Six days after a shooting in the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec left six men dead, the mosque reopened its doors on Saturday for morning prayers as three injured victims remain in hospital.

Of the three, two are in critical condition while another is stable, according to a Quebec City Health Centre-Laval University statement.

On its Facebook page the mosque announced several activities to mark the occasion.

With renovations needed to repair the damage left by the attack, the first floor of the building is reserved for men and the basement for women.

Rallies to show solidarity with the victims and Muslim community were held in front of the mosque in Quebec City and in Montreal’s Emilie-Gamelin Park.

"We're here to fight for our rights," said Youfra Khitouch, one of the event's organizers. "We're proud to be Muslims, we're proud to be Canadians from Quebec. We have the right, like everybody else, to be here and to say that we are supporting the victims and we don't want this to happen again. We want to stop the hate." 

Other attendees at the rally said they are hoping for some good to come out of Sunday's tragedy.

"I think it's important to raise awareness of Islamophobia in Quebec," said Ihsane Hmimssa. "A lot of people think it's not happening and just because there were some vigils Monday, everything is good, we're not living this reality of hate and persecution. All of Quebec has to understand there's a reality they don't see and they prefer to ignore."

Rally-goer Wid Kattan praised the decision to reopen the mosque.

"The mosque is a place where Muslims go up to five times a day or more. Children go, it's a place of gathering, they linger, they talk, it's a community centre. I think it's very important it reopened."

Not everyone present was a member of the Muslim community. Thomas Dowd, auxiliary bishop of the Catholic diocese of Montreal, came by to lend his support. 

"We've seen terrible things but I think in the next days we're going to see the best of our society come out," he said. "A mosque is a house of prayer. For it to reopen, a place of prayer and of peace, I think that's a very powerful sign that spirituality, prayer and peace are going to win the day."

On Friday, Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume announced the city’s Muslim community would soon have its own cemetery.  

- With files from The Canadian Press