Muslim and Jewish communities offer assistance, prayers to bushfire victims

Faith leaders are urging their communities to lend a hand during the bushfire season.

Residents defend a property from a bushfire in northern NSW. Source: Getty

Muslim and Jewish communities have come together, to offer assistance and prayers to bushfire victims around NSW and Queensland.

On Thursday, the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) posted a video on its social media channels calling Muslims to action.

"The past week has been a catastrophic week for NSW and Queensland," ANIC public relations officer Imam Ibrahim Dadoun says in the video.

"We have received a lot of news about the victims of the bushfires who have lost their homes, those who have passed away, and for the firefighters who have been injured," he said.

"We urge the Muslim community to get behind the humanitarian organisations who are helping the bushfire victims."

In an earlier statement, the group "urged all imams, community leaders, mosques, organisations and Islamic centres to update their attendees during Friday's [Jumaa] congregation about the current situation of the NSW and Queensland fires and remind them of our role as Muslims to support one another and those affected by the fires".

"We also urge mosques and Islamic centres to hold the Islamic ritual prayer [Al-Istisqaa] 'seeking rain' from Allah to ease the situation of those who are suffering."

A police officer surveys the damage in NSW last week. Source: Getty

Meanwhile, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies has so far raised more than $14,000 "to support those impacted by the catastrophic bushfires".

The money raised in the GoFundMe appeal, set up by CEO of the organisation Vic Alhadeff, will "be distributed on advice from the NSW premier's office".

More than $14,000 ha been raised. Source: gofundme.com

"I donated because I am Australian. My life has been blessed whilst all around Australia people like me lose everything they possess from fire and drought. It is the least I can do," one donor wrote.

Another said, "[I] so admire those volunteers and mourn with the folk who have lost so much".

As of Friday afternoon, there were more than 60 fires burning across NSW with 32 uncontained.

Four people have so far died in the fires with more than 250 homes destroyed.

And in Queensland, more than 60 fires continue to burn across the state on Friday afternoon, where 16 homes have already been lost to the flames.