The mosque has received a slew of abuse and threats through the post, via email and phone calls since the Islamic State group claimed deadly attacks in Paris on 13 November that killed 130 people. In that time there has been a 300 percent rise in attacks against Muslims in the UK.
One week before the attempted arson the mosque received a letter on 20 November threatening to burn it down - no link has yet been established between the letter and Friday's attack.
Kozbar called on anyone in the Finsbury Park area who is concerned about Islam or Muslims to visit the mosque.
“Please come and listen to us before you judge us. Come to us, listen to us, if you any concerns we are happy to address it. After that – judge. Our mosque and our centre is open for everybody, we welcome everybody here. Yes we are Muslims – we don’t have to be the same – we are all humans. We all want to live in peace and harmony,” he said.
After news of the attempted arson was reported on Saturday, some young Muslim men in the local area responded angrily on Twitter.
Kozbar said he wasn’t worried about retributive attacks by young Muslim men because “we have a mature community here and they know such a reaction will not help the Muslim community and will put the blame back on the Muslim community."
Kozbar said blame for Friday’s attack, as well as for the wider rise in Islamophobia, was in part down to the actions of some British newspapers.
Last week The Sun printed a front page that said one in five British Muslims have “sympathy for jihadis,” in a reference to IS.
The story was immediately denounced as untrue, as the poll had not asked respondents about IS, but The Sun is yet to issue a correction or apology.
“I think the media has played a major role in terms of inflaming the situation by giving false information about Muslims,” said Kozbar.
Senior members of the Metropolitan Police have visited the mosque and will hold further meetings on Monday.
Corbyn offers support
Kozbar praised the police for their support, as well as local constituency MP and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been a long-time supporter of the mosque.
On 20 November, Corbyn visited and spoke to mosque-goers prior to Friday prayers.
“Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism has no part in modern in Britain, no part in our society,” he said. “There is to be no attacks on anyone for their faith, their belief, or their religion. Instead we have to reach out that hand of support and friendship.”
“I will continue speaking out to respect the Muslim community, respect for the faith of Islam, understanding what Islam brings to the world. A message of peace, of charity, of justice and hope – that’s the message I’ll continue to convey.”
Corbyn, who has been the constituency MP for Islington North since 1983, said the area’s diversity – 70 languages are spoken locally – is an “an example to the rest of the world that you can live together”.
The Labour leader has phoned to offer his support since Friday’s attack, Kozbar said, but no one from Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative government has been in touch, or ever even visited the mosque.
“The government is not engaging properly within the Muslim community,” Kozbar said. “We have tried many times to engage with the government but nothing.
"We need to work together. We hope that the government will think again [about visiting] after what has happened.”
النتائج (
العربية) 1:
[نسخ]نسخ!
وتلقى المسجد عدد كبير من سوء المعاملة والتهديدات عبر البريد، عبر البريد الإلكتروني والمكالمات الهاتفية نظراً لمجموعة "الدول الإسلامية" أودت الهجمات القاتلة في باريس في 13 تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر عن مقتل 130 شخصا. في ذلك الوقت كان هناك ارتفاع 300 في المائة في الهجمات ضد المسلمين في المملكة المتحدة.أسبوع واحد قبل الحرق محاولة تلقي رسالة المسجد في 20 تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر مما يهدد بحرقة--وحتى الآن تم إنشاء أي ارتباط بين الرسالة وهجوم يوم الجمعة.ودعا كوزبار أي شخص في منطقة فينسبري بارك الذي تشعر بالقلق إزاء الإسلام أو المسلمين زيارة المسجد."الرجاء تأتي والاستماع إلينا قبل كنت يحكم علينا. تأتي إلينا، والاستماع إلينا، إذا لك أي قلق ونحن سعداء للتصدي لها. وبعد ذلك – القاضي. لدينا مسجد ولدينا مركز مفتوح للجميع، ونحن نرحب بالجميع هنا. نعم نحن مسلمون – أننا لا يجب أن تكون نفس – نحن البشر كافة. وقال نحن جميعا نريد أن نعيش في سلام ووئام، ".بعد أن أبلغ نبأ الحريق محاولة يوم السبت، بعض الشبان المسلمين في المنطقة المحلية ورد غاضبا على تويتر.وقال كوزبار أنه لم يكن قلقا بشأن الهجمات الانتقامية بالشبان المسلمين لأن "لدينا مجتمع ناضج هنا ويعرفون رد فعل هذا لن يساعد الجالية المسلمة وسيتم إلقاء اللوم مرة أخرى على الجالية المسلمة".كوزبار قال أن اللوم أمس الجمعة في الهجوم، فضلا عن ارتفاع أوسع في الإسلام، كان في جزء منه وصولاً إلى الأعمال التي تقوم بها بعض الصحف البريطانية.Last week The Sun printed a front page that said one in five British Muslims have “sympathy for jihadis,” in a reference to IS.The story was immediately denounced as untrue, as the poll had not asked respondents about IS, but The Sun is yet to issue a correction or apology.“I think the media has played a major role in terms of inflaming the situation by giving false information about Muslims,” said Kozbar.Senior members of the Metropolitan Police have visited the mosque and will hold further meetings on Monday.Corbyn offers supportKozbar praised the police for their support, as well as local constituency MP and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been a long-time supporter of the mosque.On 20 November, Corbyn visited and spoke to mosque-goers prior to Friday prayers.“Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism has no part in modern in Britain, no part in our society,” he said. “There is to be no attacks on anyone for their faith, their belief, or their religion. Instead we have to reach out that hand of support and friendship.”“I will continue speaking out to respect the Muslim community, respect for the faith of Islam, understanding what Islam brings to the world. A message of peace, of charity, of justice and hope – that’s the message I’ll continue to convey.”Corbyn, who has been the constituency MP for Islington North since 1983, said the area’s diversity – 70 languages are spoken locally – is an “an example to the rest of the world that you can live together”.The Labour leader has phoned to offer his support since Friday’s attack, Kozbar said, but no one from Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative government has been in touch, or ever even visited the mosque.“The government is not engaging properly within the Muslim community,” Kozbar said. “We have tried many times to engage with the government but nothing."We need to work together. We hope that the government will think again [about visiting] after what has happened.”
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