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Our Statement in Regards to Somali's Conflict
The Toronto Somali community established Khalid Mosque in 1998 and ever since, the community maintains the mosque through financial and volunteer support. As a result the mosque solely exists to serve the spiritual needs of the community.
In addition to the five daily prayers that draw a huge congregation to the mosque, Khalid mosque provides to its congregation other services such as matrimonial services, family counseling, pilgrimage services, camping, tournaments and funeral services. For instance, throughout the month of Ramadan, the mosque provides daily free iftaar (food) for over three hundred members of the community.
To ensure the mosque stays focused on its one and only mandate – tending to the spiritual needs of the community – the Khalid Mosque leadership with the full backing of the community, decided a decade ago not to involve the mosque with matters beyond its mandate. In particular, we have consciously opted not to involve ourselves with controversial issues such as politics. Consequently, we have refrained from taking sides and supporting a particular party over the years in the temperate Canadian elections politics let alone Somalia’s ever-changing political tempest.
1. We consider the ongoing conflict in Somalia as totally unacceptable. We call on everyone involved to stop the senseless killing of fellow citizens. Somalia has seen almost twenty years of continuous carnage. This resulted in the destruction of a great country. What Somalia needs now is peace and definitely not more bloodshed.
2. Khalid Mosque is not privy to everything that happens within the large Somali community in the GTA. Ours is one of many mosques and centers that serve the community. Khalid mosque is not aware of any Somali youth who has traveled to Somalia to join the Somalia conflict. Members of the Khalid mosque congregation have not reported to us any missing children or youth.
3. Our message to the Toronto Somali youth with regards to the Somalia conflict is: your parents left Somalia to escape the raging war in the homeland and to provide their families with a better life. Do not even entertain the idea of returning to Somalia to fight, Somalia has seen more than its share of bloodletting.
4. If you want to help yourself, your family and Somalia, hold fast to your faith, focus on and excel in your academic studies and become a productive member of the Somali community in particular and the Canadian Society in general.
Board of Directors of
Khalid Bin Al-Walid
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