Bismallah al Rahman al Rahim. From God we come, to God we return. The Islamic Association of the Shenandoah Valley grieves for the victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings and stands in solidarity with the Muslim community of New Zealand and all New Zealanders in the wake of this calamity. We express our profound sympathy for the victims’ families. We condemn in the strongest terms the murder of forty-nine Muslim worshippers during Friday prayers and call on all leaders worldwide to join in condemnation of all hatred and violence against all religious groups, including Muslims. We are grateful for the expressions of love and solidarity from our local community and beyond.
This crime was planned for and streamed on social media: we appeal to all people not to share this video. Especially at this time of heightened danger, we urge all religious organizations, especially mosques to review “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet by CAIR.
Asalaam aleikum, peace be with you.