I don't go to the mosque often. I have probably been to a mosque a handful of times in my adult life. It wasn't part of my upbringing. In fact, I've probably been to church more than I have been to the mosque. Yet after the tragic events that unfolded in Christchurch last week, I felt like I needed to go.
I wanted to say a prayer and reinforce my faith in light of the hate fuelled attack that resulted in the loss of 49 lives and 37 injured. I went to the Yarralumla Mosque in Canberra (pictured). It was my first time there. When I arrived, a few cars were pulling up and people were climbing out with flowers in their hands.
At the entrance many had gently placed bouquets, some with notes attached. Against the tiled floor, the flowers formed an assortment of colour, symbolising solidarity and shared grief.
A lady with tears in her eyes asked me if I was Muslim. I told her that I am. She asked it if would it be okay if she came in and said a prayer. 'Of course,' I replied. She knelt down, quietly sobbing, and said a few words. I also knelt and recited a few verses from the Quran. We were complete strangers sharing a unique and emotional moment.
That instant connection and sense of togetherness with other human beings is what mosque attendance and Islamic prayer is all about. That's why people gather at a mosque or places of worship — to feel connected in a disconcerting world. I have done this also many times at Christian churches and Buddhist temples. For me, all houses of worship can be places of prayer and reflection.
After I finished my prayer, I sat in the hall and wondered what it would have been like for those who lost their lives in Christchurch — the fear, the screams and echoing shots, those last moments as a merciless assassin methodically massacred them for being Muslims. It was uneasy thinking.
Like many Australians I was diligently following the news and Twitter feeds on Friday, in particular focusing on the kind of language used around the attack. It was reassuring to see that most media outlets were referring to it as terrorism and denouncing Islamophobia.
"The fact that the attack happened closer to home and at the hands of an Australian might be the watershed moment we need. It might