The view of the Islamic Centre of Canada, as you turn off South Sheridan Way driving onto ISNA Canada’s front drive-way.

We were instructed to proceed and turn around in an empty parking area and come back with passenger side window facing the front of the main entrance.

The building is closed to the Public.

Those present are employees or volunteers helping make ISNA Canada’s first Drive-Thru Iftar possible.

Earlier in the day,

They had successfully operated a Drive-Thru Ramadan Food Bank Pick Up.

 

Through the passenger side open window, volunteers first ask how many children and how many grown-ups are in the car.

Then wearing protective gloves, volunteers bring the appropriate number of Iftar meals to your car.

 

We answered we were three.

 

Alhumdulillah,

three Iftar boxes were brought out to us in the car.

 

A sister beforehand had handed us three cans of pop.

 

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear

 

Wonder what’s in the Iftar box ?

 

Biryani ?

 

 

Nope.

Halal Burger !

 

UnBoxing followed by Unfasting.

 

30masjids.ca/night-7-video-public-adhan-al-maghrib-call-to-the-sunset-prayer-islamic-centre-of-canada-isna-canada-mississauga/

 

This the First Public Adhan Al Maghrib, Call to The Prayer After Sunset, at Masjid Dar As-Salam in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

The Muslim Society of PEI was my destination on Night 8 of Ramadan 2016,

While doing my Coast-to-Coast 30 Masjids in 30 Day of Ramadan Canada.

Alhumdulillah,

This is not only one more Canadian City,

but one more Canadian Province now allowing Public Adhans at Maghrib Sunset Time.

Like almost every other Masjid or Islamic Centre in Canada,

Masjid Dar As-Salam  is  closed due to Corona Virus Pandemic Lockdown.

 

From The Guardian news story published April 27 2020 :

“Traditionally,

families would gather at the Masjid Dar As-Salam mosque in Charlottetown for a weekly potluck supper,

along with the smaller nightly Iftar — meaning “breaking of the fast”.

There are also nightly voluntary prayers,

the Taraweeh,

specific to Ramadan when a section of the Quran is read aloud each day,

so the entire book is read throughout the month.

With the mosque closed none of those activities can happen communally,

but they can continue on a smaller basis at individual homes,

with no impact on the significance or meaning of the monthlong holiday, said Esseghaier.

“We’re still fasting. We’re still breaking our fast together within the family.”

Since these activities can be carried out so easily on an individual basis,

the Muslim Society isn’t looking at offering online versions,

despite what many other communities have done to adapt existing traditions through virtual means.

This is because there are already exceptions allowed during Ramadan,

like for those who may not be able to attend prayer at a mosque or on fasting for those whom it may harm, said Esseghaier.

“In Islam, we try to make things easier for everybody.”

 

In these screen captures from the youtube video,

You can see many cars parked around the Masjid,

While the Masjid parking lot remained almost empty.

A LOT of Muslims turned out to witness Charlottetown’s First Public Adhan.

You can also see a LOT of physical distancing.

15 MacAleer Drive is in an industrial area,

There are no residential neighbours here.

Because of the ongoing Pandemic Lockdown,

This might be the largest Muslim Gathering in PEI during Ramadan 2020.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

First broadcast of Athan in Dar As-Salam Mosque, Charlottetown

A post shared by Muslim Society of PEI (@muslimpei) on

 

Labyrinths in Islam from HiMY SYeD on Vimeo.

The First Saturday in May is World Labyrinth Day.

That’s today.

This is the first time solar calendar World Labyrinth Day has appeared during Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic Lunar Calendar.

I have a another blog where I write about my Toronto and Vancouver City of Labyrinths Project .

What do Labyrinths and Islam have to do with one another ?

I use to think “Nothing.”

No Venn Diagram Overlap in these two areas of my life.

One morning in Ramadan 2009, after praying Fajr inside Toronto’s Dawah Centre Masjid,

I was allowed to realize Labyrinths In Islam have been hiding in plain sight all these years.

Ramadan 2009 was two years before I would start blogging 30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan on this website.

Labyrinths have appeared on 30 Masjids before . . .

Two months before I began blogging 30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan 2011,

I was on Umrah and spent time in The Holy City of Madinah.

On foot towards Masjid Qiblatain,

I found a Hedge Labyrinth and later made a sand Labyrinth with my foot . . .

Alhumdulillah.

Labyrinth related re-tweets originally made from Madinah in June 2011

Labyrinths are Unicursal.

They have one path, with no dead ends.

As long as you do not jump a line, you will always arrive at the centre.

Some Labyrinths are Pass-Through.

You enter from one side, follow the path, and exit.

You walked through the Labyrinth without encountering any dead ends.

By design, you cannot be lead astray. You do not experience anger.

When you inevitably arrive at the Centre, or when you exit a pass-through Labyrinth,

You feel a sense of accomplishment.

You are at peace.

No matter which path you took while walking a Labyrinth, you were rightly guided.

You may even want to walk the Labyrinth again and again or again after that.


Mazes are Multicursal

They have at least one dead end.

Sometimes many dead ends.

Maze are meant to puzzle you, to trick you, to frustrate you, to amaze you.

That is where the word Amazing comes from.

Mazes win when you get lost.

Mazes by design have many Innovations. You begin to doubt yourself.

Mazes lead you astray.

Many people give up in the middle of a maze, never finding their way out.

They become angry or frustrated or lose their patience.

Once abandoned, they may avoid mazes altogether, forever.

Labyrinths are The Straight Path.

aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm

الصراط المستقيم

Masking Tape Labyrinths

GTA EID, Toronto Ontario Canada, Tuesday August 30 2011 :

Eid Al Fitr Masking Tape Labyrinth

Vancouver Convention Centre, Sunday June 25 2017 :


Eid Al Adha Masking Tape Labyrinth

Eid Al-Adha Party, MAC Centre, 122 Kingsway, Vancouver, Saturday September 2 2017 :

Chalk Labyrinths

Pre-Ramadan Community BBQ, King George Park, Richmond B.C. Sunday May 21 2017 :

Chalk Labyrinth

EidFest at Playland, Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territory, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday July 2 2017 :

Eid Al-Adha🕋Masking Tape Labyrinth🍥

Vancouver Convention Centre, Tuesday August 21 2018

Masking Tape Labyrinth

Islamic History Month

Promenade, Vancouver Public Library, Saturday October 27 2018 :

Chalk Labyrinth

Windsor Labyrinth, City of Labyrinths Project / Day 13 of Ramadan 2013

Windsor Ontario Canada, Sunday July 21 2013 :

Last year during Ramadan 2019,

I photoblogged my visit to Jamiat-Ul-Ansar of Brampton, Great Lakes Masjid, on Night 26 of Ramadan 2019 for Isha and Taraweeh.

Also prayed JUMAH tul WIDAH 2019, Fourth Friday of Ramadan 2019 at Jamiat-Ul-Ansar.

Brampton’s Great Lakes Masjid has a dedicated and active congregation.

They remain busy with daily, weekly, and monthly programs year round.

When the Holy Month of Ramadan comes, it’s even more busy.

Pandemic Lockdown has reminded how central Masjids are in the lives of the observant Muslim.

You can see a handful of people remaining in their cars, or standing outside the fence, looking and listening via loudspeaker to their Masjid’s Call to Prayer at Sunset.

Adhan Al Maghrib.

Coming here for these few minutes, may be the only Physical connection Brampton Muslims have to their Great Lakes Masjid in Ramadan 2020.

Video of the First Public Adhan Al Maghrib, Call to The Prayer after Sunset, made in front of Darul-Uloom Masjid-Center, 2803 St Joseph Blvd in Ottawa.

As the camera pans around to showing an empty St Joseph Blvd,

Note the church steeple from where Church bells can ring out, calling the Christian Faithful to Prayer.

This video was uploaded to youtube on May 2 2020.

Adhan may have been was called the night before.

There is now a petition you can sign to say thank you to Mississauga City Council & Mayor Bonnie Crombie for allowing Public Adhans from Masjid loudspeakers in Mississauga during Ramadan 2020.

I just signed : Signature 6358 .

Your Turn .

Today is the Second Jumah of Five Fridays in Ramadan 2020.

Chose again to livestream the Friday Virtual Talk from IIT, Islamic Institute of Toronto.

This Virtual Friday Talk is not a Replacement for Jumah Prayers but it does help keeping a weekly routine in the same timeslot.

A smart businessperson would recognize this as, “Keeping Your Customer.”

Talk began an update from Fareed Amin, Chairman of IIT.

Today’s Khateeb, or speaker, was Shaikh Abdool Hamid.

Masjids are closed due to the Lockdown.

After the Livestream concluded, we prayed four rakats (units) to complete Salat Al Dhuhr, the regular Mid-Day Prayer.

Ramadan 2020 At Home also includes Friday Dhuhr Prayer At Home too . . .

On Day 27 of Ramadan 2013,

I blogged about Imam Ali (AS) Masjid on Walkley Road in Ottawa.

Back then, building was closed because I was there the wrong time of day.

In Ramadan 2020, Imam Ali (AS) Masjid is closed because of the Pandemic Lockdown.

With permission now given for Public Adhans in Ottawa,

Nothing stopped tonight’s Muezzin from making a Public Call to Prayer outside the Masjid, Not even the rain . . .

On Day 24 of Ramadan 2013 when doing 30 Masjids Ontario,

I watched The Muezzin make Adhan Al Maghrib, Call to Sunset Prayer, from inside Masjid Ar-Rahmah.

If I was at Masjid Ar-Rahmah now, I might well be watching, and hearing, The Muezzin from Outside.

Sara Salah :

“Gazak ALAH khair….

But if everyone is inside his car it will not be a problem…

they accept for this decision for muslims to be happy how we could hear the azan if we didn’t come close

..we can’t park at the side streets ..

So I think it’s better to announce that everyone have to be inside his car and no one go out it’s better in my opinion..”

This is a very good suggestion from Sister Sara.

Masjids doing Public Adhans can tell Muslims driving into their parking lots, to hear Call to Sunset Prayer from inside their cars.

At Sunset, Break your Fast.

But Don’t Break Physical Distancing !

Praise be to God alone,
Alhamdulillah

We would like to thank Mayor Jim Watson for his incredibly thoughtful gesture, following many other Canadian cities in allowing the athan to broadcast at Maghreb (sunset) everyday until Ramadan ends.

We would like to also remind our Masajid to take this opportunity by showing extra kindness and care to their neighbours.

Tune in to our youtube.com/TheOttawaMosque to hear the Athan live streamed tonight at 8:10 pm, inshaAllah”

Ottawa Muslim Association

A few hours ago,

The City of Ottawa granted permission for local Masjids to broadcast via loudspeakers Adhan Al Maghrib, Call to Sunset Prayer.

That left only a few late afternoon hours to figure out how best to wire up loudspeakers atop the Ottawa Muslim Association’s Minaret.

They tried, yet needed more time.

Ottawa Muslim Association :

“…We did our best but it was very little time to prepare for today, can you guess how long the wires need to be to connect the speakers on top of the minaret?!”

Allah (SWT) Rewards efforts for Good Deeds, any results are by His Will.

Alhumdulilllah,

On the Last Friday of Ramadan 2013, Jumah tul Widah, Day 25, I heard their Adhan from inside the masjid.

InshAllah,

On the Second Friday of Ramadan 2020, Adhan Al Maghrib, Call to The Sunset Prayer, will heard from outside via Loudspeakers atop the Ottawa Muslim Association Minaret.

Masjids in Canada’s Capital City,

Ottawa,

Now have to option to publicly broadcast Call to The Sunset Prayer, Adhan Al Maghrib, via loudspeakers, nightly for the duration of Ramadan 2020.

Official City of Ottawa Announcement

Noise exemption granted for local mosques during Ramadan

April 30, 2020

Announcements and Events

A new noise exemption is being granted today to allow mosques to broadcast a 5-minute call to prayer at sundown each day until May 23, in recognition of the holy month of Ramadan.

This noise exemption has been permitted in recognition of Ramadan and in light of the Provincial Order prohibiting the gathering of more than five people.

While doing 30 Masjids in 30 Day of Ramadan 2013 Ontario,

My fourth week of Ramadan 2013 was spent Masjid Blogging around Ottawa.

In Ramadan 2013, All Maghrib Adhans in Ottawa were heard inside.

In Ramadan 2020, they can now be heard outside too.

Yesterday Day 6 of Ramadan 2020,

Hamilton City Council granted temporary permission to Downtown Hamilton Mosque and Hamilton Mountain Mosque to broadcast Adhan Al Dhuhr, Call to The Mid-Day Prayer, and Adhan Al Maghrib, Call to The Sunset Prayer.

[gview file=”http://30Masjids.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Hamilton-City-Council-Downtown-Mosque-Call-to-Prayer-Twice-Daily-During-Ramadan-2020-07_1_Prayer.pdf”]

You may notice in the video, numerous people drove to hear this two minute, and parked cars away from each other practicing physical distancing . . .

This first week of Ramadan 2020 has seen City Councils in Southern Ontario, as well as Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, grant temporary permission for broadcasting Public Adhans, Call to The Sunset Prayer.

The City of Hamilton Ontario lead the way in allowing not one, but Twice Day Public Adhans.

In Cities around the World, it is normal to hear The Call to Prayers echo in the urban soundscape for a few moments, five times a day.

Twenty or so years ago, I remember watching Jeanne Moos live on a sidewalk in New York reporting on CNN, and suddenly in the background The Call to Prayer began echoing within the caverns of Manhattan behind her.

In our Canadian Context, maybe two is the right number for now, Mid-Day around noon, then again at Sunset.

No City wants to be first, every city wants to be second.

When it comes to Twice Daily Public Adhans in Ramadan 2020,

The City of Hamilton was First.