Mosque leaders remember slain Hezbollah chief

Several Sydney mosque leaders have paid tribute to slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, remembering him as a “man who entered history” through his matryism, as mourners gather across the city.

Hezbollah confirmed on Saturday that Nasrallah, one of its founding members, had been killed in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon’s capital Beirut last week.

On Tuesday, hundreds of mourners gathered at Al Rahman – also known as Masjid Arrahman – in Kingsgrove for a memorial service.

Extra chairs were placed outside of the mosque after too many people attended on Monday, leaving many to stand outside as the service was carried out.

According to The Australian, the mosque’s leaders at Al Rahman told hundreds of attendees that Nasrallah had been a “supporter of the oppressed” on Monday.

“When martyrs depart, they leave behind a timeless legacy of good deeds and reputation that (forges) a path for future generations who will carry forward the ideology and movement, and will shake the thrones of injustice everywhere,” one leader said in Arabic, which was translated by The Australian.

“This is what our martyrs would have wanted so that their blood is not shed in vain.

They rose up for our dignity, for our home, for our holy sites, for our honour, and for fighting against the invasion (against) our culture and military.”

Meanwhile, mosque-goers attending a service at the Sayeda Zainab Centre in Banksia listened as centre leaders shared how the community was “indebted” to Nasrallah, whose death was one of the “greatest tragedies”.

“The blood of our martyrs are a testament of honour and we owe them all a great debt,” one of the centre’s leaders said, according to The Australian.

“We’re not talking about a normal person (Nasrallah), we are not talking about a (normal) jihadi leader.

“We are talking about a man who entered history.”

A similar service was also held at Al Zahra Masjid in Arncliffe since the news of Nasrallah’s death.

The vigils come after rallies over the weekend over Nasrallah’s death.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed it would investigate “at least six reports of crime” relating to the rallies after reports people were carrying signs depicting Hezbollah imagery.

“The AFP has no tolerance for individuals who break the law and will use its extensive capability and networks to take action,” a spokeswoman said.

“Matters referred to the AFP will be reviewed to determine if actions reach thresholds to charge under the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Prohibited Hate Symbols and Other Measures) Act 2023.”

Under the law, those who display terrorist symbols face jail terms of up to 12 months.

Meanwhile, the NSW Faith Affairs Council, which includes leaders from the Anglican Church, Buddhist Council of NSW, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and more than 10 other faiths, met on Tuesday following reports of the memorials being held across Sydney.

“As people of faith, we recognise that our common humanity makes us one family, and we embrace each other as brothers and sisters,” the council said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We acknowledge the pain many in our community are feeling due to events in the Middle East.

“We implore those who are grieving to find solace in the compassion and understanding of others, and to refrain from any words or acts which promote hate and resentment or incite violence.

“Our state has shown great resilience throughout these times of conflict, but our social cohesion is something we cannot take for granted.

“As community and faith leaders we are committed to working within our various congregations and communities to promote peace, harmony and understanding in NSW and to stand together as fellow Australians.”

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