On March 17, 2019 Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the South Nepean Muslim Community (SNMC) mosque in Ottawa to express his solidarity with the Muslim community after the Christchurch terrorist attack in New Zealand.
Here is the transcript of Trudeau’s speech at the event:
Assalamualaikum [Arabic for peace be upon you]. It is an honour for me to join with you tonight for this gathering, but I really wish I wasn’t here tonight. I really wish we weren’t reflecting on a terrible terrorist attack that happened three days ago in New Zealand, where Muslims around the world, people went to Friday prayers and lost loved ones. The entire Muslim world, the entire Muslim communities around the world are feeling worried, feeling perhaps insecure and the message that I have for you is that Canadians stand with the Muslim community. Intolerance and violence have no place in any of our communities and this community come here as I look across this beautiful diversity from every corner of the world, is in many cases fleeing the kind of violence, the kind of hatred and division that does hold sway in far too many parts of the world and coming to countries like Canada or New Zealand or so many western democracies where there is an understanding, freedom of religion, freedom of conscious, openness to each other, respect for each other, is actually the way to build a better world and a way that is consistent with the teachings of all the world’s religions from Christianity to Islam to Judaism to Buddhism to what have you, this idea of loving thy neighbor, this is universal. And yet, this time right now, time of tremendous change and stress around the world as technology and globalization put pressures on the individuals and their jobs in ways that make people looking for easy answers, look for easy solutions. It is far too easy for certain elements of public discourse to contain greater and greater calls to intolerance, to division, to fear. I know for having the opportunity to travel not just every corner of this great country and spoken with Canadians from every conceivable background, and indeed to travel around the world. I know that everywhere in the world people want the same thing from themselves, for their kids – good life, good job, an ability to contribute and mostly a better future for their kids. That is the universal desire that we have. And unfortunately there is a time of increase of intolerance and of attacks. And we need to double down on what we know to be true that compassion, openness and respect and love is the only way forward for this world. It does not mean that we will shrug off hatred or intolerance. We must, each of us, dedicate ourselves to ensure that calls for intolerance, calls for division, stalking up fear is responded to strongly and immediately and from all of us. It shouldn’t just be Muslims standing up against Islamophobia. Is should be all of us. And as Canadians, we must also standing up against intolerance in all its forms, standing up for women’s rights, standing up against anti black racism, standing up against anti-Semitism, standing up against homophobia. We need to understand that respect for each other and love for each other is the only way to move forward. You know, every now and then I hear people call for tolerance. We need more tolerance and I think there’re places in the world where a little more tolerance would be extremely important. But I don’t think Canada, I hope that Canada is one of these places. If you think about tolerating someone, it means putting up with them as long as they don’t get in your face. It means accepting their right to exist, but come and bother me, I tolerate you. Well, no. We shouldn’t be talking about tolerating each other. We should talk about accepting, embracing, befriending, and yes loving each other… [speaking in French] We are here in solidarity with each other, stand with each other, to support each other in this time of uncertainty and fear, but also to reaffirm that our resolve, respect, love and compassion will remain the way to move forward as a country and a way to move forward as a world.
On April 27, 2017 Islamic Relief Canada posted on its official Facebook page:
“With the arrival of this blessed month quickly approaching, we want to get you in the Ramadan spirit! Join us on our Canada tour with Shaikh, Dr. Muhammad Al-Luhaidan in a masjid near you.”
Muhammad Al-Luhaidan (Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad Al-Luhaidan) is a Judge, Quran reciter and an Imam in Saudi Arabia.
Islamic Relief Canada created an event page that read:
Alhamdulillah we’re on the road to Ramadan!
Islamic Relief is pleased to welcome, for the first time in Canada, renowned Qari Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Luhaidan.
Join us on a spiritual journey across Quebec and Ontario at your local masjid — as we welcome the month of Ramadan, come out and listen to a melodic recitation of the Holy Quran that will inspire your heart.
Montreal
ICC Brossard (Masjid Quba) – May 12 @ Jummah
Centre Islamique Badr – May 12 @ Maghrib
Centre Attawhide – May 12 @ Ishaa
Quebec [City]
Centre Culturel Islamique De Québec (CCIQ) – May 13 @ Maghrib, Ishaa
Muhammad Al-Luhaidan Recitation at SNMC on 14th May 2017
[highlight]Ottawa
South Nepean Muslim Community [SNMC] – May 14 @ Asr
Outaouais Islamic Centre (Gatineau) – May 14 @ Maghrib[/highlight]
Oshawa
Islamic Centre of Oshawa – May 15 @ Maghrib
Toronto
Abu Bakr Masjid – May 16 @ Maghrib
Islamic Society of Markham – May 16 @ Ishaa
Madina Masjid – May 17 @ Maghrib
Taqwa Masjid – May 17 @ Ishaa
Cambridge
Cambridge Muslim Society – May 18 @ Maghrib
Malton
Masjid Saliheen – May 18 @ Ishaa
Oakville
Darr Masjid – May 19 @ Jummah
Scarborough
Abu Hurairah – May 19 @ Maghrib
On May 16, 2017 Islamic Relief Canada published an update:
“Unfortunately our tour dates for Scarborough (Abu Hurairah and Salaheddin Islamic Center) on May 19 have been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
Here are excerpts from prayers recited in recent years by Muhammad Al-Luhaidan (originally in Arabic):
O Allah, destroy [take revenge of] the Jews, the Christians, the Crusaders, the hypocrites, the Shia [Shiite Muslims] and all their collaborators
Make conflicts among themselves
Create division and disunity in their ranks
Turn the misfortune upon them
O [Allah, You are] The Strong, O [Allah, You are] The Almighty
O Allah, destroy [take revenge of] their enemies [enemies of the Muslim believers and the mujahideen] such as the Jews, the Christians, the Communists and their collaborators, O the Lord of the worlds.
O Allah… I’m asking you at the blessed hour to give victory (help) to our brothers, the mujahideen [Muslims who practice jihad] everywhere
O Allah, give them victory with Your support
O Allah, give them victory with Your support
O Allah, tie their hearts together
O Allah, set firm their feet
O Allah, make accurate the aim of their weapons
O Allah, spare their blood
O Allah, spare their blood
[…]
O Allah, put Your heavy pressure on the Crusaders, the Jews, the unjust, the hypocrites, the Shia [Shiite Muslims] and all their collaborators
O Allah, create division and disunity in their ranks
Turn the misfortune upon them
O Allah, count their number’ slay them one by one, and spare not one of them
O Allah, destroy [take revenge of] the Jews, the Christians, the Crusaders, the hypocrites and the Shia [Shia Muslims] and all their collaborators, O the Lord of the worlds.
Make conflicts among themselves
Create division and disunity in their ranks
Turn the misfortune upon them
O [Allah, You are] The Strong, O [Allah, You are] The Almighty
O Allah, raise the flag of jihad
O Allah, raise the flag of jihad
O Allah, raise the flag of jihad
[…]
Grant us the martyrdom in Your path when we are facing [the enemy], not turning back [from the battlefield], with Your mercy, O the Most Merciful
O Allah, give victory (help) the mujahideen everywhere
O Allah, make this month a conquest for the mujahideen everywhere around the world, O Lord of the worlds.
[…]
O Allah, give them [the mujahideen] victory (help) in Palestine, Chechnya, Kashmir and the Philippines
O Allah, give victory (help) to the leaders (commanders) of the mujahideen in Afghanistan