The funerals of the 6 men killed in a terrorist attack on a mosque in Quebec, Canada were held on the 2nd an 3rd February, after a shooting at a mosque in Quebec City, where another nineteen were injured. Shots were fired at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre on Sunday night, where more than 50 people had gathered for evening prayers.
Shortly after the incident, police arrested and charged a French-Canadian student, Alexandre Bissonnette on six counts of first-degree murder and five of attempted murder. According to fellow students, the 27-year-old was known for his far right views, and had visited the masjid in the week preceding the attack.
In June last year the same mosque was the target of an Islamophobic incident when a pig’s head was left in front of the building, with a card saying “bonne appetit”.
At a vigil for victims of the attack on a mosque in Quebec City, thousands of people stood in solidarity with the Muslim community, that has been severely shaken by this week’s events, and the loss of devoted community members.
Comment:
This tragic incident is yet another in a series of blows against the Muslim community in the West. And yet, despite it clearly fits with the definition of a terrorist attack, none but the Canadian Prime Minister acknowledged that it should be recognised as such. Instead we see the clear double standards thrown into even more sharp focus with the immediate contrast of the coverage of the attempted terrorist attack at the Louvre this week. While the attempted attack on the Louvre enjoyed front-page coverage and messages of condemnation from international state officials, in comparison, the Quebec attack was largely ignored. Instead, the front page of British newspapers showed a smiling Bissonnette playing chess; humanising him despite his murderous actions.
It is no mystery as to what motivated this horrendous incident. In the same week President Trump moved to enact his controversial “Muslim Ban”, seeing protests erupt across the US and across the world. This is also against the backdrop of a similar attitude towards refugees and the on-going conflict in the Muslim world, and the threat of terror attacks. The rise of the alt-right and similarly conservative rhetoric in governments, this has justified the abuse, verbal or physical against the Muslim community. It was only a matter of time until this manifested in outright violence and murder.
Once again Muslims are reminded that their lives are worthless in the eyes of the Western media, regardless of whether they are citizens of the Muslim world or in the West. The strategy of hate and fear that is currently being implemented can only be adequately challenged by a state that represents Islam for what it truly is and protects its citizens. In the absence of the Khilafah system, Muslims must constantly live in fear that their rights may be taken from them at any time.
Aisha Hasan