Dubai: Tributes and messages of condolences poured in from across the world for Hussain Hazim Al Umari, a victim of the New Zealand terrorist attack.
The horrific attack last Friday at Christchurch left at least 50 people dead and 20 others seriously wounded, with many of the victims said to have originated from Jordan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, among others.
One of the many victims included 36-year-old Al Umari, who was born in Abu Dhabi and spent 15 years in the UAE before migrating to New Zealand with his family in 1997.
Iraqi calligraphy artist Janna Ezat, took to social media to pay tribute to her son, who was killed in the Christchurch shooting at one of the mosques where the attack took place.
In a tweet, Ezat explained with great pride how her son was one of the first people to protect fellow worshippers at the mosque.
“The friends of martyr Hussain Al Umari are talking about the way my son defended other worshippers at the mosque. He was one of the first to take a bullet and save the lives of those around him, and helped them to escape,” she said.
On a Facebook message post on Saturday, Ezat could not contain her sadness for losing her son, who was killed during in what was described by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as one of her country's "darkest days”.
“It is with great sorrow we came to know that our son Hussain Hazim Hussain Pasha Mustafa Al Umari is a martyr. Our son was full of life and always put the needs of others in front of his. O righteous Son, may you be blessed, while you were on the prayer mat, in the house of Allah during Friday Prayers, and may Allah build a home for you in heaven. We will miss you. You will remain in our hearts and remembered every day”.
Within the first few hours of announcing her son’s death, condolences flooded in for the Al Umari family who were overwhelmed with grief at the tragic incident.
“He was killed as a martyr. May Allah show him mercy and have forgiveness for his soul,” said @Omar Al Ghazal.
“May Allah grant you patience, and solace that [your son] is in heaven. We belong to God and to Him we shall return,” said @Ahmad Al Dilaimi.
