The attack on Finsbury Park Mosque was despicable but our community is stronger than one man’s intolerance. Read Benali Hamdache‘s letter published last week in the Islington Tribune.
I spent a lot of my childhood standing outside mosques. After Friday prayers my father would chat to a seemingly endless trail of friends, distant relatives and well-wishers. My ropey Arabic would be tested to its extremes. Children would dart around shouting and playing.
Outside the mosque was as much of a community space as inside. It was the welcoming entrance to a community that supported and cherished each other.
The attack on Finsbury Park is a vile and despicable one. But the community is bigger and more robust than one extremist’s violence. His senseless attack will not divide us.
The outpouring of support for Finsbury Park Mosque this week was incredible. I’m proud to live in Islington. This week, after Eid prayers we’ll stand and chat outside our mosque, as usual.