Mohabat Khan Malak and his wife Emire Khan-Malak reflect a year on from the tragedy. Photo / Stephen Parker
Mohabat Khan Malak and his wife Emire Khan-Malak reflect a year on from the tragedy. Photo / Stephen Parker
"Us Muslims, we look at death differently ... life has to move on."
These are the words of Mohabat Khan Malak as the country prepares to mark the anniversary on Sunday of the Christchurch mosque shootings – the worst terror attack on New Zealand soil.
Muslims did not commemorate pastevents but instead tried to learn lessons for the future, Khan Malak said.
"Everything comes down to destiny."
However, he will say a prayer on the anniversary of the attack which claimed the lives of 51 people.
It has been a tumultuous year for Khan Malak and his wife Emire, who converted to Islam 12 years ago.
Both are key members of the Rotorua Muslim community and the multicultural society.
As president of Toi Ohomai's student association, Student Pulse, covering Rotorua, Tauranga, Whakatāne, Taupo and Tokoroa campuses, Emire had seen a lot of pain in her Muslim students.
After the attacks, many felt as though it was unsafe to wear their hijabs or traditional dress in public, Emire said.
"I had one girl break down in tears in front of me when she saw me wearing mine [hijab] as she wanted to wear hers... I told her to do whatever she needed to do to feel safe."
Emire had become known as "mama bear" on the campus with many students coming to her for support after the attacks.
"We had a bunch of students who were traumatised and had to leave... they know they could come to us if they were struggling."
The couple held many talks across the campus after the tragedy to provide insights into Muslim culture but also to offer support.
"We wanted them to know that New Zealand is still a safe country."
And although the dark day still haunted many in the city, the Khan Malaks believed it also brought the country together.
Emire Khan-Malak and Mohabat Khan Malak. Photo / Stephen Parker
"We have watched our town and our country become more of a global village," Emire said.
The event was an "eye-opener" for Rotorua and jolted many people to be more loving and more accepting, Mohabat said.
The couple were heartened by the humility shown by the public and the interest shown in their faith.
Emire said she had been stopped on the streets many times in the last year by people curious about Islam.
She said it was always a laugh watching people's reactions when they asked her where she was from and she said she was a Māori Muslim.
The way the community had "wrapped around them" had been everything after the tragedy and she said the welcoming hearts of the city had made all the difference.
For this reason, the pair wanted to be able to unite with the community a year since the tragedy.
On Sunday, the multicultural society will be holding a gathering at Rotorua Girls' High School from 1.15pm.
The event will be held to remember those who lost their lives, as well as a moment of silence at the time the shootings started.
