Prayed Dhuhr this afternoon inside Parkdale Islamic Education Centre, Hamza Masjid, in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood.

This was one of the first masjids to appear on 30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan, way back in Ramadan 2011 on Day 2 !

“On plane.

Man beside me is very quiet and respectful of my space.

Gave me the armrest.

He is watching a show but the automatic call to prayer blared out from an app on his phone.

He panicked to turn it off.

I’m like “You’re good, Uncle. You’re good.”

Muslims have been conditioned to act a certain way, and not speak loudly (if in Farsi, Arabic or Urdu) because of Islamophobia.

Some stopped reading Qu’ran or other books in mother tongues on flights.

I am reading bell hooks and very grateful for the Dhur time reminder. ❤️

It’s hard to navigate spaces when your culture and faith is so brutally and publicly maligned.

But God doesn’t test us more than we can handle.

Also,

Our cuisine tastes WAAAAAY better than racist peoples’ food so I’m good.

Landed.

In an Uber.

Alhumdullilah.

My driver is from Chad.

He is Muslim and he is so nice.

Offered to show me the closest mosque to my hotel.

Then his wife called and he told her about the sis in the car and she invited me to their house for iftar.

LOL.

I just ❤️ my community.”

— By Shireen Ahmed

“I’m so excited and delighted to be delivering a keynote lecture at Yale University and Wellesley College next week!

#femalereciters

“When I arrived at Yale University to deliver my lecture on

Women and the Recited Qur’an”,

I saw verses of the Qur’an engraved on the façade of the Sterling Memorial Library.

Western universities have treated the Qur’an as a historical and literary document, until very recently —

To date little attention has been paid to the Qur’an as a recited book,

Let alone to the long Islamic tradition of women’s recitation.

*Qur’an, Surah 96, verses 1-5, and Surah 2, verse 256.”

Madinah Javed مدينة جاود, Female Reciter; Women’s rights campaigner, speaker, activist

“I’ve prayed Taraweeh in this mosque for more than 10 years straight,

And have prayed there hundreds of times throughout my whole life and never did I imagine this happening.

The women’s prayer hall is spacious and open,

But we were never allowed in the main sanctuary.”

— By Hind Makki, Side Entrance

“Never before were the sisters allowed to sit and use the main Musallah as such – even when no men were present.”

– history being made during a teen girls’ qiyam this Ramadan at Islamic Foundation in Villa Park, IL

“Women never see this view.

We are always on the mezzanine level.

But because there were no men in the main musalla,

Shaykh Noman said it was open to girls to use for qiyam until before Fajr.

Their jaws dropped.”



“The girls were even allowed to pray by the minbar”

Today’s Drive-Thru Iftar was a little bit different.

It was sponsored by Islamic Relief Canada, that’s the same part.

The Drive-Thru Iftar was in front of an Islamic School, that’s the slightly different part.

Ummati Centre in Brampton, is a one storey building located at 205 County Court Blvd, just north of highway 407 and within line of sight of Peel Region’s courthouse on Hurontario Street.

County Court Boulevard should instead be a Crescent as its roadway starts and ends at Hurontario Street.

So when you’re looking for the exact address, you’ll find it on the south portion of the Boulevard.

Their building is home to both an Islamic Centre and a Learning Centre.

The Ummati Islamic Centre is open for Friday Jumah with four scheduled prayers, and then usually open only for Maghrib and Isha.

We arrived at 6 o’clock, the scheduled start time for the Drive-Thru Iftar pick up.

6 p.m. was also about the time students were letting out of their regular Tuesday Maktab Islamic Studies classes.

Vehicles arriving in the parking lot were a mix of parents picking up their children, plus people waiting to pick up Iftars.

We were in the second group.

Ramadan is a Month of Patience as well as being the Month of the Qur’an and the Month of Fasting.

We were informed by a volunteer going from car window to car window that the brother delivering the Iftars tonight was stuck in traffic and he would be here in 17 minutes.

“17” minutes ?

Not 15 minutes, nor 20 minutes ?

That 17 number might be what his smartphone traffic routing app is calculating and telling him.

It didn’t feel like 17 minutes.

To ensure our line of cars didn’t back up onto County Court Blvd proper, a volunteer had used this 17 minute delay to double-park us into two lines of cars in front of the Ummati Centre.

MashAllah, that was wise.

Soon enough the food arrives.

Volunteers begin asking passengers the number of Iftars to be picked up tonight.

Volunteers handing out tonight’s Iftar Dinners.

While we were waiting, some number of students were still waiting for their families to pick them up after classes.

The parking spaces to the right side of us remained free of cars and acts as a lay-by for parents to pick up their kids.

A little bit of Ehsan between everybody went a long way in making tonight’s double use of the overall parking space run smoothly.

Also running smoothly was Islamic Relief Canada running the Iftar Drive-Thru.

Our turn.

How many?

Four Iftars for four of us.

Four Iftar Dinners picked up.

Islamic Relief Canada Donation Flyer also picked up.

Ever drive around town with a vehicle full for Iftar Dinners in the back?

When you step back and think about it, a lot of logistics and work plus volunteers to do that work, are needed to make any Drive-Thru Iftar happen.

Tonight’s Drive-Thru Iftar was sponsored by Islamic Relief Canada in Support of Yemen.

Dropping cash in the box is just as fast as tapping your card.

The brother asks us to wait as he runs off to collect some gifts for us before we leave.

We advance forward to allow the cars behind us to also advance for their Iftar pick up.

You can also see the double line up of cars.

I guess each of these gift bundles had to be made on the spot, rather than being pre-bound, because the number of occupants per vehicle wasn’t known for sure ahead of time.

Swag!

Portable Prayer Mat with Qiblah Compass.

Can we use the Qiblah finder compass to find our direction home?

Heading north on Hurontario, looking back at the one storey Ummati Centre in Brampton.

Tabling for tonight’s Iftar Dinner.

There is still a lot of time before Maghrib Sunset Time, but I wanted to know what was in the box.

First it’s a round box, from Zauq Mississauga.

The food is a mix of Pakistani, Indian & Hakka Chinese cuisine.

Two types of chicken, two small samosas, side container of raita, the lightly spiced yogurt.

Did I already mention that there was still a lot of time before Maghrib Sunset ?

 

Continuing Noor’s Ramadan tradition of  social justice iftars, we offer this special program in honour of Earth Week:

“All Our Relations” and “Communities Like You”:
An Anishinaabe-Muslim Conversation on Conceptualizing Human and Other-Than-Human Relationships

Please join us for this conversation between Anishinaabe scholar Eva Jewell and Islamic scholar Sarra Tlili, on how we might (re)conceptualize human relations with other-than-humans towards love, justice, and care. As always, everyone, regardless of faith or observance, is welcome.

Dr. Eva Jewell is Deshkan Ziibiing Anishinaabekwe (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation) with paternal lineage from Oneida Nation of the Thames. Her scholarship supports community-led inquiry on topics of reclaiming Anishinaabe governance, with interest on the role of women/femmes. Dr. Jewell’s recent research areas include urban Indigenous perspectives on gender, work, and care; and accountability in reconciliation. She is Research Director at the Yellowhead Institute and an Assistant Professor of Sociology at X University.

Dr. Sarra Tlili is a scholar of Arab and Islamic studies, and an Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Literature at the University of Florida. Her primary research interests are stylistics of the Qur’an, animals in Islam and Arabic literature.  Dr. Tlili is the author of Animals in the Qur’an (Cambridge University Press), an examination of the status and nature of animals as they are portrayed in the Qur’an and in adjacent exegetical works, in which animals are viewed as spiritual, moral, intelligent and accountable beings.

Following the breaking of the fast at 8:05 PM EST, maghrib prayers (for those who wish to participate) will be led by Sheikh Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl (Usuli Institute; Professor of Law, UCLA)

Sponsors:
Yellowhead Institute
Usuli Institute 
ClimateFast 
Islamic Social Services Association (ISSA) 
Let the Quran Speak
North American Cultural Diplomacy Initiative (NACDI)

 

 

Date: Monday April 18, 2022
Time: 7 pm EST
The program will end just before 8:05 pm EST, at maghrib (sunset) with the adhan (call to prayer, signaling also the end of the day’s fast)

The book Dr Jewell was referring to is Yamoria the Lawmaker: Stories of the Dene by George Blondin.

Dr. Sarra Tlili’s book is called “Animals in the Qur’an”

It’s Asr Time on the 17th of Ramadan 2022.

Today is also The Anniversary of The Battle of Badr.

And also today… it’s snowing !

I stepped out for a few moments and recorded this video…


This is only the second time I have seen snow during Ramadan since 30 Masjids in 30 Days began in Ramadan 2011.

The first time I blogged about it snowing was Day 9 of Ramadan 2021.

SubhanAllah.



Are you ready for Jumuah today?

We are expecting a larger than usual crowd – so arrive early, mask up and bring a prayer rug and bag for your shoes.

Be mindful of others and share a smile and give salaam – but avoid close socializing!

Adhan: 1:20 PM

Khutbah 1:30 PM

Khateeb: Dr. Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick

Pay your Fitra ahead of time – it’s $10.00 per person in your household.

Fidya (paid if you cannot fast) is also $10.00 per day that you cannot fast.

Donate to IIT at https://Islam.ca

Muslim Neighbour Nexus is the name of this non-profit, founded ten years ago this August.

MNN is an unusual name for an unusual masjid serving the Erin Mills area in Mississauga, Ontario.

There are 10,000 Muslims here and this temporary-permanent building serves as their masjid.

The Dome opened in 2019 before the pandemic began.

Before that, this growing congregation of Mississauga Muslims held Friday prayers in area schools and local public libraries.

Eid Prayers were held outside in an open air field.

Muslim Neighbour Nexus still holds outdoor Eid Al Adha & Eid Al Fitr Prayers in the field.

Back in July 2016, MNN signed an agreement to purchase five acres of land.

By March of 2017, they had taken possession of the land.

In June 2018 they applied and received a building permit for a one storey dome structure on their land.

Less than one year later in May 2019, their Dome Building opened for prayers as the now temporary-permanent Muslim Neighbour Nexus Masjid.

And the MNN Masjid Dome was our 30 Masjids Isha & Taraweeh stop for Night 14 of Ramadan 2022.

Plenty of masks being worn, excellent cross air circulation, many people brought their own prayer mats.

Wall fans were turned on and rotated.

It was such a delightful experience praying here tonight.

A most important part of the night, was the guest speaker.

You can decide for yourself how important his words and message were…

“Firstly, this is not a fundraiser, so don’t worry, we will get you to your regular programming.

My name is Omar Khan and I’m the Director of Outreach for the Yaqeen Institute.

Now,

I’m here just to raise awareness about the rise in Islamophobia.

This is a serious issue that has been plaguing North America for a long time.

This is a billion dollar industry,

That’s main focus is to take people away from the religion.

They want to spread misinformation, lies, and they’re heavily founded and heavily funded.

What has the results been?

So far in the last couple of years,

One out of every four Muslims born in North America are no longer a Muslim.

They no longer identify themselves as Muslims.

We are losing a battle where our youth are the people that are suffering the most.

I think you might know of people that have left Islam.

They’re no longer practicing.

They no longer believe.

Why?

Because of what the media has said, because of mistakes and misconceptions.

The second thing that they’ve done, is that they have radicalized the haters of Islam.

People don’t like me, I have no problem with that.

But the moment that you give people the power to do crazy things, you have situations like we have in London, Ontario.

You have situations like at Masjid Tawheed and different places where people are coming forward and doing things that are dangerous.

The Yaqeen Institute was founded by Shaikh Omar Suleiman.

And our major focus is to stop the rise of Islamophobia, to take back the narrative of what Islam is really about and show people the perfection of it.

What have we done so far?

Many things, MashAllah, that I don’t have the time to share.

But one of the things we did is that when we started, if you were to Google “Islam is” and you would just watch Google fill in the rest.

The top three search results were negative.

Number one was Islam is a religion, not of peace, not a peaceful religion.

Number two was Islam is a death cult.

And number three was something really bad as well.

Yaqeen Institute took on Google.

And in something that was unprecedented, Google reset their algorithm, putting it so that when people type “Islam is” it’s not some negativity that will push people away.

Onsite, what Yaqeen is trying to do is help the community.

We have been in Canada now for three years.

We’re a registered charity and all of our services are free.

We go around to masajid like MNN and we help them enhance their programming.

Why?

Because our youth needs to be taught the true Islam.

We need to teach them that Allah is real.

We need to teach them about the Prophet’s (saws) perfection, about the Qur’anic perfection.

And so in this next year we’re spending heavy amounts of time and energy in going around Toronto, GTA, and around Canada to focus on this mission.

Now I’m here to ask you to do three things.

Number one is that we do have a table in the freezing cold, MashAllah and Alhumdulillah.

Come and see us and learn more about the Yaqeen Institute.

Number two, support us.

We do have pledge forms and donation boxes and they’re here and we would love for you guys to help us on this mission.

And number three, please keep us in your Duas.

All of the masajid and organizations like this mosque, that are working for the same cause.

We will be there at rakat number four, eight, etc.

JazakAllahKhairun, AsalamAlayKum.”

After Salat Al Isha, a number of worshippers stood up and left.

The numbers of people leaving was notable because it was not something I usually see.

People leaving right after Isha Prayer.

A trickle of brothers also left after the first two rakats of Taraweeh.

That was unusual.

Worshippers also exited after four rakats of Taraweeh.

More worshippers left after six rakats.

What is going on?

The fans are on, it’s not hot inside the dome.

Perhaps they were tired or had family waiting?

This created an unusual phenomena during my Taraweeh prayer.

My brother and I had brought our prayer mats and spread them before us, they became our Prayer Spots.

However, with each passing pair of rakats, gaps appeared in the lines ahead of us, and beside us, as individuals were done doing their preferred number of Taraweeh rakats.

Normally, worshippers simply step forward even in a state of prayer and fill in any gaps in the prayer line.

However, many of us brought our own prayer mats.

Stepping forward meant abandoning our initial prayer spot on our own prayer mat.

Some brothers who were praying on the hardwood, or the carpeted portion of the prayer hall, did step forward.

Because many who were standing on their own mats did not advance, people starting stepping forward during the prayer in a zig-zag manner, advancing into the next line and then the line after that, ever closer to the front line.

In the Tetris video game, we have to create a horizontal row from randomly shaped groupings of square blocks.

These blocks are dropped from above, and there is time, decision making, strategy and skill involved to form those horizontal rows.

Each completed row disappears and the game continues.

During tonight’s Taraweeh prayers, worshippers needed to step forward and fill in any gaps in the next line.

But not everyone stepped forward to complete the line.

I didn’t. My brother did. Others stepped forward, and others did not.

I am calling this phenomena The Taraweeh Tetris Effect.

An unusual effect inside an unusual masjid with the unusual name.

Night 13 of Ramadan 2022 brings us, or rather returns us, to the Bosnian Islamic Centre, located at 75 Birmingham Street in South Etobicoke, Toronto.

Last time I was here, I had to stand outside in front of the masjid, as it was closed due to the pandemic lockdown.

That visit was on Day 29 of Ramadan 2021.

Growing up in Etobicoke and Toronto, this was one of my childhood masjids and remained one of my go-to masjids through my teenage years.

There was little choice, we didn’t have that many masjids.

If I was doing 30 Masjids in 30 Days in the 1980s or 1990s, I might have had to stop midway through Ramadan because I would have visited all of Toronto’s Masjids inside of two weeks!

Ever since there was a 30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan project, I have been visiting this masjid at least once every Ramadan.

The only exceptions being when I was travelling from Newfoundland to Victoria Island, visiting 30 Masjids in 30 Days in Canada, then doing 30 Masjids in 30 Days around Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland in Ramadans 2017 & 2018.

Oh right, why is there no visit to BIC during Ramadan 2013 ?

That year I was doing 30 Masjids in 30 Days around Ontario !

And also no visit during the Lockdown Ramadan of 2020.

So tonight, we exit the exceptions and return to the rule of praying inside the Bosnian Islamic Centre at least once per Ramadan.

Alhumdulillah.


Afterwards at home, I began reflecting on the Bosnian Islamic Centre.

Yes, it is a Neighbourhood masjid.

It is also a Destination masjid, at least it became a destination for my brother Amir & I tonight.

Thinking about when this masjid was built, I realized for the first time, that the Bosnian Islamic Centre, which was previously known as the Croatian Islamic Centre, was the FIRST Intentionally Designed-and-Built Masjid in Etobicoke and within the Toronto Metropolitan Area.

So this is also an Historic Masjid.

It was the First Purpose-Built Masjid anywhere in what is today’s Toronto.

The Islamic Foundation in Scarborough, whose kunia or nickname is Nugget Mosque, would be the second.

Reflecting some more, I realize the Bosnian Islamic Centre is also a Heritage Masjid.

  • Etobicoke and Metro Toronto’s First Masjid built from the ground up.
  • The oldest Bosnian masjid anywhere in Canada
  • Toronto’s first and oldest masjid with a minaret; Ottoman architecture designed minaret
  • Nedžad ef. Hafizovic, since 1989 has been BIC’s resident Imam, making him one of few Imams in Canada with such a long tenure serving the same masjid and same congregation.

That “B” in BIC could also be doing do double duty, standing in for the word Barakah, as much as it does for the word Bosnian.