Manitoba Islamic Association, Winnipeg Islamic Centre (Bilal Masjid), Winnipeg Central Mosque, Hussaini Association of Manitoba, Canadian Muslim Women’s Institute

الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ  أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

“Those [believers] who say, when afflicted with a calamity, ‘We belong to God and to Him we shall return.’ These will be given blessings and mercy from their Lord, and it is they who are rightly guided.” Qur’an 2:156-157

Dear members of the Muslim community,

Assalamu Alaikum we Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh, may the peace and blessings of God be upon you.

We are all saddened, shocked and grieved by the senseless terrorist attack which targeted two mosques in New Zealand.

We understand that many of us maybe feeling anxious, fearful and concerned. We also know that we are resilient community which will insha Allah come through difficult times.

Please take note of the following:

• There will be police presence at all major mosques in Winnipeg today.
•  If you are feeling physically unsafe, please call the police and reach out to community mosques, support organizations or friends and family for help.
• Take precautions, but there is no need to change your routine for today.
• Make a lot of Du’a (prayer) for the victims and their families and for all victims of senseless violence everywhere.
• Talk to your children about this incident in a supportive manner. See below for tips.
• Please do not hesitate to access mental health support in our community. You can reach a counsellor confidentially by emailing counselling@miaonline.org, or calling 204-202-3109.
• Stay informed, but take a break from social media, and do not engage with trolls.

How to talk to children?

• Remain calm. Your child will look to you for cues about how to react. It’s OK for children to see adults sad or crying, but consider excusing yourself if you’re experiencing intense emotions.
• Reassure your child of his or her safety. Point out factors that ensure your child’s immediate safety. Review Mosque safety procedures.
• Limit media exposure. Constantly watching news coverage of a tragedy can heighten anxiety. When older children watch or read news reports, try to do it with them. Limit details of the event.
• Avoid placing blame. If the tragedy was caused by human violence or error, be careful not to blame a cultural, racial or ethnic group, or people who have mental illnesses. Avoid giving your conclusion to the root cause of why groups insight hate or may target groups.
• Maintain the routine. To give your child a sense of normalcy, keep up your family’s usual dinner, homework and bedtime routine.
• Spend extra time together. This can foster your child’s sense of security. If your child is having trouble sleeping, allow him or her to sleep with a light on or to sleep in your room for a short time.
• Encourage the expression of feelings. Explain that it’s OK to be upset. Let your child write about or draw what he or she is feeling. Encourage time with friends. Physical activity might serve as an outlet for frustration.
• Do something. Consider ways to help victims and their families. Make dua for the victims together.

We ask Allah (swt) to protect us all and grant us safety from all harm. Ameen.