It was with deep sorrow that we learned that our brothers who went for Friday prayers in New Zealand’s city of Christchurch were attacked by racist terrorists who were hostile to Islam in two separate mosques and were massacred in a brutal way. We are deeply saddened that such blessed day started with that unfortunate news.

We pray for mercy from Allah for the martyrs and speedy recovery for wounded people there. We also send our deepest sympathy and condolences to those who lost their loved ones and all of our Ummah for going through this tragedy that is another consequence of growing Islamophobia.

In the messages left by the attackers, it is obvious that they are enemies of Islam motivated by racist discourse from the siege of Vienna to the Kosovo war from the conquest of Istanbul to President Erdogan. Considering the elements included in the message, it is understood that the attacks were planned with the aim of anti-Islam and racist motives, which we vehemntly condemn. The attack is clearly a new and sad result of racist policies that have been systematically designed, maintained and spread by certain groups for years.

While calling for more intercultural undestanding and better policies in terms of receiving well and integrating migrants, we urge the concerned authorities of New Zealand to be relentless in doing their best to serve justice for the racist discourses and the attackers who are hostile to Islam that have brought unfortunate sadness in many Muslim families in the affected city and in the whole Muslim communıty in general.