Woefully, our Heritage Month ended on a sad note of murder and violence. This is truly horrific. Bermuda as a community must come together to fix whatever is causing this horrible existing atmosphere that clearly does not fit into our Bermuda culture.

There will always be those that will speak negatively on any and everything, there will always be the pessimists of society, but as an excerpt from Desiderata, a 1927 poem by Max Ehrmann reads: “Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.”

Say I’m a dreamer but I would like to think and indeed hope that Bermuda’s heritage continuously develops and keeps evolving into all that is good and prosperous. I hope that by working together for the common goal of a better Bermuda we can make it a reality that the best is yet to come.

Allah says in the noble Koran: “Verily, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Koran, 13:11)

This verse speaks to the power of self-belief and the role it plays in shaping our lives and the world around us. The violence that is happening is not unique to Bermuda; it’s a global phenomenon, but it should not stop us trying to clean up our own backyard. I believe that “if it is to be, it’s up to me”. We all have an individual interest and civic duty to assist in chartering our course for better. We have to work together to reform the ills in our society.

The Muslims in Bermuda are on a campaign to return harmony to our beautiful island home and from June 6 will host a variety of events to which the Bermuda public is invited. There will be posters and adverts around the island containing more details. We hope you will join us to make a concerted effort to regain peace and harmony; to live without threat to life or limb in our community.

As Muslims we are taught to be involved in our communities. Allah SWT (short for Subhanahu wa ta’ala, Arabic for “The most glorified, the most high”) says in the Koran: “You are the best community ever raised for humanity — you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah. Had the People of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. Some of them are faithful, but most are rebellious.” (Koran, 3:110)

Bermuda, together we can and will make a difference.

We must truly come together to bring peace at home and abroad. We must continue to speak out and against injustices, wars and atrocities which are relentlessly being carried out throughout the world. The struggle continues, hence we must continue to demand a permanent and immediate ceasefire. The madness needs to stop now.

“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Aware.” (Koran, 49:13)

We all desire harmony among ourselves; let’s take the steps to create “One Love Bermuda”!

As salaam alaikum (Peace be unto you).

• Linda Walia Ming is a member of the Bermuda Hijab Dawah Team, a group of Muslim women who reside in Bermuda and have a goal of educating the community about the religion of Islam