The following letter was published in The Toronto Sun, on Oct 18th, 2023
Re “Cops: Man killed child, wounded woman in anti-Muslim hate crime” (The Associated Press, Oct. 16) As a father myself of a six-year-old child, my heart sheds tears to hear of the brutal stabbing of Palestinian-American boy Wadea Al-Fayoume. As a parent, I fear for my four young children and these irrational acts by individuals which can destroy any beautiful family. As an Ahmadi Muslim, Muslims who believe in the Messiah, I am taught that the killing of any innocent human being is as if you have killed all of mankind. The sanctity of life, regardless of your faith or belief, is sacred and must be respected. The world leadership must ensure the war taking place in the Middle East is contained while preventing further escalation and hate from spreading in civil society. I hope and pray for the surviving family of the innocent child, Wadea. My heart trembles as I imagine what this child would have gone through as he was being attacked viciously. I picture my son, who is so innocent and is oblivious to the hate that exists in the world. On his way back from school recently, he showed me a birthday invitation he received from his friend and said, “Papa, can I please go to my friend’s birthday party?”
Nomaan Mubashir
Cambridge
