Assalāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh,

As many of you know, earlier this week, a terrorist attack took place at the Islamic Center of San Diego. The bravery of a security guard, who was shot dead along with two other worshippers at a San Diego mosque on Monday, prevented the attack from becoming even worse.

Here in Australia, we must not take such incidents lightly. Anti-immigrant and anti-Islamic hatred is unfortunately being fueled by certain political voices around the world and, at times, locally as well. We hope law enforcement agencies will continue to cooperate and act decisively to ensure the safety of minority communities and Islamic institutions across Australia, and to protect the right of all people to practise their religion without fear.

Here in Perth, Western Australia, we are fortunate to have multiple prayer facilities and Islamic centres serving different parts of our community. It is important that all masajid, prayer facilities, Islamic schools, and Islamic centres take the necessary steps to increase vigilance and strengthen security preparedness.

Enhancing security is not limited to simply having security personnel present. Every masjid and institution should have clear emergency plans and response procedures in place in the event of a serious threat, including an active attacker situation. How will worshippers and staff be alerted? What evacuation procedures are in place? Are there designated exits and safe areas? Who will coordinate communication if key personnel are incapacitated? These are important questions that every institution should be considering.

Training, preparedness, and coordinated response plans are essential for protecting our communities and minimising harm during emergencies. We encourage all institutions to review their safety procedures, improve communication systems, and ensure volunteers and staff are aware of emergency protocols.

Let us continue to remain alert, support one another, and stand together as one united community. May Allah protect us all, safeguard our communities, and grant peace and security to all people, inshāʾAllāh.

Wa ʿalaykumus salām wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuh.