Al Noor Mosque, Christchurch

The Al Noor Mosque (Arabic: مسجد النور‎‎, Masjid al-Noor) is a Sunni mosque in the Christchurch suburb of Riccarton in New Zealand.[1][2]It was the primary target of the Christchurch mosque shootings of 15 March 2019.

Al Noor Mosque
مسجد النور‎‎
Al Noor Mosque in 2019
Religion
AffiliationSunni
Location
LocationChristchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Location in Christchurch
Geographic coordinates43°31′58.6″S 172°36′42.2″E

History

The Al Noor Mosque was built in 1984–1985 by the Muslim Association of Canterbury, an organization founded in 1977 that also manages the mosque building.[3][4] The Saudi Arabian government donated NZ$460,000 towards its construction.[5]

In 2003, the Christchurch Muslim community organised a "National Māori Muslim Day" at the mosque.[6] By 2015, the mosque had 550 members.[5]

Terror attack
Al Noor Mosque after the terror attacks, with flowers placed along the top of the fence.
Main article: Christchurch mosque shootings

On 15 March 2019, the site was one of two targets in a terrorist attack at Christchurch.[7] A majority of the victims were at Al Noor: of the 51 people fatally shot and the 40 people injured overall in the attack, 44 victims died and another 35 survived gunshot wounds in that mosque.[8][9][10] The mosque reopened on 23 March.[11] The lone attacker was convicted of multiple murder, attempted murder, and terrorism charges on 2 June 2020[12][13] and sentenced to life in prison without parole on 27 August the same year.[14][15][16]

Controversies

In 2003, controversy arose within the local Muslim community over the mosque's management. The arrival of new members of Arab and Somali origin sparked tension with the earlier members of South Asian origin, who have a different culture and have a different interpretation of Islam.[17]

In 2014, an Australian convert was alleged by his mother and stepfather that he was introduced to radical Islam at Al Noor before going to Yemen to join al-Qaeda, an allegation denied by Hisham el-Zeiny, the mosque's imam.[18][19][20][21][22] The president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, Anwar Ghani, said that mosque officials had told a Salafi follower not to promote his views there.[21] El-Zeiny said that many Muslims were angry about US drone strikes in Yemen and that the mosque's leadership was "spending most of [its] time trying to lessen the effect."[18]

See also

References
  1. Drury, A. M. (2016). Once Were Mahometans: Muslims in the South Island of New Zealand, mid-19th to late 20th century, with special reference to Canterbury (Thesis, Master of Philosophy (MPhil)). University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/10630
  2. Drury, A. M. 'Mahometans on the Edge of Colonial Empire: Antipodean Experiences', Islam and Christian–Muslim. Relations, Volume 29, Issue 1, (2018), pp. 71-87. https://doi.org/10.1080/09596410.2017.1384230
  3. Kolig, Erich (2009). New Zealand's Muslims and Multiculturalism. Brill. p. 33. ISBN 978-90-474-4070-3. The Canterbury Muslim Association (MAC) was established in Christchurch in 1977 … and was able to build a mosque … in 1985. In recent years, for a while, it was seriously disrupted by internal wrangling over the management of the mosque and centre.
  4. "Media Must Play a Positive Role in Bringing Communities Together: Imam Gamal of Masjid Al Noor, Christchurch". Migrant Times. Christchurch, NZ. 4 September 2016. Archived from the original on 18 March 2019. This mosque – Masjid Al Noor – is managed by MAC.
  5. Matthewson, Nicole (3 December 2015). "Fighting, Killing 'Not the Muslim Way'". The Press. Christchurch, NZ. Retrieved 20 March 2019. Jackson, of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies … said … ‘Just because they were attending a mosque at the time, doesn't mean the mosque was connected.’ … Morris, a specialist in world religions, said … ‘It creates an opportunity for these issues to be raised and addressed.’
  6. Drury, Abdullah (2016). "Islam's History and Integration in the New Zealand Society: A Convert's View". In Kolig, Erich; Voyce, Malcolm (eds.). Muslim Integration: Pluralism and Multiculturalism in New Zealand and Australia. Lexington Books. p. 122. ISBN 978-1-4985-4354-5.
  7. Liotta, Edoardo; Borrowdale, James (15 March 2019). "Terrorism in Christchurch: One of New Zealand's 'Darkest Days'". Vice. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  8. Dudding, Adam; Hartevelt, John (15 March 2019). "The End of Our Innocence". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 20 March 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2019. By now, 41 people were dead or dying, and a similar number had been injured.… Hundreds of mourners gathered at the Deans Avenue mosque.
  9. Perry, Nick; Williams, Juliet (17 March 2019). "Mourners Pay Tribute to New Zealand Victims, Await Burials". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 17 March 2019.
  10. Bayer, Kurt; Leasl, Anna (24 August 2020). "Christchurch mosque terror attack sentencing: Gunman Brenton Tarrant planned to attack three mosques". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  11. Davison, Isaac (23 March 2019). "Al Noor and Linwood mosques re-open a week after massacre". NZ Herald. news.com.au. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  12. Quinlivan, Mark; McCarron, Heather. "Christchurch shooting: Alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant's trial delayed". Newshub. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  13. "Man accused of Christchurch mosque shootings pleads not guilty to 51 murder charges". Stuff. 14 June 2019. Archived from the original on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  14. R v Tarrant, 2020 NZHC 2192 (Christchurch High Court 27 August 2020).
  15. Lourens, Mariné (27 August 2020). "Christchurch mosque gunman jailed 'until his last gasp'". Stuff. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  16. "New Zealand mosque shooter given life in prison for 'wicked' crimes". Reuters. 27 August 2020. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  17. Kolig, Erich (2009). New Zealand's Muslims and Multiculturalism. Brill. pp. 225, 227. ISBN 978-90-474-4070-3. ‘Fundamentalists’ and ‘Moderates’ Fighting over the Christchurch Mosque and Halal Meat… In 2003, an argument over the control of the Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch led to warnings in the popular press of alleged links to terrorism and Islamic extremism among some factions within the Muslim community.
  18. Schwartz, Dominique (4 June 2014). "Australian Killed in Yemen Drone Strike Not Radicalised in New Zealand, Says Muslim Preacher". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Sydney. A Muslim preacher in New Zealand has denied suggestions an Australian man killed in Yemen was radicalised at a Christchurch mosque.… Havard’s mother Bronwyn Dowrick and step-father Neill Dowrick told 7.30 their troubled son … had encountered radical Islam after moving to New Zealand.
  19. Wall, Tony; Ensor, Blair; Vance, Andrea (27 July 2014). "A Kiwi Lad's Death by Drone". Sunday Star-Times. Auckland. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. [Daryl] Jones was killed alongside Australian Christopher Havard, whose parents said he was introduced to radical Islam at the Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch. Mosque leaders confirmed Havard stayed there and studied in 2011, but denied radical teaching took place.
  20. "Christchurch Mosque Linked to al-Qaida Suspect". Newshub. Auckland. 4 June 2014. His parents … say their son told them he was first taught radical Islam at the Al Noor mosque…. ‘[He was] no different than other people,’ says mosque president Mohamed Jama. ‘He was a normal man.’
  21. Ensor, Blair; Wall, Tony; Vance, Andrea (28 July 2014). "Suspected Terrorist's Brother Rebuked". The Press. Christchurch, NZ. Nathan Jones … objected to what the speaker was telling the congregation and heckled him, Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand president Dr Anwar Ghani told Fairfax Media.… ‘[Jones was] told that … if you have those views [then] keep it to yourself – we don’t want to hear it here.
  22. Zeiny, Hisham el (4 June 2014). "Chrischurch [sic] Imam Responds". Checkpoint (Interview). Riccarton, NZ: Radio New Zealand. [Respondent]: ‘I’ve never seen or heard from any radical people here at the mosque.’
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