Hamid Slimi, Imam of the Sayeda Khadija Centre in Mississauga, Canada had paid a visit to a nearby Catholic church, St Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, after he was told a member of his congregation had visited the church and destroy the Catholic church. The Pages of the bible had torn, the altar had been damaged and the Cross had been thrown to the floor.
Mr Slimi knowing something needed needs to be done, went back to the mosque, organised its members and managed to raise $5000 to help with the damages done to the church.
It was a very bad scene,” Mr Slimi told The Star. “The guy who did it ripped pages out of the Bible. He broke the altar. He threw the cross. When I saw this, I thought it was pure injustice. It was just wrong.”
The man who vandalised the church is Iqbal Hessan, 22, and was charged with breaking and entering. During his bail hearing, Iqbal Hessan said he was "upset with the Christian religion", but his dad reportedly told the court that his son is suffering from schizophrenia which is causing the imbalance and anger.
Police have said after reviewing the man's mental history, , they have decided not to proceed with a hate crime.
While speaking to the Rev. Father of St Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, Father Camillo Lando, he said he had informed his congregation of the gifts from their Muslim neighbours and also told them it was very nice, and also there shouldn't be revenge.
