Edmonton mosque holds vigil for victims of Brussels attacks

The voice ofImamNasirMahmoodButtcut through the silence at theAl-HadiMosque.

Slowly, the worshippers in the packed building joined their voices with their imam.

Together, as their voices swelled, they prayed for those in Brussels.

One of the voices belonged toNudratMansoor.

"Humanity comes before religion.Humanity comes before all else," saidMansoor."You're not a good person following a faith if you're not loyal to other humans."

"So we prayed, we had tears in our eyes, we cared for those people who lost family members."

Mansoorpresident of the mosque's women's associationsays the vigilwas organized honour those lost in the bombing in Belgium and to condemn the attack.

"Peace was the main concern and today, we wanted our youth to know that whatever happens you can't be sitting quietly and not doing anything about it," she said.

The back-to-back bombings left 31people dead and hundreds injured.

That is not the Islam that we preach and that we practice...Such an act should becondemned at every level- MohyuddinMirza

Mansoorsaid events like this provokefear and distrust against Muslims. Shefeels it is important for those in the mosque, especially young members, to engage with the community about their religion when events like this happen.

MohyuddinMirzasaidas a Muslim community in Edmonton, they are always concerned about what goes on globally in the name of Islam.

"That is not the Islam that we preach and that we practice," saidMirza,anoutreach director with the mosque.

"We strongly want to condemn this action and letEdmontoniansand people around the worldknow that what they're doing is not Islamic.Such an act should be condemned at every level."

Mirzasaid there has been a backlash every time an attack happens.People have called the mosque leaving negative messages on their machines.Those at the mosque confront the callers with friendliness and attempt totalk to them about Islam, he said.

He is leftdepressed whenpeople use the faith he holds so dear to justifyviolence, but he knows he has to take a stand.

"After some time, rationality comes in and [overtakes] the depression and I have to fight back with my knowledge."

Meanwhile, Mansoorfeels the only way to overcome terrorists and attacks like the one in Brussels is by banding together,regardless of race, religion or any other factor.

"When we are strongwhen we are together, then nobody can make that hole between us."