Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, the Chairperson of the Irish Muslim Council, has said that he is doing "much better" after being the victim of a "deliberate hate crime attack" in Tallaght on Thursday evening.
Dr. Al-Qadri said he was hospitalized after suffering broken teeth and a swollen face during the attack, which he described as premeditated.
He said he had received a phone call from a man claiming to have Irish and Pakistani heritage who asked him to officiate at his marriage ceremony. However, he said he was attacked by two men after he arrived at the address in Tallaght.
"I have experienced a deliberate hate crime attack in Tallaght a few hours ago. I would like to express my gratitude to the kind Irish lady and two Irish gentlemen who assisted me when I collapsed and safely helped me into my car," Dr. Al-Qadri wrote on social media on Friday.
"I was hospitalized last night and underwent a CT scan. Thankfully, there is no brain injury or broken jaw, but the left side of my face is severely swollen and my front teeth are damaged.
"It appears that this was a planned attack, as I met two Irish individuals who had arranged a meeting in Tallaght. The next thing I remember is feeling disoriented in my car, surrounded by helpful Irish neighbors of the area I was visiting, as the Gardai and ambulance arrived."
Dr. Al-Qadri said he lost consciousness during the attack but added that he still had his phone and watch were still in his possession when he regained consciousness.
He said his wallet, which contained photographs of his late parents, was missing after the attack but has since been recovered.
"I had informed the gardaí that my wallet was missing, leading to the incident being classified as a robbery and assault. If any items are missing, they are treated as evidence of robbery," Dr. Al-Qadri wrote in a follow-up post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"This will now be treated as a serious assault case rather than a robbery and assault."
He also said he is doing "much better" following the attack, although "eating remains a challenge".
Dr. Al-Qadri said he believes the attack was a result of anti-Muslim or anti-immigrant sentiment and added that he would have preferred if the attackers had engaged with him on the issue.
"It appears that the attackers were not aware of my identity and may have targeted any Imam or Muslim leader," Dr. Al-Qadri wrote on X.
"It would have been more constructive had they engaged in conversation with me and recognized that migrants and Muslims are not the underlying issue. We are ordinary human beings just like everyone else.
"This experience has reinforced my determination to preserve Ireland's compassion and unity and protect it from hatred and division. I firmly believe that Ireland is a beautiful country, and the love and support I have received only strengthens that belief."
Gardaí have confirmed that they are investigating a robbery and assault that took place in Tallaght on Thursday evening and that one man required medical attention after the incident.
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