Video of Muslims cleaning Doncaster Minster goes viral after Southport killings
A video of members of Doncaster’s Muslim community helping to clean the city’s historic Minster has gone viral in the wake of the horrific killings of three children in Southport, urging people of different faiths to work together.
The tweet from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Doncaster, featuring a video of several of the city’s Muslims sweeping and helping to tidy the historic church, has been watched nearly 600,000 times and received 2,600 likes since it was posted a couple of days ago after the tragic events which saw Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, killed in an attack, with 17-year-old Axel Muganwa Rudakubana accused of the murders.
The incident has sparked unrest around the country, with a mosque in Southport coming under attack as well as incidents in Hartlepool and Aldershot and other parts of the country targeting the Muslim community, despite their being no known links between the attacker and Islam.Bilal Mahmood, the President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Doncaster, said: “In the wake of the tragic events in Southport, a tweet has gone viral, capturing the attention of thousands across”The tweet has been widely shared and praised for its message of unity and community service.
He said: “We must use social media responsibly in a way that promotes positivity and interfaith harmony amongst communities. “This is the best way to counter those extremists who want to create divisions amongst communities by exploiting tragic events, giving complete disregard to the victims of such tragedies to further their hate agendas.” The video, filmed in 2022, shows members giving the Minster – also known as St George’s Church – a spring clean.
Mr Mahmood emphasised the importance of unity and collective effort in overcoming the challenges posed by those who seek to sow discord. “We must work together regardless of our backgrounds sincerely to serve each other,” he said. “Our actions should reflect our commitment to peace and our dedication to supporting one another, especially in times of crisis.”
Mr Mahmood said that the Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, has always reminded us of our responsibilities to serve fellow human beings regardless of our differences. His Holiness said in one of his addresses: “I pray that a spirit of service to humanity takes permanent root in society, so that we protect our future and leave behind a better world for our children and coming generations to live in.” “The viral video serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that small acts of kindness and community service can have, especially when shared widely on platforms like Twitter.
By showcasing their dedication to preserving and honouring a historic Christian site, the volunteers wanted to set an example of how different faiths can come together to build stronger, more resilient communities.“The viral tweet from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association not only highlights the positive role that social media can play in promoting interfaith harmony but also reinforces the importance of working together to counteract hate and division. The best way to respond to those who seek to exploit tragedies for their own agendas is through sincere and unified efforts to serve and uplift one another,” he said.
