CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — New Zealanders observed the Muslim call to prayer Friday in reflecting on the moment one week ago when 50 worshipers at two Christchurch mosques were slain — an act that an imam told the crowd of thousands had left the country broken-hearted but not broken. In a day without precedent, people across New Zealand listened to the call to prayer on live broadcasts while thousands, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, gathered in leafy Hagley Park opposite the Al Noor mosque, where 42 people died. “New Zealand mourns with you. We are one,” Ardern said. The call to prayer was observed at 1:30 p.m. and followed by two minutes of silence. Hundreds of Muslim men at the park sat in socks or bare feet. One man in the front row was in a Christchurch Hospital wheelchair. The Al Noor mosque’s imam, Gamal Fouda, thanked New Zealanders for their support. “This terrorist sought to tear our nation apart with an evil ideology. … But, instead, we have shown that New Zealand is unbreakable,” the imam said. “We are broken-hearted but we are not broken. We are alive. We are together. We are determined to not let anyone divide us,” he added, as the crowd that the city estimated at 20,000 people erupted in applause. Later in the day, a mass funeral was held to bury 26 of the victims at a cemetery where more than a dozen already have been laid to rest. Family members took turns passing around shovels and wheelbarrows to bury their loved ones. Friday’s burials included the youngest victim, 3-year-old Mucaad Ibrahim. Christchurch native Fahim Imam, 33, returned to the city for Friday’s service. He moved away three years ago and now lives in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. “It’s just amazing to see how the country and the community have come together — blows my mind, actually,” Imam said before the event. When he got off the plane Friday morning, he saw someone holding a sign that said “jenaza,” denoting Muslim funeral prayer. He said others were offering free rides to and from the prayer service. “The moment I landed in Christchurch, I could feel the love here. I’ve never felt more proud to be a Muslim, or a Kiwi for that matter. It makes me really happy to be able to say that I’m a New Zealander,” Imam said. He called it surreal to see the mosque where he used to pray surrounded by flowers. The observance comes the day after the government announced a ban on “military-style” semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines like the weapons that were used in last Friday’s attacks at the Al Noor and nearby Linwood mosques. An immediate sales ban went into effect Thursday to prevent stockpiling, and new laws would be rushed through Parliament that would impose a complete ban on the weapons, Ardern said. “Every semi-automatic weapon used in the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned,” Ardern said. The gun legislation is supported not only by Ardern’s liberal Labour Party but also the conservative opposition National Party, so it’s expected to pass into law. New Zealand does not have a constitutional right to bear arms. Among those planning to attend Friday’s observance was Samier Dandan, president of the Lebanese Muslim Association in Sydney and part of a 15-strong delegation of Muslim leaders that had flown to Christchurch. “It was an ugly act of terrorism that occurred in a beautiful, peaceful city,” Dandan said. He said his pain couldn’t compare with that of the families he’d been visiting who had lost loves ones. He was inspired by their resilience, he said. “And I’ve got to give all my respect to the New Zealand prime minister, with her position and her actions, and it speaks loud,” he said. Ismat Fatimah, 46, said it was sad to look at the Al Noor mosque, which was still surrounded by construction barricades, armed police officers and a huge mound of flowers and messages. “We’re feeling stronger than before, and we are one,” she said. She said she prayed for the people who died. “I’m just imagining what would be happening last Friday,” she said. “People were running around so scared and helpless. It’s just not right.” Erum Hafeez, 18, said she felt comforted by the overwhelming response from New Zealanders: “We are embraced by the community of New Zealand, we are not left behind and alone.” The Al Noor mosque’s imam said workers have been toiling feverishly to repair the destruction, some of whom offered their services for free. Fouda expects the mosque to reopen by next week.<doc-sep>"How we choose to reflect during the silence will be different for each of us. Everyone should do what feels right for them, wherever they are - at home, at work, at school."<doc-sep>New Zealand politicians, members of the media, and non-Muslim women embraced displays of Muslim faith Friday in an effort to show solidarity with the country’s Muslim community after the Christchurch shootings. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern donned a hijab, along with thousands of other non-Muslim women, and recited a passage from the Koran at a ceremony in Hagley Park shortly before the Muslim call to prayer was broadcast nationwide. Despite overwhelming support for the #scarvesinsolidarity campaign, Muslim and non-Muslim critics lambasted it, arguing that hijabs are used to oppress women in Muslim majority countries. New Zealand politicians and journalists have embraced Islam in their efforts to show solidarity with the Muslim community after the Christchurch shootings. Thousands of New Zealanders engaged in nationally sanctioned displays of Islamic faith Friday, ranging from the national broadcast of the Islamic call to prayer and non-Muslim women donning hijabs to newspapers running Arabic greetings on their front pages. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, police officers, and news anchors joined in the displays of faith throughout the day. (RELATED: Female News Anchors In New Zealand Are Wearing Hijabs After Attack) New Zealand broadcast the Islamic call to prayer at 1:30 p.m. local time nationwide, the time when the attacks began the previous Friday, on both television and radio. Thousands of New Zealanders of various faiths also gathered at Hagley Park and other areas around the country to attend a live call to prayer, followed by two minutes of silence and reflection. Ardern also recited a passage from the Koran prior to the call to prayer. On this holy day of Friday for Muslims across the world, we join those in New Zealand who have observed the Muslim call to prayer and two minutes of silence in Christchurch’s Hagley Park, one week after the terror attacks that killed 50 people at two mosques. pic.twitter.com/TV9HaXARR0 — Remembering Srebrenica (@SrebrenicaUK) March 22, 2019 WATCH: New Zealanders of all faiths observed the Muslim call to prayer on Friday in memory of the worshipers killed during the Christchurch mosque attacks. 50 people were killed in shootings at two different mosques one week ago. pic.twitter.com/nDwb8BJbAi — KUTV 2News (@KUTV2News) March 22, 2019 One week on from the mosque shootings which left 50 dead, people across New Zealand joined the call to prayer and held a two-minute silence in honour of the victims https://t.co/uGCzTpBYFz pic.twitter.com/JwYBphsiL4 — ITV News (@itvnews) March 22, 2019 Politicians and members of the media also reportedly began their broadcasts and addresses with the Arabic greeting Al Salaam Alaykum. New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern opening her address to Parliament today: “As-salamu alaykum, peace be upon you, and peace be upon all of us.” pic.twitter.com/tFnXxXoL7e — Anna Fifield (@annafifield) March 19, 2019 Some New Zealand newspapers also featured a version of the greeting on their front pages. The newspaper this morning in Christchurch, New Zealand. Salam is is the Arabic word for Peace and the greeting of the Muslims.. pic.twitter.com/R7MsNrkruW — SHAWAN SARKAR (@ShawanSarkar) March 22, 2019 Thaya Ashman, a doctor in Auckland, began the social media campaign #scarvesinsolidarity after the shooting, urging non-Muslim women to wear hijabs on Friday as a show of support for the Muslim community. The campaign garnered massive support throughout the country, with leaders like Ardern wearing a hijab to Hagley Park and thousands of women donning hijabs for ceremonies to commemorate the mosque shooting victims, 50 of whom were killed and several others who were hospitalized with wounds. Muslim volunteers even distributed hijabs at the events and helped non-Muslim women don them, according to The Washington Post. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern quotes the Prophet Muhammad before a national broadcast of the call to prayer and tells grievers: “New Zealand mourns with you. We are one.” pic.twitter.com/741rsEIoY6 — Pillars Fund (@pillars_fund) March 22, 2019 A nationwide reflection for those killed in the Christchurch terror attacks. The Muslim call to prayer will be at 1.30pm followed by a two-minute silence at 1.32pm. RNZ is broadcasting this live on radio – 101 FM, https://t.co/c6LX14eRIZ & facebook https://t.co/6pPNJPqDEi pic.twitter.com/DLxk5RajIy — RNZ (@radionz) March 21, 2019 “Why am I wearing a headscarf today? Well, my primary reason was that if anybody else turns up waving a gun, I want to stand between him and anybody he might be pointing it at. And I don’t want him to be able to tell the difference, because there is no difference,” Bell Sibly, a woman in Christchurch, told Reuters. Women police officers providing security for the ceremonies and later for the burial of the victims also sported hijabs. A non-Muslim police officer wears hijab while protecting Muslims to show her solidarity. We are one ??? ?#HeadScarfforHarmony #scarvesinsolidarity pic.twitter.com/6oeLqqICAm — Islam Channel (@Islamchannel) March 22, 2019 Our Police, our Prime Minister, Our News Anchors and many others were in the Hijab today. The Islamic call to prayer was on all the tv and radio stations before the minutes silence. This is my New Zealand. This is my Aotearoa. #thisismynewzealand #christchurch #JacindaArdern pic.twitter.com/FjT8z0UWGx — Craig Arnold (@craig_m_arnold) March 22, 2019 The campaign for non-Muslim women to wear hijabs garnered criticism, however, as hijabs and various other forms of Islamic headwear for women are seen as a form of oppression against women, since wearing them is not optional for women in conservative Muslim communities. What a slap in the face to all of the Muslim women who are not given the freedom to choose to wear a headscarf. https://t.co/Z52CHcrcGj — Richard Armande Mills (RAM) (@RAMRANTS) March 22, 2019 This is exactly how wound collectors exploit a tragedy to press their agenda, in this case to put a hijab on every woman in New Zealand. This is a terrible idea. #freefromhijab @freefromhijab https://t.co/Dg72pQYU0T — Asra Q. Nomani, PI (@AsraNomani) March 20, 2019 Hi @rachelmacg, We at @freefromhijab are women from Muslim backgrounds. Pls do NOT wear a #headscarfforharmony with Muslims. It is a symbol of purity culture antithetical to feminist values. We have women in jail & dead, for refusing the interpretation of Islam you promote. https://t.co/BvY3xF1bhz — Asra Q. Nomani, PI (@AsraNomani) March 21, 2019 Despite the criticism from Muslims and non-Muslims alike, New Zealand women took to the embrace of conservative Islam with fervor. “If I could I would be attending the mosque and standing outside to show my support for my Muslim whanau but I’ve got lectures and I can’t really skip them,” college student Kate Workman, who wore a hijab Friday, told The Globe Post. Other women who wore hijabs, like Rafaela Stoakes, expressed similar sentiments. “It is amazing how different I felt for the short time I was out this morning,” Stoakes told AFP. “There were a lot of confused looks and some slightly aggressive ones,” she said. “I did feel a sense of pride to honor my Muslim friends, but I also felt very vulnerable and alone as I was the only person wearing one.” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.<doc-sep>
The Islamic call to prayer, the adhan, rang out across New Zealand on Friday afternoon as thousands gathered to honor the 50 people gunned down at two mosques in Christchurch one week ago. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern led the estimated 5,000 people at the massive prayer service at Hagley Park in front of the Al Noor mosque, where most of the victims died. New Zealanders across the small, broken-hearted nation paused when the adhan played and observed two minutes of silence. "New Zealand mourns with you. We are one," Ardern said in a short speech. NZ paused today at 1.30 pm with a call to prayer and two minutes’ silence to remember those who killed and injured in last Friday’s attack in Christchurch. pic.twitter.com/ev1wEXMYku — බන්ස් | BΛNZ (@__Banz) March 22, 2019 The moment of silence preceded the Friday afternoon prayer, referred to as Jumu’ah in Arabic, which is typically done as a congregation. Although the Islamic faith requires praying five times a day, every day, Friday afternoon prayer services are highly revered because they are meant to be practiced as a community. The Quran contains specific verses referring to the Jumu’ah prayer as a day of assembly, a day for the Muslim community to come together in remembrance of their god, Allah. "We are broken-hearted, but we are not broken. We are alive, we are together, we are determined to not let anyone divide us," Imam Gamal Fouda said in the ceremony Friday that was broadcast throughout the country. "To the families of the victims, your loved ones did not die in vain. Their blood has watered the seeds of hope." Beyond Christchurch, thousands gathered at mosques in Wellington, Auckland and other cities for the prayers, with many non-Muslims wearing headscarves. Armed police have been guarding mosques around New Zealand since the attacks, and police said a "heightened presence" was in place Friday to reassure those attending weekly prayers. Officers dotted around Christchurch wore green ribbons pinned to their chests as a sign of peace and solidarity. Candlelight vigils continued until late Thursday across the country, while volunteers prepared the bodies of the deceased for a mass burial that was expected after the prayers. People perform the Friday prayers at Hagley Park outside Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 22, 2019. Edgar Su / Reuters Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, has been charged with one murder count following the attack and was remanded without a plea. Ardern announced plans to ban nearly all military-style semi-automatic and assault rifles on Thursday. While Ardern characterized the policy as an immediate ban, she then clarified that it would be submitted to Parliament as legislation the first week of April. In the meantime, Ardern said, the government will sharply restrict access to "virtually all" such weapons by reclassifying them to require a police permit — which will be denied. "To owners who have legitimate uses for their guns, I want to reiterate that the actions being announced today are not because of you and are not directed at you," Ardern said. "Our actions, on behalf of all New Zealanders, are directed at making sure this never happens again."