Yesterday, the world has seen the Belgian capital rocked by a series of bomb attacks that targeted the airport and metro stations. These attacks have so far taken the lives of  34 people with many more injured. Our deepest condolences go to the families of the victims at this time. This attack in Brussels comes in a week that also saw two attacks in the Turkish cities of Ankara and Istanbul that saw more than 40 people killed. These attacks once again reiterate that the perpetrators are indiscriminate in their actions and seek only to perpetuate fear and anxiety within communities.

It is important to keep in mind that the protection and sanctity of life for all people are seen as equal in the eyes of God.  The lives lost in Turkey and Belgium and anywhere else in the world bled the same way and the families of the victims grieved the same way. As religious leaders and members of the community, it is important to continue praying for the safety and security of all people and work hand in hand to bring about a lasting change that sees the eradication of hate and violence in our world.

Too often we see that after atrocities, the backlash and blame falls on the wrong people which feeds into and perpetuates the narrative of the extremists that perpetrate these crimes. It shouldn’t be that accusations and blame are put on refugees that are entering into Europe. We cannot forget that those fleeing their homelands in Syria and beyond are escaping from the same terror that has struck Belgium and Turkey.

What also seems an unfortunate but inevitable outcome of terror attacks is the rise we see in anti-Muslim sentiment and Islamophobia. The likes of DAESH that commit such atrocities do so with a false allegiance to Islam and its core tenets. It shouldn’t be that the actions of a misguided few tarnishes a whole community that continues to distance itself from such crime. The victims of these crimes are of both faith and no faith, showing that terror does not show loyalty to any one group of people but rather seeks to amplify feelings of fear and works to divide communities along religious and national lines.

As is always the case, it is our response in these situations which ultimately defines us as individuals and as a community. We must remember that it is our humanity that separates us from those that seek to harm. Let us continue to mourn the loss of lives in our own way and continue to pray for those that have lost their lives in Belgium, Turkey and anywhere else in the world.

Shaykh Dr. Umar Al-Qadri  (Chair IMPIC & Head Imam  Al-Mustafa Islamic Centre Ireland)
Shaykh Dr. Ali Al-Saleh (Imam Milltown Islamic Centre)
Imam Ihab Ahmed (Cork Mosque Foundation)
Shaykh Khalid (Ballycoolin Mosque)
Imam Hafiz Khalid (Imam Laois Muslim Community)
Imam Hafiz Siddiq (Imam Athlone Islamic Centre)
Imam Javed Iqbal (Imam Drogheda Muslim Community)

Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri participated in a very positive Inter Belief Dialogue Conference in Mary Immaculate College Limerick last week. There were representatives from the NCCA, which is currently preparing a State course for primary schools about religion, beliefs and ethics, as well as speakers from various religious and nonreligious perspectives.

Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri also addressed the conference. He said that, as a Muslim theologian, he has not sent his children to the local Muslim national school. Instead he has sent them to the local Community National School. His reason: in a plural society like Ireland, we have to live and interact with each other after school, so what is the point of having children interact only with Muslim children in school. Integration starts from a young age.

He also said that he opposed children being taken out of class to be taught about their own religion only. He believes that all children should be in the same class and should be taught about all religions. He said while some schools have LGBT weeks to promote respect, tolerance and acceptance of the other, schools should also have Muslim, Christian, Jewish and atheist weeks for the same purpose.