About 100 members of the Syracuse University community attended a vigil Thursday afternoon in Hendricks Chapel in remembrance of three Muslim students who were shot and killed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

The vigil, which was planned and hosted by the Student Association, the Muslim Student Association and Hendricks Chapel, lasted about 40 minutes. Some in attendance shared testimonies of past experiences relating to discrimination, and there was a discussion about how those at the vigil could make the world a better place.

Last week, the three Muslim students were shot and killed near the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill campus. The father of one of the victims called the killings a “hate crime,” and the FBI announced an inquiry into the case late last week. Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, was indicted Monday on three counts of murder and one count of discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling.

Dean of Hendricks Chapel Tiffany Steinwert welcomed the 100-plus attendees shortly after 5 p.m.

“We are a community and we have braved a blizzard to be here,” Steinwert said. “We come to stand in solidarity, arm in arm, with one another.”

Following opening prayers, Yusuf Abdul-Qadir, an SU alumnus, delivered the keynote address.

“I think today we are trying to have peace and comfort,” he said, explaining the meaning in each of the victims’ names. Abdul-Qadir discussed the trend of “hating on Muslims” and how following 9/11, “Muslims and Islam are more in the spotlight than ever before.”

Abdul-Qadir explained the rise in Islamophobia, or the prejudice against, hatred toward, or fear of the religion of Islam, and how to overcome it.

“Hate cannot cure hate, only love can do that,” he said. “We must build a better world together and there’s no better time than now.”

Following testimonials from members of the Muslim Student Association about experiences with discrimination, a candlelight vigil concluded the event.

Afnan Ahmed, the public relations coordinator for MSA and a senior biotechnology major, said the event was successful despite the snowy conditions outside of Hendricks.

“This was just one means of bringing everyone together because it was on the forefront of media and on everyone’s minds, especially on college communities around the country,” he said.

“I felt like it united (the community) and we needed it,” Ahmed added. “We needed to show each other support and know that everyone from all communities, we’re all united and we need to be one despite our differences.”

Published on February 19, 2015 at 6:39 pm

Contact Justin: jmatting@syr.edu | @jmattingly306