Canadian Council of Imams held first development seminars
Knowledge sharing and professional training are no strangers to Imams. That’s what they do. However, finding the time off to attend an Imam’s development workshop, where you are now the listener that could be a challenge.
On May 19th 2008 twenty Imams attended a half day professional training workshop hosted by the Council itself, headed by Hamid Slimi at the Bosnian Islamic Centre, downtown Toronto.
Among the presenters were lawyer Irfan Syed who dealt with Canadian Laws and common issues; Nyla Hassan spoke on the importance of communicating through appropriate self imaging; accountant Qamar Sadiq provided crucial information on taxes while Nazim Baksh explored the sorely crucial area of media interviews. The IttihaadCapital team presented on their version of investing in ethical funds in Canada.
Attendees felt this was indeed an eye-opening event and wish more workshops are planned especially in the area of social work and public speaking.
The Chair thanked everyone, and specifically the Masjid management for hosting all with a sumptuous Bosnian cuisine. More of these workshops are slated as Imams need to operate within the Canadian context and knowledge shared is never too much. The JamiatulUlama, the body of local Islamic scholars, also supported this event.
Islamic Foundation opens its doors for Toronto, again
Affording the tickets to some of Toronto’s exotic destinations could be out of reach for some. And then the phobia in entering certain sacred spaces complicates it further. Well that should no longer be, at least per year. For the last nine years this wonderful Turkish architecture at Markham and Nugget has earned a reputation of being a must stop for those venturing out on a warm Open Doors weekend.
Visitors toured the various sections of the mosques, received refreshments and literature about complex and the religion it represents. Moreso a special session in the public library accommodates the many questions Canadians may wish to settle. Educated presenters dealt alternately throughout the Saturday and Sunday with issues as simple as the meaning of the prayers to complex matters like polygamy.
This conversation has to continue among Muslims with more open doors outside Toronto Open Doors.
NAMF walkathon a small success despite the rain
Last Saturday the weather was not cooperating like most would say for this long Victoria weekend.
However, this did not deter the signed up walkers for NAMF Walkathon 2008 in aid of orphans around the world, including Guyana. The thirty odd walkers started from Scarborough Civic Centre at 10:00 am and ended up at Midland and Finch 11:30 am, doing the 6 km comfortably in the cool of the after rain morning. Many did not want to brave the weather but youths and adults alike joined to make the premiere event a success. The twenty three hundred dollars raised will go towards the orphan sponsorship program, says the Director of North American Muslim Foundation, Mr. Farouk Khan. Among the walkers was Aliya Khan, originally from Guyana and her friends of varied backgrounds. With free t-shirts, popeyes and hand bands plus happy going colleagues she says they are bound to be back next time, bigger and better. “The run was fun, compelling and inspirational”, says Aliya. “It was great to see high school students getting involved in such a great cause since we are expected to spend our Saturday mornings sleeping in! It was a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family, knowing your spreading awareness about orphan sponsorship, not only an Islamic, but World Wide crisis,” she added.
Muslims host seminar on Muslim inmates
Mothers cry. Families distressed. Imams try. Why so many youths in the prison system? And how do they receive basic spiritual care?
Mothers concerned about their sons imprisoned and unable to receive basic Muslims chaplaincy services convened at the West Mall Community Centre, Etobicoke, recently, May 1st to discuss this issue with their local MP and Muslim Leaders.
Basically the community needs to collaborate in providing preventative programs in the community, making their mosques more active. At the same time inmates desperately need qualified Muslim chaplains. The Canadian Council of Imams and the Muslim Children AID Society have committed themselves to continue this important pursuance.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Allowing the free spirit to enter Jumua
Let not the tardiness of a partner be your pain
Allow the whispers of spring to touch your hair
Let divine solace be more important than olay
So like the moth on the candle light you'll each other desire
For many have listened to old man sea
Unpouring into wine glasses memories
Many relish the dinner and candlelights
But love is a journey of commitments that turns and turns
When not in the mood don't pretend
When making amends be sincere
For with every caution to the wind
Tauba is more essential than air or a nice jacket
www.imamhabeeb.com
Allow the whispers of spring to touch your hair
Let divine solace be more important than olay
So like the moth on the candle light you'll each other desire
For many have listened to old man sea
Unpouring into wine glasses memories
Many relish the dinner and candlelights
But love is a journey of commitments that turns and turns
When not in the mood don't pretend
When making amends be sincere
For with every caution to the wind
Tauba is more essential than air or a nice jacket
www.imamhabeeb.com
Absence yet present
You are so talented
You raise my hopes
with words scented of lovely things
With your heart like carnation
You have indulged the aura
beyond understanding
Why make yourself tired
At the feet of longing
When you can sit by the river bankof fulfillment
And be carried on the palaquin of butterflies and birds
conversing, carressing
the frog questions the rain
Why do you keep away
The rain absorbed in her misty thoughts
Replied for with union
the magic may be unbelievable.
You raise my hopes
with words scented of lovely things
With your heart like carnation
You have indulged the aura
beyond understanding
Why make yourself tired
At the feet of longing
When you can sit by the river bankof fulfillment
And be carried on the palaquin of butterflies and birds
conversing, carressing
the frog questions the rain
Why do you keep away
The rain absorbed in her misty thoughts
Replied for with union
the magic may be unbelievable.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Green Muslims
Islamic Foundation receives award for joining the greening spaces program thanks to the youths
I drive by these days seeing David Suzuki lying under a bus seat with a huge glue-gun and an even huger smile and I say ‘what a guy!’ Well who isn’t inspired by this father of the greenies? Last Saturday, April 12th 2008, I was even more inspired and so over 150 others at the U of T by the eloquent, erudite and committed Fr. Giorgio Di Ciccco as he cared for these attentive flowers in his garden of Ecology of the Heart, during his opening key note speech.
Hosted by Faith and the Common Good environmental organization, this one day "Greening Sacred Spaces Forum" afforded, easily, the various faith leaders and concerned citizens, from both urban and rural GTA, great motivation and insight to make their places of worship energy efficient and in turn for them to join the movement of saving our God-given planet.
Fr. Di Cicco, author of twenty odd books, including Municipal Mind, reminded the attendees that we are not independent of each other but dependent and therefore it's our loving duty to save the earth.
Among the workshops offered were: how to get funding for greening one's holy sanctuary, understanding the concept of spirituality in the eco-movement, renewable energy, organic gardening, sealing old roofs, green interior decor, etc
No doubt our duty to saving this planet goes way beyond walking to work and eating organic. It rather includes important questions about carbon emissions and globalization, legislation and education. But with single drop after drop an ocean is built and as we say in Guyana “one-one duty ah build dam”- it takes one brick at a time to construct a highway.
As Dr Ted Reeve, Director for this non profit organization aptly puts it: “To engage in the radical discipline of seeing deep beauty in changing seasons, the love in people’s faces, each interdependent element of creation, is to walk differently in the world. I find this profoundly challenging as I rush from one To Do, to the next. Yet, when I remember to focus on beauty my attitude shifts and I engage the world in a more loving way.”
Among the places of worship recognized for doing something positive about greening their space was the United Church of Parkdale and Islamic Foundation, Toronto.
As Muslims we are already chosen to help for Allah called humans Khalifa- one who succeeds and inherits and one who ensures that the heirloom remains safe and intact in order to pass it to the next in line.
I drive by these days seeing David Suzuki lying under a bus seat with a huge glue-gun and an even huger smile and I say ‘what a guy!’ Well who isn’t inspired by this father of the greenies? Last Saturday, April 12th 2008, I was even more inspired and so over 150 others at the U of T by the eloquent, erudite and committed Fr. Giorgio Di Ciccco as he cared for these attentive flowers in his garden of Ecology of the Heart, during his opening key note speech.
Hosted by Faith and the Common Good environmental organization, this one day "Greening Sacred Spaces Forum" afforded, easily, the various faith leaders and concerned citizens, from both urban and rural GTA, great motivation and insight to make their places of worship energy efficient and in turn for them to join the movement of saving our God-given planet.
Fr. Di Cicco, author of twenty odd books, including Municipal Mind, reminded the attendees that we are not independent of each other but dependent and therefore it's our loving duty to save the earth.
Among the workshops offered were: how to get funding for greening one's holy sanctuary, understanding the concept of spirituality in the eco-movement, renewable energy, organic gardening, sealing old roofs, green interior decor, etc
No doubt our duty to saving this planet goes way beyond walking to work and eating organic. It rather includes important questions about carbon emissions and globalization, legislation and education. But with single drop after drop an ocean is built and as we say in Guyana “one-one duty ah build dam”- it takes one brick at a time to construct a highway.
As Dr Ted Reeve, Director for this non profit organization aptly puts it: “To engage in the radical discipline of seeing deep beauty in changing seasons, the love in people’s faces, each interdependent element of creation, is to walk differently in the world. I find this profoundly challenging as I rush from one To Do, to the next. Yet, when I remember to focus on beauty my attitude shifts and I engage the world in a more loving way.”
Among the places of worship recognized for doing something positive about greening their space was the United Church of Parkdale and Islamic Foundation, Toronto.
As Muslims we are already chosen to help for Allah called humans Khalifa- one who succeeds and inherits and one who ensures that the heirloom remains safe and intact in order to pass it to the next in line.
Greening sacred spaces
Youth Tarbiya Workshops struggles to help
On Saturday, April 12th, youths and parents gathered again at the Salahuddin Mosque’s gym to enjoy a workshop, basketball and good food.
Auliya AbdRahman and Shirene Khan took up this initiative in January 2008 and have been pounding at it alone but increased vigor. Since the Aqsa Pervez trajedy a few workshops were done including the Young Muslims doing one in Sauga in January, one on sexuality in Waterloo Masjid in March and the opening of 1-866-NASEEHA hotline to help youths in trouble.
This workshop series is monthly and cost a minimal $10.00, attended mostly by public school students and accompanied by their concerned parents on a Saturday evening. The last program had Ibrahim Hindy talking about friends and their influence. This time Abu Shahada reminded the kids about the evil of drugs and Shaikh Habeeb inspired them on stopping bullyism- helping the bullied and bully.
Parents continue to be alarmed about the safety of their children as they spend most of their lives in public domains that are continuously challenged morally and security-wise. We have a responsibility to not only feed, clothe and shelter them but to educate and spiritualize them with proper protections and self dignity- says Shireen the main architect and a single mother herself. How good has this been? Mohamed Patel believes this is real “cool” as you learn and have fun in safe place with lots of good food! Next time is pizza!
On Saturday, April 12th, youths and parents gathered again at the Salahuddin Mosque’s gym to enjoy a workshop, basketball and good food.
Auliya AbdRahman and Shirene Khan took up this initiative in January 2008 and have been pounding at it alone but increased vigor. Since the Aqsa Pervez trajedy a few workshops were done including the Young Muslims doing one in Sauga in January, one on sexuality in Waterloo Masjid in March and the opening of 1-866-NASEEHA hotline to help youths in trouble.
This workshop series is monthly and cost a minimal $10.00, attended mostly by public school students and accompanied by their concerned parents on a Saturday evening. The last program had Ibrahim Hindy talking about friends and their influence. This time Abu Shahada reminded the kids about the evil of drugs and Shaikh Habeeb inspired them on stopping bullyism- helping the bullied and bully.
Parents continue to be alarmed about the safety of their children as they spend most of their lives in public domains that are continuously challenged morally and security-wise. We have a responsibility to not only feed, clothe and shelter them but to educate and spiritualize them with proper protections and self dignity- says Shireen the main architect and a single mother herself. How good has this been? Mohamed Patel believes this is real “cool” as you learn and have fun in safe place with lots of good food! Next time is pizza!
Youths vying in speech
Amazing speeches and empowered youths- another NAMF success story
On Saturday, April 5th, 2008, the seventh annual NAMF speech competition and Fundraising dinner was held. It was a resounding success! The topic this year was: 'Is the media the primary cause of youth violence in Canadian society?' Students were invited from more than 100 public and private schools across the GTA.
While the preliminary did not happen due to insufficient applicants, the finals saw nine enthusiastic speakers vying for the three top prizes: laptops, Psps and Mp3 players respectively. The judges described the competition as “tight”, with each participant doing their very best to win one of the popular prizes. The presentation showed individuality, sincerity, careful research, and distinct points of view. All were well delivered.
The caliber of presentations was excellent and every speaker deserved to win. The judges were Mr. Nadeem Memon, a PhD candidate at OISIE/UFT, who teaches at Centennial College; Mr. Omar Zia, who holds a Masters in Education and teaches in the Peel District School System and Mr. Mark Persaud a lawyer and community leader.
In the primary category (grades 6 to 8) the first prize went to Daniya Muhammadi. Rehan Khan topped the secondary school category. In attendance was the honorable Minister of Labor of Ontario, Mr. Brad Duguid. He applauded the efforts of the ‘nervously seated’ students and emphasized the value of competitive challenges, like this one, as it marks a bright future for Canadians, an issue he is dearly committed to.
Pride was evident on the faces of many parents and supporters. At the intermission NAMF Islamic Academy presented a wonderful choral recitation.
Funds raised at the dinner will go towards NAMF’s new building. Special thanks to all the donors and our generous sponsors Alimas Roti, Deen Pharmacy and Scouts Canada.
An educator attending with her family commented: ‘NAMF must be commended for providing this valuable educational opportunity for youths. Events like this develop communication skills in young people and give them an opportunity to express themselves freely. This goes beyond ordinary classroom instruction and actively involves students in creating a better world.’
Brother Ashraf from IMO, a former popular venue of this event, said: We definitely need to encourage our young ones as Ilm is power and the vibrancy to deliver it is a skill; indeed events like this will nurture deliverance and will be of great encouragement for our young ones and greatest of pleasure for parents!
On Saturday, April 5th, 2008, the seventh annual NAMF speech competition and Fundraising dinner was held. It was a resounding success! The topic this year was: 'Is the media the primary cause of youth violence in Canadian society?' Students were invited from more than 100 public and private schools across the GTA.
While the preliminary did not happen due to insufficient applicants, the finals saw nine enthusiastic speakers vying for the three top prizes: laptops, Psps and Mp3 players respectively. The judges described the competition as “tight”, with each participant doing their very best to win one of the popular prizes. The presentation showed individuality, sincerity, careful research, and distinct points of view. All were well delivered.
The caliber of presentations was excellent and every speaker deserved to win. The judges were Mr. Nadeem Memon, a PhD candidate at OISIE/UFT, who teaches at Centennial College; Mr. Omar Zia, who holds a Masters in Education and teaches in the Peel District School System and Mr. Mark Persaud a lawyer and community leader.
In the primary category (grades 6 to 8) the first prize went to Daniya Muhammadi. Rehan Khan topped the secondary school category. In attendance was the honorable Minister of Labor of Ontario, Mr. Brad Duguid. He applauded the efforts of the ‘nervously seated’ students and emphasized the value of competitive challenges, like this one, as it marks a bright future for Canadians, an issue he is dearly committed to.
Pride was evident on the faces of many parents and supporters. At the intermission NAMF Islamic Academy presented a wonderful choral recitation.
Funds raised at the dinner will go towards NAMF’s new building. Special thanks to all the donors and our generous sponsors Alimas Roti, Deen Pharmacy and Scouts Canada.
An educator attending with her family commented: ‘NAMF must be commended for providing this valuable educational opportunity for youths. Events like this develop communication skills in young people and give them an opportunity to express themselves freely. This goes beyond ordinary classroom instruction and actively involves students in creating a better world.’
Brother Ashraf from IMO, a former popular venue of this event, said: We definitely need to encourage our young ones as Ilm is power and the vibrancy to deliver it is a skill; indeed events like this will nurture deliverance and will be of great encouragement for our young ones and greatest of pleasure for parents!
Toronto Muslim science
Toronto’s First Muslim Science Centre opens to the public.
Last Sunday, April 6th 2008, I took my kids to attend an intriguing workshop on purifying water in our world that is slowly depleting its bare 1% drinking water.
These were volunteers from Engineers without Borders demonstrating their skills to young children and parents sat in. These UFT students are traveling around the country ensuring children understand the issues other poorer children are faced with in acquiring technology to purify their mostly unfiltered water and many times contaminated. Fatiha partnered with these young volunteers to provide this workshop to the Muslim community free of charge.
Having a unique alternative to an indigestion of spiritually impoverished media was Fatiha's Foundation founding three directors concern in 2004. This worry became the brainchild of the now daily functioning Muslim Science Centre in the vicinity of Islamic Foundation, Toronto.
For a real minimum fee children can play with intricate science games, build new things, paint and play games after school and weekends. The challenge is the get parents on board as the community is either accustomed to leaving their kids unsupervised after school in front the 'box' or believe spending their evenings at the maktab without play is the only way out. This centre affords a rounded leisure time- education, play and Islam.
With workshops such as poetry, science and seera slated it is bound to be a success.
To open the door to traditional, inclusive and affordable education system in North America is the http://www.fatiha.ca/ccc mission statement, what about yours?
Last Sunday, April 6th 2008, I took my kids to attend an intriguing workshop on purifying water in our world that is slowly depleting its bare 1% drinking water.
These were volunteers from Engineers without Borders demonstrating their skills to young children and parents sat in. These UFT students are traveling around the country ensuring children understand the issues other poorer children are faced with in acquiring technology to purify their mostly unfiltered water and many times contaminated. Fatiha partnered with these young volunteers to provide this workshop to the Muslim community free of charge.
Having a unique alternative to an indigestion of spiritually impoverished media was Fatiha's Foundation founding three directors concern in 2004. This worry became the brainchild of the now daily functioning Muslim Science Centre in the vicinity of Islamic Foundation, Toronto.
For a real minimum fee children can play with intricate science games, build new things, paint and play games after school and weekends. The challenge is the get parents on board as the community is either accustomed to leaving their kids unsupervised after school in front the 'box' or believe spending their evenings at the maktab without play is the only way out. This centre affords a rounded leisure time- education, play and Islam.
With workshops such as poetry, science and seera slated it is bound to be a success.
To open the door to traditional, inclusive and affordable education system in North America is the http://www.fatiha.ca/ccc mission statement, what about yours?
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