The former NRL rugby star and New Zealand All Blacks, Sonny Bill Williams, has directed a fundraising for a new mosque in Auckland only months after the last attack against Muslims in the capital of the country.
Williams was a special guest at the Hillsborough Masjid fund collection night, whose objective is to establish a new mosque on a property overlooking Manukau.
The mosque will provide a spiritual and community center for Muslims in the region.
According to the mosque website, eight New Zealandes become Islam daily. The new center is designed to be a support environment for them.
Williams shared his support for the project, publishing, 'Awesome occurs for our new Masjid in Hillsborough, Auckland.
“The New Zealand UMMAH (community) represents all the colors of the Mashallah world.”
Williams traveled to Auckland to help raise money to open a new mosque in New Zealand
Hillsborough Masjid, the organization behind the mosque, says that eight New Zealandes are becoming Islam every day every day
Williams and Hillsborough Masjid want the new mosque to be a center for the New Zealand Muslim community
The collection of funds followed a fire attack in the IMAM Islamic Mosque Reza in the new Auckland Lynn in November 2024.
An intruder caught fire, which burned for eight hours before being discovered.
The attack caused extensive damage and deeply impacted the local Muslim community.
This incident occurred in the context of the ongoing concerns about the security of the New Zealand Muslim community, since the country is still recovering from the attacks of the 2019 Christchurch Mosque, which charged 51 lives.
Williams has been an outstanding defender of the Developments of the Mosque. In 2023, he participated in the construction of a $ 5 million mosque in Carlton, Sydney.
However, the project faced the opposition of some local residents.
A video posted by Daily Mail Australia showed Williams in an exchanging with a neighbor.
During the confrontation, Williams seemed to say: 'Go to China' while responding to resident's objections.
Williams had a long career in the NRL and with the All Blacks in Rugby, Premierships and World Cups.
The incident highlighted the tensions in the area with respect to the approval of the mosque and the potential impact on traffic and noise levels.
Residents near the Carlton Mosque have reported ongoing concerns.
Some claim that they have faced intimidation, including firecrackers that are thrown into their courtyards and verbal abuse.
Others have expressed concerns about the decrease in the value of the properties due to the project.
There is no suggestion that Williams is involved in any of the alleged harassment.
Williams, along with his partner athlete Anthony Mundine, personally donated $ 200,000 to the Carlton Mezque project.
In response to the opposition, Williams previously described development critics as “racist.”
Beyond its participation in mosque projects, Williams has been active in the Muslim community worldwide.
In February 2024, he participated in the educational series of Faith Events in Malaysia, delivering talks entitled 'A step closer to God' and 'A mile in my shoes'. Shaykh Wael Ibrahim moderated these sessions.
On November 1, 2024, Williams was appointed Pro Chancellor of the International University of Albukhary in Malaysia, a position that described as a “proud privilege.”
In 2018, he made Umrah's pilgrimage to MECA and visited Medina. His commitment to faith has been evident both in his public and private life.
Williams has also dedicated himself to philanthropic efforts. In 2020, he donated his sponsorship of Jersey to the charity of Fitness Australian Mental Gotcha4Life, along with a personal contribution of $ 10,000.
In addition, it has used its social media platforms to share messages during significant Islamic occasions, including Ramadan.