Sister Rania has lived in Medellín, Colombia for eight years.
Read the rest of this entry »

After Jumah Prayers in Medellín, Colombia I introduced myself to Young Brother Abdullah.

He is 18 years old, Colombian, and being from Medellín, makes him a real Paisa. Which is how local residents in this city self-identify.

Abdullah embraced Islam at the age of 13.

He learned of Islam from Sister Rania, a Muslim family friend.

Read the rest of this entry »

This is Brother Ahmed, he normally delivers The Jumah Qhutbah, The Friday Sermon, in Medellín’s only Masjid.

He wasn’t here last week, yet Alhumdulillah, Praise be to God-Alone, I was able to somewhat follow along in his mixing of Arabic and Spanish to get a gist of what his message was for this week.

Perhaps you might feel the same watching and listening. InshAllah!

Here are some images from my Second Jumah here in Medellín, Colombia…

Brother Abdul Haq Founder of Medellin's First Masjid looks back at the Photographer as i take this photo Friday March 28 2014
Read the rest of this entry »

Mariana asking and learning about Muslim Community in Medellin Colombia from Brother Abdul Haq inside Masjid after Salat al Jumah Friday Prayers 2014-03-21-50031
Mariana asking and learning about Muslim Community of Medellín, Colombia from Brother Abdul Haq after Salat al Jumah. She is writing her Senior Thesis about the Muslims here.

As first, I assumed this young woman in a headscarf was a Muslim Sister, perhaps a newer Muslim who had embraced Islam locally?

I would learn she is a Student researching Islam and Muslims for her Senior Thesis.

Mariana has been present in Medellín’s only Masjid each Friday for the past several weeks. Salat al Jumah is really the only time Muslim Sisters are ever at the masjid. Hence, her research is taking a bit longer than one may think.

We ended up interviewing each other. Me for her research paper, and her for this 30Masjids blog post.

Read the rest of this entry »

AsalamAlayKum from Medellín, Colombia!

I came here ahead of the Seventh World Urban Forum happening April 5-11, 2014.

In 2010, I attended the Fifth World Urban Forum held in Rio De Janerio, Brazil.

Both of the Muslim Communities I found in Rio De Janeiro and Medellín share some similarities:

  • Both have about 100 Muslim families in total in a city of millions
  • Both cities only have the single Masjid.
  • Each city’s masjid are open for only part of the day, usually Maghrib and Isha prayers

InshAllah, a much longer story will be posted about this fascinating city and its Muslim story to date, including an interview with the founder of the First Masjid in Medellín, Colombia, Brother Abdul Haq!

Read the rest of this entry »

Charlotte Douglas Airport Chapel front door 2014-03-16-49213

I am en route ultimately to Medellín, Colombia several weeks ahead of the Seventh World Urban Forum

If I could have, I would have prayer in the Chapel at Pearson International Airport. However the plane left Toronto before Maghrib Sunset Time, and I decided to not pray while in flight.

Originally, I decided that once I arrive in Florida, that is where I could catch up my Sunset and Night Prayer as this connection in Charlotte, North Carolina was too short to risk taking a few minutes break to pray.

Upon arriving in Charlotte Douglass Airport, my connecting flight was delayed about 40 minutes. Alhumdullilah, I could pray and InshAllah arrive in Florida having completed even my Isha Prayers on time.

A quick look at the CLT airport map and the Chapel was easy enough to locate. It’s on the second floor in the middle of the Terminal connecting all the gates. To find it, immediately go up the stairs where it says USO. Walk left, and there on the first corner on your right, is the Multi-Faith Chapel.

Read the rest of this entry »

Read the rest of this entry »

Hii, so we decided to go out a day before Eid and spread the LOVE that we always spread with each other on Eid with the Public! We want the world to know what Eid is all about:) So many people LOVED it and were so happy how it brought a lot of people together. Hope you all enjoyed the video and spread the LOVE not only on Eid but everyday! Happy Eid! and much LOVE to all the people who aren’t Muslim and still wish us a Happy Eid! much LOVE!

TrueStoryASA

Was looking forward to listening to Shaikh Abdullah Hakim Quick as I expected his Qhutbah to be excellent, and, Alhumdulillah, it was!

This Eid al Adha Sermon touched upon the Canadian Census Numbers counting the nation’s first Muslims in 1871 right down to the most recent numbers and where the Muslims will be in Canada by 2030. And what all that means.

Abdullah Hakim’s Eid Sermon wrapped up with a very workable 10 point manifesto on how to be Contributing Canadians as we venture forth to the year 2030, when we’re expected to make up a full 5% of the Canadian Population.

Read the rest of this entry »

As usual, Alhumdulillah, I arrived very early at the Eid Prayer location and was able to secure the first best spot, right behind the Imam in the first row… And this year, that meant I would be praying behind Shaikh Abdullah Hakim Quick, who I had grown up praying behind when he was the Imam of Jami Mosque.

However, I couldn’t immediately physically place my own cloth prayer mat in “my” spot just yet.

In recent years, I would immediately lay my own prayer mat atop giant unrolled cardboard mats. This morning, upon arriving this early, I didn’t immediately think anything was out of the ordinary as I walked around a giant empty floor inside the Direct Energy Centre, minus any sign of cardboard.

01 - GTA Eid Al Adha Prayer Direct Energy Centre before Carboard Mats placed

Well… there was a problem.

At the last minute on Monday Evening, the regular cardboard mat supplier bailed out, leaving MAC Volunteers scrambling for replacements.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Madiha | Guest Blog Post

I met Himy last year at the Jane’s Walk picnic for volunteers and learned many things during our interesting conversation.

When he asked me to share about my experience of fasting, I hesitated because I am not nearly as observant as him nor other guests on this site.

He wanted me to say something anyway and now that I have stumbled upon this website again, I feel compelled to share my experience.
Read the rest of this entry »

Between Storytelling and Surveillance

This morning, in preparing to possibly begin blogging something in the 30 MORE category leading up to Hajj 2013, a working Research Paper popped up…

Sangita Shresthova, Ph. D.

And, there’s a one line mention of 30Masjids ( WooHoo! ) on page 69:
Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Ramadan Get Prepared

“For me, this Ramadan, was one of reflection of the past”

By Mona Rahman (@naeema_mnr) | Kingston, Ontario

The first night of Taraweeh prayers, I looked around the packed masjid and missed those whom I had spent Ramadan with growing up.  We have all scattered around the land, the continent, and even the world.

Being an academic town, housing Queen’s University, RMC and St. Lawrence College, we also had a partially transient community growing up, hosting students from all over the world, many of whom had gone back to their home countries.

This year, we also lost a few of our senior generation i.e. the Uncles and Aunties.

 

Growing up, we didn’t have a masjid per se; our activities were held at various places in Kingston, mainly at the Queen’s University campus.

We looked forward to potluck iftars on Saturdays on campus at the International Centre, as well as daily Taraweeh prayers, also held on campus.

Alhamdulillah, we always seemed to have been blessed with at least one person who was Hafiz-ul-Qur’an who could lead the prayers.

One year, there were three brothers who rotated through the month.

As the community grew and expanded into the suburbs, a second jama’a was held at someone’s house in addition to the one held on campus.  We were a close-knit community of several families, who truly felt like an extended family.

After Ramadan, ‘Eid Salah was held at a bigger room on campus and there was yet another potluck Eid dinner to look forward to or picnic, depending on the season.  Picnic season also meant dessert at the farm of one of our community members or dessert at pony rides!

Alhamdulillah.

Read the rest of this entry »

Anwar Sajad in Hospital

“They’re just nice people,”

“They’ve always got the neighbourhood kids over there. They are the kind of people you want for neighbours.”

Barb Hughes, she lives two doors down from The Sajad Family

During the First Ten Days of Ramadan, on Tuesday July 16 2013, Hamilton Taxi Driver Anwar Sajad picked up two men and one woman at a grocery store at Upper Paradise and Mohawk Road.

After driving them to an address on Limeridge Road West, Anwar Sajad was savagely beaten.
Read the rest of this entry »

Takbeerat
Read the rest of this entry »