Day 14 – Drive-Thru Iftar Pick Up – Sayeda Khadija Centre – Faith of Life Network – Mississauga, Ontario

04 15 22'

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Day 14 – VIDEO – Islamic Architecture – TARIC Islamic Centre – Toronto And Region Islamic Congregation – 99 Beverly Hills Drive – North York

04 15 22'

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Day 14 – JUMAH – Dr. Shaikh Abdullah Hakim Quick – Maximizing Ramadan – IIT – Islamic Institute of Toronto – 1630 Nielson Road, Scarborough

04 15 22'

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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

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Night 14 – Isha – Taraweeh – Muslim Neighbour Nexus Masjid – 3520 Odyssey Drive – Mississauga

04 14 22'

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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.

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30 Masjids

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Night 13 – Isha – Taraweeh – Bosnian Islamic Centre – Bosanski Islamski Centar – 75 Birmingham Street – Etobicoke, Ontario

04 13 22'

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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.

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Day 12 – LIVESTREAM – Resilient Hour – Shaikh Dr. Jasser Auda & Hafiz Afsar Khan – Mustafa Farooq, CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims – IIT – Islamic Institute of Toronto

04 13 22'

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Night 12 – Isha – Taraweeh – Islamic Forum of Canada – 200 Advance Blvd, Brampton

04 12 22'

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For Night 12 of Ramadan 2022,

My brother Amir & I chose to pray Isha & Taraweeh at Islamic Forum of Canada in Brampton.

The listed address is 200 Advance Blvd, but it’s more easily found when looking on the east side of Dixie Road north of Highway 407 and south of Steeles Avenue.

Upon entry, having shelved our shoes, we were almost immediately welcomed by an elder member of the congregation who greeted us.

That was our first greeting of the night.

I’ve sometimes written and often said that Masjids are essentially empty rooms with a carpet.

Sometimes these empty rooms have bookcases.

Stepping into the Islamic Forum of Canada, we find the expected carpeted room with an unexpected studio set up for livestreaming in the middle of the prayer hall.

Everything is transparent.

…Computers, cameras, control room.

Feels more like Mission Control than any television broadcast control room.

We spread our prayer mats and sit down in the second line to the right side of the studio set up.

There are still a number of minutes before Salat Al Isha, The Night Prayer begins.

A younger brother, Rashad, introduces himself to us and greets us.

This is our second greeting of the night.

Brother Rashad, now 23, has been attending the Islamic Forum of Canada since he was 14.

So he grew up with this Masjid.

He tells me that he encouraged the elders running the masjid to get online and be up-to-date communication-wise with intentions of reaching the younger generation, his generation.

Printed newsletters, telephone numbers, and xeroxed posters on the notice board and VHS video cassettes and audio tapes might have been state of art when the Islamic Forum of Canada began.

Website, YouTube recordings, social media graphics and livestreaming are how the Islamic Forum of Canada continues today.

To their credit, the first generation leadership have given space and encouragement to their second generation to go ahead and experiment.

At least one experiment seems to have succeeded.

In my travels of blogging 30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan since 2011, I’ve visited numerous masjid organizations who experience Founders’ Syndrome.

Founders’ Syndrome is what happens when the founder(s) of a masjid, or Islamic organization, doesn’t allow space for new ideas, new voices, new board members, even new board members who are Women(!), or youth board members.

It looks like the youth are behind the scenes running the show.

But they can’t be behind the scenes, because everything is transparent and out in the open.

It only looks like they are behind the scenes if you only watch online.

Watch online and you will quickly realize this is a Sunni Sufi Masjid.

And what Tariqah of Tassawuf is followed here ?

Whenever I enter a Sunni Masjid, I never ask if it is Maliki or Shafi’i or a Hanafi observing congregation.

Likewise tonight, I learned Islamic Forum is a Sunni Sufi Masjid. Full stop.

Most worshippers tonight were not wearing masks.

My brother and I having spread our prayer mats before us were the odd Muslims out.

Double Triple Quadruple Hospitality from the Islamic Forum of Canada.

Shaykh Faisal acknowledged me twice, once after Salat Al Isha, and again during the break in-between rakats six and seven of Taraweeh.

Bringing the count to four.

I was welcomed to the Islamic Forum of Canada a total of four times tonight.

Salat Al Taraweeh is being lead by a Qari from Turkey, I could type up a little bit about him, but it’s easier to listen to Shaykh Faisal…

My brother Amir & I would wonder afterwards how the Islamic Forum was able to get such an esteemed reciter of the Qur’an to commit to Ramadan 2022 in Brampton ?

Brampton, that city north west of Toronto, with a Muslim population of around seven percent within the city’s overall count of 700,000 ?

The day before tonight, during IIT’s Monday evening Resilient Hour livestream, Shaikh Dr. Jasser Auda took us on a deep dive in understanding Dreams and when they are Wahy.

Tonight, during the break in-between Taraweeh Rakats, Shaykh Faisal retold the story of Prophet Yusuf (upon whom be peace), with some emphasis on the part of the story dealing with dream interpretation.

For a certain number of the next generation of Brampton’s Muslims, the Islamic Forum of Canada is already a dream come true.

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30 MORE | Day 11 – Twitter Thread : “Using public art as a platform, we hope to improve the visibility of Muslim identities in urban spaces.” — By Muslims in Public Space – Toronto, Ontario

04 12 22'

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“Using public art as a platform,

we hope to improve the visibility of Muslim identities in urban spaces.

Public art adds meaning to our cities and character to our neighbourhoods.

A project we’re working on transforms traffic signal boxes.

We applied to #OutsideTheBox2022

Our project “Geometric City” is inspired by Zellige tiles,

a type of mosaic tilework in which each tile piece is individually hand-chiselled into a colourful mosaic.

These tiles can be found on the columns,

doors and walls of Mosque,

Madrasas and other built forms.

learn more about the project & at Zellige tiles.

— By Muslims in Public Space, Toronto, Ontario

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Night 11 – Isha – Taraweeh – Great Lakes Masjid – Jamiat Ul Ansar of Brampton

04 11 22'

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Jamiat Ul Ansar of Brampton,

also known as the Great Lakes Masjid,

is our 30 Masjids stop for Isha and 8 Rakats of Taraweeh on Night 11 of Ramadan 2022.

Why the name Great Lakes Masjid, when Brampton doesn’t even touch Lake Ontario?

Jamiat Ul Ansar’s address is 291 Great Lakes Drive in Brampton, Ontario.

We arrived early tonight.

Isha Prayer time had advanced to 9:45 p.m.

If you ever wanted to see a sea inside a masjid, visit Great Lakes Masjid in Brampton…

Jamiat Ul Ansar‘s carpet of green has been covered over with blue plastic vinyl you might use to cover your outdoor swimming pool in the off-season.

We then cover the covering with our prayer mats.

Prayer lines have be re-demarcated with generous spacing in-between each using black electrical tape.

Worshippers are still being asked to bring their prayer mats for Jumah and and Taraweeh Prayers.

Physical distancing on both the x + y axis is easily achieved using both these measures.

Adhan Al Isha, The Call to Night Prayer.

Look on the mimbar, those are HUGE prayer beads!

Salat Al Isha, followed by Taraweeh.

The windows were slid open, allowing for cross-flow of outside air inside the prayer hall.

The hanging ceiling fans remained spinning, creating a cool breeze for worshippers, but not so much that you felt cold.

Everyone has to wear masks to attend Jumah or Taraweeh.

I spotted at least one N95 worn by an elder worshipper.

The recitation of the Qur’an by tonight’s Qari was clear, easy to follow along, and the prayer time flew by.

Safety protocols, circulating fresh air, wonderful Qur’an recitation, praying Isha and Taraweeh tonight at Jamiat Ul Ansar of Brampton, the Great Lakes Masjid, was such a pleasant experience.

The main prayer hall was filled for Isha and the first 8 Rakats of the 20 Rakats of Taraweeh.

After praying 8 Rakats, most worshippers began to make their way to the exit.

The overflow or outer prayer hall in-between after 8 Rakats of Taraweeh and the start of the 9th Rakat.

By then we had started our way towards the front steps and walking down them, then home for the night.

We weren’t the only ones.

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Day 10 – LIVESTREAM – Resilient Hour – Shaikh Dr. Jasser Auda & Qari Saif Saqib – IIT – Islamic Institute of Toronto

04 11 22'

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Tonight’s Resilient Hour with Dr. Jasser Auda was a Dream come true.

Literally.

Watch, listen, and learn about Ru’ya as-Sadiqa, true dreams.

This is Al Wahy.


Tonight’s Iftar was a belly come full.

Literally.

Okay, one third full, one third liquid, and one third air.

This is The Way.

Alhumdulillah.

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30 Masjids At Home, VIDEO

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Day 9 – Indoor Iftar – Bramalea Islamic Cultural Centre (BICC) – 25 Kings Cross Road, Brampton

04 10 22'

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Another day in Ramadan 2022, another indoor community Iftar.

This is not something to take for granted.

Rather it is something to be grateful for.

Day 9 / Night 10 of Ramadan 2022 finds us at Bramalea Islamic Cultural Centre for an Iftar sponsored by Islamic Relief Canada.

Brothers enter through this door, Sisters enter around the side then down a number of steps.

Stepping stones along the pathway towards the Sisters’ entrance seem recently placed.

We arrived around 7 p.m.

Iftar places were still being set up in twin basketball half-courts.

Last time I was here at BICC, these spaces weren’t part of their centre.

Three ways to sponsor Iftar : Cash donation in the box, Sign Up Sheet on the wall, QR Code.

Not every night has Iftar Dinner sponsored yet.

The Mihrab here is a representative prayer niche rather than a curve designed into the wall.

Islamic Geometry within the niche is a nice touch.

Tonight is a very different experience than last night’s Iftar at ISNA Canada.

Many more are wearing masks. There is a LOT of space between people.

The main prayer hall has a multi-storey ceiling height.

I constantly felt air being circulated from giant metal HVAC tubes hanging from the ceiling.

This air purification system remained on, its sound became ambient. Quite reassuring.

Bramalea Islamic Cultural Centre livestream.

They were ready for about 250 people at tonight’s Indoor Iftar.

Elsewhere on the Sister’s side, about 50 were here at BICC for tonight’s Iftar.

Adhan Al Maghrib, The Call to Prayer after Sunset, and time to break the fast according to Brampton local time.

Bramalea used to be its own city until it merged with Brampton.

Unlike the vastness of Toronto’s geographic boundaries, where Sunset time on the very east side of Scarborough can be some moments earlier than Sunset on the very west side of Etobicoke,

Bramalea local time is the same as Brampton local time.

Something different tonight…

Not difference in food, difference in when we got the food.

We were handed Iftar Dinner Trays as we entered the gym, where the brothers would be sitting to break the fast.

We broke our fast with dates and Rooh-Afza made with milk(!), then we had enough time to at least begin eating our dinners.

Many brothers finished their Iftar Dinners quickly, but tonight, I was the slow eater.

For the Holy Month of Ramadan 2022, Salat Al Maghrib, is scheduled for 15 minutes after sunset.

Many Muslims live within walking distance of the masjid, making BICC a Neighbourhood Masjid.

15 minutes is enough time for people to break their fast at home then arrive in time for Prayer.

Which is what many did tonight…

We began our Maghrib Salat at 19 minutes after Sunset.

BICC is also a Commuter Masjid.

One block over is Brampton Transit’s Bramalea Terminal, a major hub connecting Bus Rapid Transit Züm Buses, GO Transit, local buses, even the express bus to Pearson Airport.

Many more worshippers were wearing masks than not.

Some brought their own prayer mats, here’s mine.

Ramadan 2022 / 1443 Timetable.

Childmade Zakat-Al-Fitr collection box, I can’t recall ever seeing one before.

In Previous Ramadans, this multi-purpose room would pendulum sway between basketball half-court, Iftar dinner hall, overflow prayer area, then back to basketball.

Because BICC is renting the twin half courts on the other side of the hallway, this multi-purpose hall remains a carpeted prayer space throughout the current Ramadan.

These rented courts are being well used.

A little girl asked me if there were any more balls so she could play too?

Sorry little one, I don’t know.

This wooden three step had me wondering if it was a mimbar ?

In the front of the prayer hall, no wondering is needed, there is the mimbar.

Adhan Al Isha, The Call to Night Prayer.

When the call to prayer is made, the hall though not empty, is still far from full.

And just like that, many worshippers arrive all at once, the hall is nearly full for Isha Prayer followed by Taraweeh.

Masks and personal Prayers Mats are visible.

One of the brothers from the Masjid’s management reminded the teenagers speaking at the back there is Pray Time and then there is Play Time  and now it was Pray Time.

I can’t recall hearing words like that spoken directly to teenagers before.

Pray Time, Play Time.

Earlier in the day, Imam Omar Subedar lead a session of their “YARI Program” on Muslim Identity.

YARI = Youth Against Racism & Islamophobia.

The question of “Who Am I?” is something all youth ask.

This session helped with how one goes about answering that question.

You can still watch the recorded livestream.

Taraweeh for me tonight was 8 Rakats.

Who might guess there is an entire community behind this unassuming industrial door in Bramalea ?

Without the sign above the door, only those in the know would know this is the Bramalea Islamic Cultural Centre.

And now you know too.

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Day 8 – In-Person Iftar – Islamic Centre of Canada – ISNA Canada – 2200 South Sheridan Way, Mississauga

04 09 22'

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I don’t know that Sister Arshia ever got her answer.

ISNA Canada’s most recent tweet was June 29 2021.

So, when social media goes silent,

Why not attend the Saturday night Iftar at Islamic Centre of Canada in Mississauga and find out In-Person !

We entered the ISNA driveway as the final Drive-Thru Iftar Picker Uppers had checked in at the booth in the front parking lot.

Our timing was spot on, Alhumdullilah.

ISNA is doubling down during our third Ramadan of the pandemic…

Fridays to Sundays, are Pre-Registered Drive-Thru Iftar Pick ups.

With a bonus Drive-Thru Iftar on Easter Monday April 18 2022.

Friday and Saturdays are In-Person Iftars.

Drive Thru and In-Person Iftar Walk through

We arrived about 7 p.m., early enough to wander around without gettting in anyone’s way.

A number of volunteers were still self-organizing their duties for the evening.

We entered the main prayer hall moments after recitation of the Qur’an began.

Listening to this Qari, this reciter of the Qur’an, was enough, make that more than enough, to make tonight’s 30 Masjids visit worthwhile.

Ramadan is The Month of The Qur’an.

Here’s the recorded livestream, listen for yourself…

Daily Recitation with Shaikh Mohamed Abdelaziz

Some people collect rare items, or buy plastic action figures and keep them in the original packaging, while some people are natural hoarders.

Me, my weakness is Prayer Mats.

Beautiful prayer mats, Geometric Design prayer mats, soft fluffy-feally prayer mats.

This prayer mat is brand new.

A gift from my mom from earlier in the day.

Fluffy, soft, maroon, I am grateful for the gift.

Only been prayed on once, and that was the Asr prayer, made just about an hour ago.

Another first for this prayer mat, is its first breaking of the fast.

Youth volunteers have been making their way around the prayer hall.

One holds the large open box of Medjool Dates, the other youth hand out napkins.

It was a reflex done without thinking, I picked up the date out the box with my right hand fingers.

Moment later I witnessed another brother taking the napkin first, than using that to pick up his medjool date.

Why didn’t I think to do that ????

As that great unsung sage of the ummah, Homer Simpson might say,

” D’oh! ”

Sitting down on our prayer mats spread out before us, my brother Amir and I, are standing out in this sea of alternating green that is the carpet of the prayer hall.

People are sitting hodge-podge close and common to one another.

I don’t feel comfortable. Isn’t it still too early to be this close?

Especially with the sixth wave now locally confirmed and in-progress?

Our prayer mats being spread out before us, while sitting atop the bottom ends of them, affords my brother and I an amount of personal space we likely would not have had otherwise while waiting for Adhan Al Maghrib and the time to break the fast.

There seemed to be some natural distance formed between us and other worshippers, perhaps done automatically without thinking about it.

So…

30 Masjids Pro-tip : Bring your own prayer mat to EVERY Masjid in-person visit for the foreseeable future.

Now the masks.

Are people wearing them?

Maybe one in ten worshippers were wearing masks.

This ratio stayed consistent during our entire time here tonight.

A brother who was sitting in the row ahead of us, suddenly got up and walked around me quickly.

His mask fell off his person somehow and I hestitated to turn around and let him know it had.

In the moment I hesitated he was already almost at the exit into the hallway.

I assumed he’d return and I could then point him towards his dropped mask.

While waiting for this brother to return to his spot in the row in front of us, I realized he had brought this mask, yet he was not wearing a mask.

In the end, he didn’t return.

This mask stayed on the carpet exactly like this until after Adhan Al Maghrib was called and we had all broken our fast.

That mask on the carpet created an additional amount of empty physical distanced space on my immediate left.

SubhanAllah.

8 Minutes until Maghrib and Iftar time.

Okay, it’s Maghrib. Iftar Time. Where’s the Muezzin ?

Is anyone coming to Mic ?

Is that brother going to make Adhan ?

No. Okay, maybe that brother is… nope.

Hmmm….

Well…

Some brothers are looking down at their devices, others I notice turning their heads looking around.

Still others are asking each other if it’s time yet?

I see at least one brother already biting into his oversized Medjool date.

Okay, it is Maghrib Sunset Time according to Mississauga local time.

My brother and I break our fasts.

The Medjool is soft and textured, like my new prayer mat!

ISNA Canada advertised that we bring our own water bottles.

They would not be handing out cups of water in the prayer hall ahead of Iftar time.

Only dates.

Adhan Al Maghrib, The Call to Prayer after Sunset.

While Adhan is being called, young volunteers meander through the rows of worshippers.

The paper bags they’re holding are obviously for us to drop our date pits into.

I wonder for the briefest of moments if paper bags are only collecting organic waste destined for the green bin?

Rather than hesitate, again, I pick up that dropped mask to my left, and drop that also into the volunteer’s paper bag.

With that dropped mask no longer on the carpet beside me, the empty space disappears when we all stand almost shoulder-to-shoulder, pre-pandemic Salat style.

After prayers, brothers are asked to wait while the sisters head into the gym ahead of us.

The Imam makes a request while we wait for the sisters’ side of the prayer hall to empty.

He us to sit with someone we don’t know, introduce ourselves and get to know a little bit about each other.

I have been blogging 30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan since Ramadan 2011.

This the first time  I can immediately recall that any Imam has asked this of the congregation.

His request and suggestion are dream words to my 30Masjids ears.

And yet…

This is the only night, the only night, I don’t want to be having any involved conversation with my mouth open while eating Iftar in a public setting.

Volunteers. They got to get some kind of perqs, eh?

The line moves remarkably quickly.

So fast at some point my brother and I end up with another brother in line between us.

He and I have the briefest of conversations encouraging each of us to go ahead of the other as we approached the Iftar hall.

The line moves so fast all my photographs of the Iftar pick up line turn out beyond blurry, unusable.

This volunteer brother handing us the single-use utensils recognizes me as the blogger from 30Masjids.

He recognized me even with my mask on.

The Iftar trays were saran wrapped. This was new. I can’t recall ever opening up an Iftar Dinner wrapped like this.

Until my brother asked me how it tasted,

somehow I visually mistook the kababs in the bottom left of the tray for baklava.

Haha.

The kababs was soft and textured, like my new prayer mat, and also tasty, unlike my new prayer mat.

I spy volunteers prepping the coffee / tea / refreshment table.

I opt to skip it this evening.

 

 

That brother who recognized me as the Ramadan blogger asks whoever hasn’t gotten any soup to raise their hands.

Ours go up too.

This lental soup was soooo good…

…Soup was almost Turkish in quality. That good !

Somehow, there are two empty Iftar sit-down spaces opposite me and my brother.

Behind us was pretty empty too.

But we didn’t stay for Isha nor Taraweeh.

There was just too many people not wearing masks.

Too many, too close, too soon.

The last time I was inside this hall, was Sunday January 30 2022, when I got my vaccine booster shot.

I look down at the plastic where everyone was sitting during Iftar.

Underneath it looks like unrolled prayer carpet.

I won’t be finding this answer out for sure tonight.

Will have to return to learn that answer on another night, during another Ramadan.

InshAllah.

Once at home,

I load up ISNA’s Isha & Taraweeh livestream into the browser window watch.

During a break in-between rakats, the Imam humbly requests Worshippers to stop doing three-point turns in the drive way immediately in front of their Main Door Front Entrance.

Yep.

At ISNA Canada, Ramadan is back to normal.

 

Bodyguard coach: “As a bodyguard, your only loyalty is to your protectee, not to your family, not to your country, not to Muhammad.” [saw]

Homer Simpson: “Even during Ramadan?”

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30 Masjids

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Day 7 – VIDEO – Drive-Thru Iftar Pick Up – Sayeda Khadija Centre – Faith of Life Network – 7150 Edwards Blvd, Mississauga

04 08 22'

Written by HiMY SYeD

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Weren’t we just here?

At Sayeda Khadija Centre for Jumah ?

Yes, yes we were.

Here we are again . . .



. . . Picking up Iftar Dinners at SKC‘s Friday Evening Drive-Thru.

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30 Masjids At Home, VIDEO

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Day 7 – JUMAH – Sayeda Khadija Centre – Faith of Life Network – Mississauga, Ontario

04 08 22'

Written by HiMY SYeD

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For the First Friday Prayer in the Third Ramadan of the Corona Virus Pandemic, we stayed with attending Jumah Prayers at our regular go-to masjid, Sayeda Khadija Centre in Mississauga.

We usually register and attend the second Jumah Prayer closer to 3 o’clock, which happens to overlap with the shift change at Maple Lodge Farms, one door south.

Many of Maple Lodge’s shiftchanging workers wind their way through the Sayeda Khadija Centre parking lot overlapping with when Jumah attendees, like us, are also arriving.

We arrived after the Khateeb had already ascended the mimbar, unusual for us.

Oh well, we can’t be on time every time.

A portion of the first part of today’s Qhutbah was about Sirat Al Mustaqim, The Straight Path.

Which was also the name of the Islamic Centre in Brampton when I prayed Isha and Taraweeh last night.

SubhanAllah.

There is no longer any pre-registration for Jumah Prayers at Sayeda Khadija Centre.

Jumahs now are simply show up, listen up, then line up, like how we all used to do pre-pandemic.

We’re still in a pandemic.

Wearing masks remain in vogue at SKC.

We’re still rocking our salats on our own prayer mats.

Mine is red.

After the Jumah Prayer and before the Duas, Imam Dr. Slimi addressed the Congregration.

He was holding up a four colour sign and explained the colours, which matched the four colours seen in their Logo.

You’ll find those same four colours here :

SayedaKhadijaCentre.com/donate-now/

Maple Lodge Farms, the company behind the Zabiha Halal line of prepared foods, has a building next door to the masjid.

A masjid could have more concerning neighbours like the masjid on Yonge Street in Downtown Toronto.

OR if you’re a masjid, and your neighbour is a Halal Food supplier, consider your congregation as blessed!

Halal ad on the side of the bus, spotted on the way home after Jumah.

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30 Masjids, Jumah

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Night 7 – Isha – Taraweeh – The Straight Path Islamic Center – 13-105 Kennedy Road South – Brampton, Ontario

04 07 22'

Written by HiMY SYeD

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This my second Taraweeh at The Straight Path Islamic Center in Brampton.

On Night 11 of Ramadan 2019, I also came here for Taraweeh Prayer.

A nice, cozy, small single prayer hall neighbourhood musallah serving the surrounding mixed residential, industrial, commercial, and retail zoning that is a signature of Brampton’s urban use planning.

The single prayer hall is curtained into brothers’ and sisters’ sections with a small wudu area and kitchen area.

This multi-purposing of this single prayer hall inside echoes Brampton’s multi-use zoning outside its doors.

The Straight Path Islamic Center is its English name, using American spelling for the word Centre.

It is also known by its Arabic name Masjid Sirat Al Mustaqim.

Their address, unit 13 at 105 Kennedy Road in Brampton, is literally around the corner from Dean Street.

Dean, when pronounced Dīn or Deen while speaking Arabic has numerous meanings for Muslims.

One meaning of the word Deen is Way.

So if you’re looking for The Straight Path in Brampton, find Dean Street, it’s on Kennedy.

Arrived right on time for Isha Prayer, moments before its 9:30 p.m. start.

Worshippers numbered about 25, first line was full, not exactly shoulder-to-shoulder but close enough that it felt pre-pandemic.

I opted to pray in the second line, with my portable red prayer mat spread atop the masjid carpet before me.

We numbered about six in the second line.

Each Masjid has its own COVID-19 protocols.

On this night I observed maybe one in four of us chose to wear masks, and only a handful chose to bring their own prayer mat, I am among them.

They understand their own congregation best.

From youth in their teens to elders needing folding chairs, every age group were present in tonight’s Taraweeh, with worshippers numbering about two dozen.

This is a neighbourhood Masjid, hardly a destination masjid drawing people from all over the Toronto Metropolitan Area on a regular basis.

A few people left having prayed 8 Rakats of Taraweeh.

A few more left after praying 12 Rakats.

That’s when I stopped too via some kind of reverse peer pressure, that it’s okay to pray more than 8 and leave before 20.

This Ramadan more than any previous, I am comfortable with praying random numbers of Taraweeh.

Random isn’t the exact word, perhaps number-of-Taraweeh-Rakats-not-decided-in-advance is what I am trying to express.

Perhaps more fellow Taraweeh worshippers are doing the same nowadays.

Now to what drew me back to The Straight Path Islamic Center for another 30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan visit…

From the outside of the building, it’s a regular side door entrance on a retail complex.

No dome, no minarets, other than the sign above the door, you wouldn’t even notice there was a place of worship inside.

No Islamic Architecture whatsoever outside this rental prayer space.

Inside however, there are two minarets, with tiny domes atop a small roof designed as Islamic Architecture.

I only noticed it when on a random Jumah I prayed here and looked up before I exited the prayer hall.



InshAllah this video helps you immediately appreciate just how cool this is !

Minarets inside the Masjid !

When I first discovered these Twin-Inside-the-Masjid Minarets, on that random past Jumah, it brought to mind Masjid Quba in Central Edmonton, Alberta.

During my 30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan Canada,

On Night 23 of Ramadan 2016,

I discovered Masjid Quba put their dome inside their prayer hall instead of on top of it :

Sometimes creativity means thinking inside the box.

You can hear the full story about Edmonton’s Masjid Quba and its unique Dome on the podcast we recorded.

In other masjids, you enter to exit the World.

At Masjid Sirat Al Mustaqim in Brampton, it also works the other way around, you exit the prayer hall by entering a Masjid.

During Ramadan 2022,

Come for the Islamic Architecture, stay for the Iftar.

The Straight Path Islamic Center is hosting free Community Iftars on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

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30 Masjids

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