Aroha, resilience and hope: Dr. Mazharuddin Syed Ahmed's journey of healing and understanding

As Ramadan draws to a close and the community prepares for Eid al-Fitr, Ara is celebrating the extraordinary journey of Dr. Mazharuddin Syed Ahmed, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for Ara’s Graduate Certificate and Diploma in Building Information Modelling (BIM).  

Mazhar is not only an enthusiastic and dedicated Ara academic with a passion for teaching and mentorship, he’s also a survivor, educator and beacon of hope who has transformed a moment of profound darkness into a powerful message of love and understanding. He recently shared this message with Ara staff at a talk titled ‘Using aroha to dismantle hate in Aotearoa’. 

On March 15, 2019, Mazhar survived the Christchurch mosque attacks, an experience that would forever change his life. Hidden in a storeroom during the terror, he witnessed the devastating death of five friends among the 51 worshippers lost that day. From this unimaginable tragedy, Mazhar found his mission: to dismantle hate through education and aroha. 

"It was a life-changing experience," Mazhar reflects. "I felt I had a role to play, it was a reset button moment. I wanted to understand why this happened, to explore the roots of hate itself." Over the next three years, he delved deep, learning across disciplines – from humanities and psychology to linguistics and statistics – to comprehend the complex origins of hatred. 

Drawing on his academic background, Mazhar developed a course: ‘Using Aroha to Dismantle Hate in Aotearoa’. The course goes beyond traditional approaches, exploring hate speech, discrimination and, most importantly, how to transform these destructive forces through understanding and compassion. Anyone interested in Mazhar’s course, can contact him via LinkedIn. 

_{Dr Syed Ahmed shares his journey with Ara staff} 

What makes Mazhar's approach unique is his focus on the extraordinary response of New Zealanders in the wake of the attacks. He has documented over 100 acts of kindness – from news readers wearing hijabs to neighbours forming a human chain to protect his family in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. "New Zealand responded to hate with aroha," he explains. "It is unique in the world." 

Inspired by nature’s wisdom, Mazhar often uses the example of starling mumurations – how the birds change direction in split seconds, each monitoring seven neighbours and moving as one collective unit. Similarly, he watched how New Zealanders spontaneously came together after the terror attacks, each inspired by others and doing what they felt was necessary to support the Muslim community.  

His work reveals an understanding of human connection. "We are 99.9% genetically the same," Mazhar points out. "Our greatest threat today is misinformation, prejudice and hate." His mission is to counter this threat through education, awareness and the transformative power of kindness. 

Recognised for his important message, Mazhar has been invited to speak at universities across New Zealand, has addressed the National Police Academy and has collaborated with government bodies. His ultimate goal is ambitious yet hopeful: to reach one million people with his message of understanding and connection. 

"I've made this my life's mission," Mazhar says. "To educate about the dangers of hate and prejudice, and to share the incredible initiatives of kindness that emerged after the Christchurch mosque attacks." 

This Eid al-Fitr, Ara is profoundly proud to support and celebrate Dr. Mazharuddin Syed Ahmed – a true embodiment of aroha, courage and the transformative power of understanding.