Human goodness shines on

Re After the fire, lessons from Peterborough, Dec. 9 It was heartwarming to read how local politicians, churches, synagogues and the public reached out to support and rebuild the Masjid al Salaam in Peterborough, Ont., after an arson attack damaged the mosque. This is how most Canadians are. In fact it is how most humans are — inherently good and helpful, regardless of religion. If only the media would give more front-page coverage to such stories, perhaps our world would be a better place.

The story was a poignant reminder of the building of the first mosque in Canada. The Al Rashid mosque was built in 1938 in Edmonton. It was not an easy task to raise money for it during the Depression years. Muslims, Christians and Jews donated to make this project a reality. On Dec. 12, 1938, the first mosque in Canada was inaugurated, with Mayor John Fry performing the official opening on behalf of the city and Shaykh Abdallah Yusuf Ali, a scholar and translator of the Qur’an, conducting the dedication.

Canadians have always rejected those who wish to split the community, pitting groups against each other. We must continue to do that. Now more than ever before. Tahera Kassamali, Richmond Hill