The imam of the Waterford Al-Munir Islamic Centre has said the community is heartbroken following the death of eight-year-old Malika Al Kattib in New Ross yesterday.
Eight-year-old Malika Al Kattib was at home with her mother on Sunday night when a man who knew them both attacked the child’s mother.
The child sustained fatal stab wounds after she tried to intervene.
Malika was taken to University Hospital Waterford, where she died from her injuries in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The attacker was also injured in the scuffle.
The mother, who is Irish and converted to Islam, remains in hospital this morning. The man is also in hospital under garda protection.
The man is expected to be discharged later today and then arrested by detectives who have begun a murder investigation.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One programme, imam Rashid Munir said it was very hard to believe such a thing had happened.
“They [community] are all in pain, they are all in shock. What happened, that was unacceptable and it is heartbreaking. They all want to say a good goodbye to Malika,” said Rashid Munir.
Rashid Munir described Malika as a lovely child and a beautiful girl who was full of life and energy.
“She was very smiley. She [had] a lot of interest in learning about Islam and learning about the religion. She was very good and steady. She wanted to be a good part of society. She always want to do something extraordinary but this thing happened.”
The imam said he has spoken with Malika’s mother and while her injuries are not life threatening “she is not in [a] good condition”. For a mother to have lost a child, he said, “it’s not easy to bear with that”.
He added that he hoped the burial would take place today or tomorrow, at the latest, in line with Muslim tradition.
Rashid Munir said reports of people trying to stoke up anti-immigrant feeling is not important compared to the loss of a child.
“I’ve lived here for 22 years and never experienced any racial incident,” he said, “and my four children were born here.”
“We are not immigrants anymore and these things happen in every culture, in every religion. We should be standing with the mother who lost her child,” he added.