#HelloBrother

"Hello Brother" is what the first victim of the horrific New Zealand shooting said to the gunman as he entered the house of Allah, before his life was taken. 

Trying to gather my thoughts on what happened on March 15, 2019 - and it is tough.

How can I wrap my head around 50 lives taken while they were in a Masjid {mosque} - a place of worship and safety? 

This person has not been called a terrorist, but rather a white supremacist, a gunman, a shooter, a suspect. I've only seen one article use the word terrorism. He is charged with ONE count of murder. His 74-page hate-filled manifesto isn't enough to call him what he is.

I know we aren't supposed to give into the fear, but the truth is I am scared and I am shaken up. I worry about my sister who proudly wears a hijaab and drops everything to pray in a parking lot, my cousin in medical school who wrap her head in a scarf as she goes to class in downtown. 

Not one person from my social circle, or even blog land reached out to ask if I was okay...if we are ok. I don't see anyone's instagram story, Facebook, or Snapchat with a 'trending' picture or hashtag to stand in solidarity with the innocent lives lost. I see people with thousands of followers, with a platform using it solely to post their filtered picture perfect life. Please use your platform to make us Muslims not feel alone. Use your voice to help ours be heard.

I know that at the end of the day, the only people that are truly there for me is our Ummah. 

(Arabic: أمة‎ [ˈʊm.mæ]) is an Arabic word meaning "community".

We are grieving - alone. We are mourning - alone. We are in shock and denial - alone.

We will rise - together, as an ummah.