Dec 2011-12-29 Reports
NAMF Gala – helping those in need 10th anniversary
The 10th Anniversary for NAMF Gala dinner came off with a great vibe.
Many were honored for being volunteers by the MP Jim Karygiannis and the NDP MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan. They have demonstrated consistent support and sacrifice to help NAMF promote its relief services and operate the Masjid Qurtaba project.
The main guest of honor was the Honourable Sitsabaiesan who spoke boldly, with facts and feelings on issues of humanitarian relief as well as the need to recognise minority communities as they strive to make Canada home. She is among the youngest women and first Tamil woman elected to office. The other meaningful presentation was by Canada’s first female Chinese MPP, the Honourable Soo-Wong who recently won the elections for Agincourt Scarborough Provincial elections.
There was also Dr Shahida Khan, a known children doctor who first contacted NAMF about securing assistance in getting little Ehsan Mohamed have an open heart surgery at Sick Kids hospital. She was very grateful that her appeal was quickly accepted and the fundraiser so far ahs been a success. Dr. Khan was honoured by NAMF Directors with a special plaque of recognition.
Mr Farouk Khan, Executive Director of North American Muslim Foundation, reminded to full house audience in the Jamil Dar Convention Center at 4140 Finch Ave E that the organisation is progressing not only with relief and the local Masjid but with other efforts like the recent seniors programs and the forum on homelessness.
Guests were treated to a sumptuous dinner including roasted lamb and kurma with Azfar Ali entertaining them during dinner time with is unique witticism!
Miscommunication of attendance of MP Olivia Chow was received from her office. NAMF regrets her absence and acknowledged her with a plaque and paid tribute to the late Jack Layton.
Lunch with a Rabbi
Having a kosher meat fish ball made with carrots in a busy Jewish neighbourhood recently with a progressive Rabbi is something of a treat.
I met Rabbi Yossi Sapirman during an interfaith panel on sexuality. He has studied Islam and always happy to join Interfaith initiatives that presents people of faith as normal citizens. The Rabbi is indeed a caring, deeply connected man with lots of community activism and layered with knowledge while gifted with humour. I was happy to have a moving lunch that made me understand that religious leaders are more than the prayer service leader. As I sat there so many people from his congregation came up to say Shalom or simply talk or thank him. I was there to present him my new book on Intimacy and he was so pleased to have supported the book with hope to talk about sexuality in a pluralistic way. This can be seen as another out of the box way of Twinning! Twinning of Mosques and Synagogues can be simply an Imam and Rabbi having lunch! And only in Toronto!
Human rights conference held at Ontario Science Centre
Panellists included the Ombudsman of Toronto Fiona Crean and Imam AbdulHai Patel elaborating that the almost half century of celebrating the universal declaration on human rights needs teeth still. With a video showing the history of human rights struggle and the on going of struggles the audience were treated to songs of human rights and various presentations. The Church of Scientology were in the lead of establishing this event, reminding us that we are all consumed in the race for our natural human rights to whatever we are entitled to have.
The Prophet Muhammad on whom be peace for example came 1400 years ago and established the right for girls to live, women to inherit and people to believe and pray freely! How about these for a start? We are indeed grateful for the Charter of Freedom and Rights in Canada.
There was a girl there only 12 years and raised 1000.00 so far within a year for charity that helps doctors in Guyana deliver babies without infant mortality. She makes beads of hopes in shapes of necklaces, bands, etc. It was indeed a warm evening given the winter blues!
Interfaith trip to Jerusalem.
Muslims, Jews and Christians flying to Jerusalem, sitting in buses, worshipping at holy places, crossing borders, staying in same hotels and eating in same restaurants for a week! Unheard of? Well only in Toronto that is possible. That is indeed a factual newsflash!
Yes members of the Interfaith community, thanks to the hard work of Father Damien, Dr Karen of Canadian Council of churches and Judy Csilag this was made possible. Every one paid for their own travel and willingly joined the trip for their personal enhancement.
The stories of admiration for Islam abounds in this trip.
Imam AbdulHai Patel could not participate in the well attended forum organised by Scarborough Mission where two other panellists- a Rabbi and Dr Karen did a wonderful job in travelogue the event that had almost fifty members travel, including some young Muslim students. It was indeed heart warming to hear the stories of all three faiths and of how they marvelled at witnessing each others places of worship and history in Jerusalem, witness each others worship and travelled to the occupied territories and met with people from both sides of the country.
It is a sensitive issue and for people to respectfully report and talk of experience while avoiding the pitfalls of judgement and blaming is indeed a remarkable feat. This is the maturity the Interfaith community has arrived at in Canada and the world should take note. A viable project for a documentary and worthwhile imitative to take elsewhere!
Allah says and travel in the land and see how we treated people in the past!
RIS message- love your humanity
The most poignant message I got from listening to Saturday afternoon presentations, listened to some by 15000 attendees at the 10th annual Reviving Islamic Spirit convention this Christmas Weekend at the Metro convention Centre was love!
Listening to Habib Ali Al Jiffri say that when Islam allows you to marry a Christian or Jewsish woman then automatically it is saying you have to love that person despite difference of faith and he comes over very polite and loving towards humanity despite coming form a conservative background. This message really resonated. Similar things were said by Dr Abdullah Idress who spoke on the importance of Muslim minorities ensuring they work for the collective security of where they live as per the hadith that one should hold the hands of the oppressor as a form of helping one’s brother.
The many speakers and presentations left this point as a theme. Islam is love! With money raised from the event in the past helping some 12000 hungry persons in Toronto – this is testimony that this belief is intrinsic of our Faith.
Tribute to My Aunt Leila- in Guyana who passed awayand was buried on Dec 18 2011
What a season!
You were chosen to end the pain
Among flowers and joy
You surrendered your last smile
A mother of ultimate sacrifice
A wife of unconditional love
A sister of sincere advice
My auntie Leila is endless affection, she 's nice!
At lost in the sea of life
Against life's maze of battling waves
You stood stronger than Jonah
Keeping the sail of values straight to shore!
Now that you've gone beyond
Lighting heaven, behind the proverbial blackout
The angels will salam you
Here comes the moonlight, laughing all the way
Who will listen to my rantings?
Who will laugh to my calls?
Who will act as my mother?
And keep my word when I fall?
I salute you oh woman of worth!
Nevermind your weakness
You one night never slept
Guarding your three angels against vicious eyes
A mother, a father, a soldier in one
This unsung hero, this best grandmother ever
A mother Mary of another
More gracious than Kaieteur your love for all
And when it's over
They will say where went Sandy?
The one whose coupe and curry
Made you feel royal, felt deeply loved, eh?
I love you and will always miss you!
You were chosen to end the pain
Among flowers and joy
You surrendered your last smile
A mother of ultimate sacrifice
A wife of unconditional love
A sister of sincere advice
My auntie Leila is endless affection, she 's nice!
At lost in the sea of life
Against life's maze of battling waves
You stood stronger than Jonah
Keeping the sail of values straight to shore!
Now that you've gone beyond
Lighting heaven, behind the proverbial blackout
The angels will salam you
Here comes the moonlight, laughing all the way
Who will listen to my rantings?
Who will laugh to my calls?
Who will act as my mother?
And keep my word when I fall?
I salute you oh woman of worth!
Nevermind your weakness
You one night never slept
Guarding your three angels against vicious eyes
A mother, a father, a soldier in one
This unsung hero, this best grandmother ever
A mother Mary of another
More gracious than Kaieteur your love for all
And when it's over
They will say where went Sandy?
The one whose coupe and curry
Made you feel royal, felt deeply loved, eh?
I love you and will always miss you!
Red Hassar- Guyana teaches love one another!
There is something about Guyana that makes you want to go and stay. Yes, it’s the warm weather and superb hospitality. However, my encounter this time was the generosity of hassar- a super delicious fish that is also known as cascdura or cascadoo.
I met a gentleman in the Mahaica Creek area whose immediate warmth and readiness to share was like a spell cast upon my spirit. He felt inclined without formality, to ensure his guests were treated with maximum respect and much fanfare; with tasty, tongue-licking hassar curry! In my talks across the country at various places, I recognised the humble yet learnt and deeply loving nature of the folks in the country as to what the Prophet Muhammad, owbp, entreated towards when he said the best of you in Jahilliya are the best of you in Islam, if you have the understanding. Isn’t feeding the guests the very first principle the Prophet, owbp, introduced in Medina upon arrival? Feeding the guests even at the expense of one’s hunger and the hunger of one’s children was the proven way of the Companions that Allah had caused to reveal- that they prefer others above themselves even if they suffered pangs of hunger! This is the common religion this beautiful land envelopes.
This gentleman goes on to tell his story, that being a Hindu and having married a Muslim woman did not prevent him from learning to recite the Quran and sing Qaseedas- in praise of the Holy Prophet! Well that is something not merely great but deeply spiritual. He now writes poems to his deceased wife- his therapy and unending love for a woman he never wanted to touch until marriage! When the Prophet was proposed to by Khatija he was singled out for his trustworthiness and wisdom. To trust someone with your life and religion- knowing you will be dignified and your freedom of religion will be respected is indeed a quality that is rare. Notwithstanding the Quranic injunction, this is an experience to consider.
My other encounter was with a sister of “red” background, whose Christian persausion did not prevent her from attending the mosque for the first time inorder to learn about Mother Mary- Jesus’ mother during Christmas time. Her dedication, care and respect, was observed when she watched carefully the practise of the Juma prayers! She later on remarked that when the men stood up in line for prayers, without any urging nor discipline, it was the most poignant moment of all her Islamic experiences. She now wants a Quran and was happy that the Imam actually spoke out against domestic violence- something Muslims and all are guilty of. That the Holy Prophet on whom be peace never hit a woman; should be enough to counter any misinterpreted verses from the Quran that seeks to justify killing women. It’s indeed tragic that love kills and one out of every three woman is a woeful victim!
Speaking to non Muslims in Guyana reminds you that respect is critical for all and for a nation that honours religions and races historically, it is important that we don’t fall into ghettoes of fundamentalists’ attitudes towards one another but see the social ills of society is everyone’s cares, as Shamal aptly writes in his mind-boggling brochures, distributed across Guyana and read for all types of persons.
When one sees the funeral attended by folks from all walks of life and prayers joined by every one, in order to pay the last respects of a sister, a mother, an aunt it reminds you of the Holy Prophet standing at the passing of the Jewish deceased and exclaiming it’s a soul too! So for a non Muslim to contribute to a mosque, without any agenda, is no different from our history, where our ancestors built together, ate together and chanted together. It’s so synonymous to our tradition where the Kaba was built by Non Muslims before Islam with halal sources- from a ship wreck off Yemen and until today the Hatem is testimony to that; as there weren’t enough halal funds to complete it.
I envisage a continuum of dialogues, events and studies to ensure that the poor are protected and loved, religions avoid backbiting and leaders take heed to this global phenomenon- we are a family working from afar, for the good of humanity.
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