The congregation of the Penshurst Mosque has been strengthened by a show of community support and solidarity following last Friday's massacre where a gunman killed at least 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch.
The Penshurst mosque's Imam Ensar Cutahija said the mosque has received cards, buckets of flowers, Facebook messages and donations from the local community.
He heard about the attack just before 3pm last Friday and at first didn't believe it.
"When I saw the footage I thought it was fake," he said. "Then I realised it was real. People were calling and asking me what was happening."
Imam Ensar said last Friday's attack particularly hit home at the Penshurst mosque, one of only three Bosnian mosques in Sydney.
"Bear in mind one of the songs the killer was playing was a Serbian far-right, nationalist song which calls for killing all Muslims in Bosnia which was especially upsetting for us," he said.
"There are many Muslims who fled to Australia and New Zealand due to the war in Bosnia so it is particularly painful. It scratches old wounds.
"I heard the government is considering installing CCTV in all the mosques. It would be a good idea.
"We are considering stepping up security especially at Friday prayers.
"This man was not crazy. Crazy people don't write manifestos. What worries us is we don't believe he was a single player."
Imam Ensar said a member of the Penshurst Mosque's congregation, Enes Topalovic is holidaying in New Zealand and was considering travelling to Christchurch to attend prayers at one of the mosques last Friday.
He changed his mind and stayed in Queenstown because the local Anglican Church provides a space for Muslims to worship on Fridays.
The tragedy has brought the local Muslim and non-Muslim community together.
"My sincere thanks to the support of not only Muslims but all our non-Muslim brothers and sisters for expressing solidarity at this dreadful time," Imam Ensar said.
"This pain and terrible crime will make us all the more united."
Messages of support left at the Penshurst mosque included, 'Today we stand in solidarity with you all for a world that respects, values and appreciates all cultures and faiths. Thank you for the way your faiths and cultures add so much to what it means to be Australian.'
And, 'Neighbours welcome your faith in our shared country.'