Muslims in Halifax are sharing stories of prejudice they’ve faced as they seek a new approach to fighting discrimination following the Quebec City mosque shooting that claimed the lives of six Muslim men.
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In response to the attack, they say they want to work with fellow Canadians to find a solution.
For Emad Aziz, Sunday’s attack brings up memories of what he went through more than 15 years ago when the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred.
The Pakistani native was living in Missouri at the time, attending an American university.
“The day of the September 11 attack, I used to work in a restaurant and one of my co-workers came up to me and she said, ‘Why did your people do this?'” Aziz said.
Aziz said the aftermath of 9/11 left Aziz defending himself, because of his faith and skin colour, for an attack he had nothing to do with.
READ MORE: ‘We are united’: NS Muslims react to Quebec City mosque shooting
After graduating, Aziz landed a career opportunity in Nova Scotia and immigrated to Canada.
He said in the wake of the shooting, which he believes was committed out of hatred, it’s up to people to communicate to overcome prejudices.
WATCH: A vigil was held Monday evening in Halifax response to the shooting, attracting more than 1,000 people. Global’s Steve Silva reports on how the municipality reacted and one man who has a personal connection to the victims.
“The way to deal with prejudice is with courage and hope and when we communicate, we share our stories, our experiences and we realize how much we can learn from one another. Through that awareness and understanding we will gain the respect we need to have for other people,” Aziz said.
Kazi Rahman, a St. Mary’s University (SMU) student who came to Halifax from Bangladesh, said he often finds himself addressing misconceptions about his Islamic faith and beliefs.
“One thing that I’ve seen is that people think that Islam is about terrorism, [that] it promotes killing of other people from other faiths, it’s not that,” said Rahman, who is also president of the SMU Students Association.
Rahman, who came to the city four years ago to study, said ever since he arrived his faith and ethnicity have been embraced.
READ MORE: Vigils held in Halifax, across Maritimes for Quebec shooting victims
Rahman said he believes many people form preconceived assumptions about different minorities without getting to know the communities. He said people need to look past that.
“Don’t rely on what you read or what you see, try to talk to a Muslim and try to know about their religion,” he said.
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