Table of Contents
Peter
Abdul is with us this morning now. Good morning Abdul, you are the person whose text I read before. Thank you for being with us on air.
Abdul
How are you Peter?
Peter
I?m very good. So, you were in the Linwood mosque on that? fateful? fateful afternoon?
Abdul
Yes, I was, yeah.
Peter
How are you doing?
Abdul
I?m doing great um? midweek, yeah. Coping up every day and yeah hopefully it will? it will mend. Yep.
Peter
Were you injured at all, or not?
Abdul
No, I was lucky er? because of [Baba indistinct] went after him and unfortunately? yeah, he ran because of that he ran away otherwise he would have just put the gun again and finish us off, in there. Forty more people lying down helpless.
Peter
Yeah. How long have you lived in Christchurch Abdul?
Abdul
Um here for four years. I lived in Auckland for two and a half years so altogether seven years in New Zealand.
Peter
Where did you come from?
Abdul
Fiji.
Peter
Right.
Abdul
I lost my uncle there. I just my uncle Musa Patel over there in Linwood and Asaf Ali from Fiji… oh yeah, it?s not good.
Peter
No, and we certainly wish you the best. I was certainly intrigued by your text this morning because coming from Fiji you?ve obviously been a rugby follower?
Abdul
Yep.
Peter
?virtually all your life, I suppose so, unlike a lot of Muslims from, shall we say non-rugby playing countries like ah Pakistan or whatever, rugby is something that you are pretty interested in so you live in Christchurch, the home of the Crusaders, tell us then as a Muslim, as somebody who was in a mosque that fateful afternoon what you think of this proposal to change the name of the Crusaders?
Abdul
Aah to be honest ah there?s nothing? um there?s no fault of the Canterbury Crusaders team. It was just an idiot who came to our mosque and? and was doing stupid stuff and it?s totally not anyone?s fault I reckon and I?m a? I?m a true supporter of Crusaders as well and I don?t think it?s any sport?s fault or any one?s fault behind it. And? yeah? so it?s pointless of having a debate on changing their names over here.
Peter
So as far as you are concerned there?s just absolutely no need, no reason to do it?
Abdul
No, not at all.
Peter
Do you ever think, have you ever thought about how the name Crusaders has evolved, how it may have came about, how? or why the team was named what they are named twenty-three years ago?
Abdul
No, not at all. That?s what I?m just listening to your programme over here and getting to know about the history of how they got the name and? yeah.
Peter
So, have you been a Muslim all your life Abdul?
Abdul
Sorry?
Peter
Have you been a Muslim all your life?
Abdul
Yep.
Peter
So, in teachings either through your mosque or through your education you never learnt about the crusades back in the medieval times? You?ve never had those feature in your life at all?
Abdul
Never did. Never did. I never came across of anything like that. No. [Indistinct] never.
Peter
What about other Muslims, Muslims from other countries ? do you think they have been educated on what happened in the middle ages?
Abdul
To be honest, what we are told? we are told about our prophet, of the? of his doings all the time you know, at the mosque, and? and to do better in life and in future. Like nothing? nothing against any religion or any? anything like this? you know in our mosque being told to us. So, I don?t know where it?s coming? why people are talking about this and? and it?s just a waste of time I reckon.
Peter
So, you would believe that the Christians, the NZ pakeha is? is feeling too much guilt, those who are suggesting that we change the name of the Crusaders are just feeling too much guilt over this incident?
Abdul
Ah, they may be. But ah it?s not their fault. Totally not their fault so don?t think like that and just be supportive to all the Muslims and to everyone. And just? just? just love each other I reckon.
Peter
Yeah.
Abdul
Apart from having grief or any guilt against Muslim or anything like that. Yeah.
Peter
It?s a fantastic attitude you have Abdul and it?s one that I?m sure will resonate with many people, and I thank you for talking to us this morning. And I? certainly after what happened to you on the 15th March at? at Linwood I just wish you the best. I hope that you are going to be able to recover from the trauma that you obviously went through that afternoon and I wish you all the best and thank you for talking to us this morning.
Abdul
No worries Peter. Have a good one.
Peter
Okay. Abdul. Abdul who was in the Linwood mosque that afternoon.
