Today, as Muslims assembled for Friday prayers in a masjid located in downtown Christchurch, New Zealand, a fully armed male, openly and indiscriminately, fired upon the Muslim worshippers. The shooting was directed at all within the mosque, both men and women. The number of those killed or injured has yet to be determined.
This level of violence is categorically condemned, and each and every perpetrator must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for these heinous crimes. No moral conscious can justify the murder of innocent worshippers in a house of worship, a safe haven and a place of refuge.
We extend our deepest sympathies to the grieving families of our brothers and sisters in faith who were killed today, and we ask Allah, our Creator and Sustainer, to grant peace and solace in this time of tremendous loss.
As a world community, all people of faith must renounce any ideology that seeks to justify the murder of any group of people based solely upon their faith. Fearmongering must be challenged, and civility must dominate our social interactions.
Finally, we wish to remind the leadership of each of our member organizations to be vigilant at Jumah prayer services.