۱۳ اردیبهشت ۱۴۰۳ |۲۳ شوال ۱۴۴۵ | May 2, 2024
Non-Muslims in Canada plan to 'hug' Stratford mosque during Friday prayers

People in Stratford are planning to come out and stand in a circle around the town's mosque Friday during lunchtime prayers in what's being called a Circle of Love.

Hawzah News Agency - "We'll be on the property showing support for them and just encircling their building and showing them they're a valued part of our community," organizer Tim Veal told CBC News. 

Veal, who works with the youth ministry at Avon Mennonite Church, said the church has been working with the mosque over the past year and he knows the imam, Omar Alshehri. 

"It's just all about humanity," Veal said. 

When a shooting at a Quebec City mosque killed six people and wounded 19 others, Veal said he felt like he needed to do something to show support to local Muslims. 

He recalled hearing about people in Egypt surrounding a museum in Cairo during riots in 2011. They stood side-by-side to protect the artifacts inside. 

"That was my first reaction, as sort of a security thing," Veal said of planning Friday's event. 

"It then turned into something that was more about, instead of outward facing, more inward facing as sort of a measure of support and care and love to them." 

Alshehri said since the shooting, the mosque has received an outpouring of support from the small community. 

One parent emailed asking if she could bring her children to the mosque Friday for the sermon "in order for them not to grow up the way I grew up," Alshehri said. 

"It's beautiful, the emails we have received," he added. "Everyone is showing support and we're feeling very grateful for that, we're feeling very safe." 

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