By Amani SalahudeenIn the Holy Qur’an, there’s a verse that states, “…We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” (5:32)
After the terrorist attack that took the lives of worshippers at two mosques in New Zealand on the 15th of March, 2019, people across the world reacted with horror. Whilst condolences alone cannot quell the pain felt by the families of the victims, a display of allyship from people with a public platform gives me hope that we still have the opportunity to tackle extremist ideology. This show of unity with a grieving population is part of the healing process for many, and so, we are grateful to those who have used their platforms to express their condolences and spread awareness about the damage that one lunatic with Islamophobia in his heart can do.
Here is our list of top 10 celebrities who used their public platforms to call out the senseless loss of life in the #NZMosqueAttack:
1. Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle made a surprise visit to the New Zealand High Commission in London to pay their respects to those who died during the New Zealand massacre. They brought flowers, and offered their condolences to the victims of the massacre.
2. Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Priyanka Chopra offered her condolences on an Instagram story and through a short video on Twitter.
3. John Legend
Singing sensation John Legend also offered his heartfelt sympathies as well.
4. Jim Carrey
As the years see him getting more and more political through his art, Hollywood funnyman Jim Carrey posted a self-designed picture that accurately captured our feelings on the tragedy that befell members of our ummah.
5. Noor Tagouri
Activist and journalist Noor Tagouri penned a thoughtful post about the implications of Islamophobic rhetoric and the fact that the shooter named President Donald Trump as a white supremacy hero in his unhinged manifesto celebrating white nationalism.
6. Barack Obama
The former POTUS took to Twitter to express his sympathies for the senseless loss of life in New Zealand.
7. Mark Ruffalo
Mark Ruffalo, Hollywood heartthrob and political hard-hitter, tweeted out his condolences and condemned bigoted ideology in no uncertain terms.
8. Joe Jonas
Joe Jonas, lead singer of the recently reunited boyband “Jonas Brothers,” tweeted his sympathies for the victims of this unimaginable horror.
9. Bella Hadid
Bella Hadid, model and proud Muslim, shared a message of unity in the aftermath of this heinous crime against humanity.
10. Georgie Henley
Georgie Henley, star of “The Chronicles of Narnia” series also shared her heartfelt condolences via Instagram.
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I think what is extremely sickening is the fact that the terrorist is being given a sob story. He shot 50 innocent people, and showed no remorse whatsoever.
Overall, as an American Muslim, this attack was appalling and has far-reaching consequences in terms of the violence unleashed by lunatics who adhere to racist ideology. Insha’Allah, Allah (S.W.T.) will accept these victims as martyrs. Inna lillahe wa inna ilayhe raji’oon.
Edited by Manal Moazzam.