Muslims warned against sharing massacre video

A CALL was made yesterday for Muslims not to share videos of yesterday’s massacre in New Zealand. Imams delivering sermons at yesterday’s Juma congregational prayer service at mosques throughout the country condemned the attack, in which 49 people were shot dead inside two mosques, as an act of hatred against Islam.

Imam Atif Majeed, at ASJA’s Mucurapo Street, San Fernando mosque, urged that the video, made by the gunman, of himself carrying out the killings, and widely circulated on social media, should not engage the attention of any right-thinking person.

“Do you want to see how your Muslim sister was killed, her head was blown away? It is not good for your children. Do not share these videos to anyone.”

Muslims’ only comfort, throughout the Islamic world, Majeed said, is that their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters were not killed masquerading half-naked on the road or gambling.

“They were praying. They died as martyrs and Allah has said, ‘Do not say they are dead. They’re alive,’ for he raises the status of some and lowers the status of others.”

The Imam and congregation made a special dua (prayer) for the departed souls and the same was done in mosques throughout the country.

The Islamic Missionaries Guild (IMG) and Concerned Muslims of TT will hold a prayer service from 9 am today at the its centre in La Solita Road, Kelly Village, Caroni.

Mohammed, who is IMG’s president, described the attack in a media release yesterday as a vicious assault which displayed hatred and racism against the Muslim community in New Zealand by “a few white supremacists.”

The Islamic Front’s leader, Umar Abdullah, denounced some posts being circulated that it was a Christian terrorist attack.’ “The objective is to spew hate and disgust amongst Muslims and Christians. We reject this and call on all Muslims to continue to show their love and compassion they have for their Christian brothers and sisters.” Abdullah also called on Muslims not to share the videos.