An event to remember and reflect on the massacre of 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, will be held tonight (Sunday, March 17) at the Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre in Richmond at 5:45 to 7:30 p.m.
The event will include recitation of the Qur'an, speeches, poems, an open-mic discussion and prayers.
The event is hosted by the Az-Zahraa Youth in Motion. The Islamic centre on No. 5 Road is part of the Shia Muslim Community of B.C. Its president, Ebrahim Rehmtulla, made a statement on Facebook yesterday saying the community expresses its “heartfelt condolences to the families and the community” of the worshippers who were “mercilessly killed.”
On Saturday, the death toll rose to 50 with about 50 still in hospital, some in critical condition.
“We join other Muslim Organizations and all upstanding people across the globe in calling for swift action on the part of the New Zealand law enforcement authorities, to bring the perpetrators to justice. We also call upon the authorities worldwide to pool resources to rid us of the evils of such terrorism, racism, bigotry, hate speech and the ideology that lead to these senseless acts of terrorism that continue to plague us in these turbulent times,” he said in the Facebook statement.
Rehmtulla also called on local police to be vigilant around mosques, but also to ensure this doesn’t happen at churches, synagogues and temples.
