photo of Sayyad that Khadijah showed to us

The Christchurch mosque shootings were two consecutive terrorist attacks at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, during Friday Prayer on 15 March 2019. The attacks began at the Al Noor Mosque in the suburb of Riccarton at 1.40 pm, and continued at the Linwood Islamic Centre at about 1.55 pm. The gunman live-streamed the first attack on Facebook Live. 

The attacks killed 50 people and injured 50 others. A 28-year-old Australian man,described in media reports as a white supremacist and part of the alt-right, was arrested and charged with murder. Politicians and world leaders condemned the attacks.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called it one of New Zealand's "darkest days."

It is the deadliest mass shooting in modern New Zealand history. It has rekindled memories of the last tragedy to hit Christchurch.

Al Noor Mosque, where 42 people were killed.

I was touched when I knew that people in New Zealand held vigils and laid flowers at the mosques all around the country in tribute to 50 victims of the attack. 

💙😔

Students in New Zealand also paid a moving tribute to two of their peers who died in the in the Christchurch shooting. They performed a haka, a ceremonial Maori dance, to mourn the victims and honour the dead.

I honestly lost for words when Khadijah told me about this. People have been reduced to killing each other, and this make me feel sick. I can't even begin to comprehend why would someone commit such an inhumane act and hast the guts to also mainstream it? 😢

What has this world come to?

My deep condolences to the victims of the cold blooded terrorist attack. What a sad and shameful day for humanity..

;)

Dear killer, 

You can kill Muslims but you cannot kill Islam. Islam is the religion of peace, love and tolerance.

We will not be afraid

We will not lose hope

We will continue going to our mosques 

Our faith will get stronger 

We will remain united 

We will bow down only to Allah

Terrorism has no religion

Extremist has no place in the earth

Assalmualaikum, 

💗, Sofea