Islamic History Month: Honouring Our Past, Writing Our Future in Canada

By Muneeb Nasir

October is Islamic History Month in Canada, a time when Muslims gather and hold public events to reflect on the rich legacy of our Islam and to celebrate the contributions of Islamic civilization to the world. 

Across the country, we will have lectures on great scholars of the past, exhibitions on the golden age of Islam, and reminders of how Muslim scientists and thinkers shaped advances in science, medicine, philosophy, and the arts.

This focus is important. A community that forgets its past risks losing its sense of identity and direction. 

History anchors us. It tells us who we are, where we came from, and what values made these incredible achievements possible. 

For Muslims, remembering the achievements of earlier generations instills pride and reinforces the belief that faith and knowledge, spirituality and service, are inextricably linked.

Yet, as valuable as this global heritage is, Islamic History Month must also challenge us to look closer to home. 

Our history in Canada—though shorter in years compared to the centuries-old civilizations of the Muslim world—is no less meaningful. 

It is a story of migration and settlement, of building institutions from scratch, of carving out spaces for worship, education, and civic engagement.

The first Muslims arrived in Canada over a century ago, facing obstacles that tested their resilience and faith. 

Their determination led to the establishment of the first mosque in Edmonton in 1938, a landmark that signaled the beginning of a permanent presence. 

Since then, Muslims in Canada have contributed in countless ways. 

This is a history of persistence, creativity, and service that must be preserved and celebrated alongside the broader story of Islam’s global legacy.

But there is another dimension we must recognize: history is not only something we look back on—it is something we are actively making. 

Every generation leaves its mark. 

Today’s Canadian Muslims are shaping the cultural, political, and social fabric of this country in real time. 

From civic engagement and charitable work to leadership in academia, sports, and the arts, Muslims are helping define what Canada is and what it will become.

Documenting Our Story

If our community is to honour its history in Canada, we must also take practical steps to preserve it for future generations. 

This work cannot be left to chance. It requires commitment, resources, and collective effort.

• Oral Histories: We must record the voices of our elders and pioneers, capturing the struggles and triumphs that shaped our communities.
• Community Archives: Mosques and organizations should preserve their records, photographs, and newsletters as part of a living memory.
• Partnerships with Institutions: We should collaborate with Canadian archives and museums to ensure Muslim stories are recognized as part of the national heritage.
• Youth Engagement: Young Muslims must be encouraged to participate through school projects, media production, and storytelling initiatives.
• Creative Narratives: Filmmakers, writers, and artists can bring these histories to life in documentaries, podcasts, and exhibitions.

At the same time, Muslims must not fall into the trap of thinking that a few Instagram reels or TikTok videos are truly capturing our history. 

Social media is fleeting, often consumed in seconds and forgotten just as quickly. It can be a tool for awareness, but it is not a substitute for rigorous documentation, archiving, and research. 

If we want our story in Canada to endure, we must invest in institutions, archives, and scholarship—not just hashtags and viral posts.

One shining example of this effort is the Muslim in Canada Archives (MiCA) at the University of Toronto, which has begun collecting and safeguarding materials that trace the presence and contributions of Muslims in Canada. 

Their work is invaluable, but it needs the active support of community members who can share documents, photographs, and oral testimonies that otherwise risk being lost.

A Call to Action

Islamic History Month should therefore be more than a commemoration—it should be a call to action. 

While it is comforting to recall the past achievements, our responsibility is to apply those lessons of excellence and creativity here and now. 

History is not preserved in posters and exhibits —or in short-lived social media posts—it is written through the work we do, the values we embody, and the contributions we make to the societies we call home.

As Islamic History Month begins, let us honour the great civilizations of our past, but let us also recognize that Canadian Muslim history is equally worth telling. 

And perhaps most importantly, let us remember that history is not simply about what happened—it is about what is happening. 

Every mosque we build, every partnership we form, every act of service we extend—these are the pages of history our children will one day read.

This October, let us celebrate both where we came from and where we are going—and take the responsibility of documenting the story we are living right now.