Samina Ahmed, a member of the Miami Valley Islamic Association and the Global Education and Peace Network, said she has been left feeling heartbroken, with all of the positively and beauty of the night being ripped away.
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“Just when you feel like you reach a milestone, you take 10 steps back,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed said the Miami Valley Islamic Association requested additional police presence from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office at their Friday afternoon prayer service in order to help members feel safer.
“We’ve stepped up patrols in that area,” Meyer said. “We have not had any problems so far,” said Chief Deputy Jeff Meyer of the Clark County Sheriff’s Department
A sheriff’s deputy was parked outside the mosque Friday afternoon.
“We are asking for peace,” Ahmed said. “Love one another, be kind to one another.”
The Global Education and Peace Network’s event, “Practicing Kindness in Changing Times,” was put on with the purpose of helping two Springfield religious groups become better educated about each other.
Father David Vincent of Our Lady of Mercy Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order led a discussion, along with Ahmed.
Vincent said the event was powerful and that members of the community should reflect on the message of the movie shown, “The Sultan and the Saint.”
The film tells the story of Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt, one a traveling Christian preacher and the other the ruler of a Muslim empire. The plot focuses on the two men searching for mutual respect and common ground.
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“We should have great respect for our neighbors,” Vincent said.
Vincent seemed at a loss for words about the attacks in New Zealand.
“I don’t know why people do things like this,” Vincent said.
Ahmed echoed Vincent’s shock.
“No faith teaches you to hate,” Ahmed said.
Springfield Police made extra patrols around the city’s other mosque, Masjid An-Nur.
“Officers will be keeping an eye on the area,” said Lt. Jeff Williams of the Springfield Police Division.
Imam Mustafa Islam of Masjid An-Nur, said the mosque did not request additional security for their Friday prayer service.
Islam referred to the attacks as “simply terrible.”
“This type of ignorance is terrible. Anytime something like this happens to any religious group, it’s a terrible situation,” Islam said. “We will be praying for the families of those killed.”
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