Reflections

A collection of 401 posts

Canadian Muslims

When it comes to sharia, can knowledge trump fear?

By Dr Julie Macfarlane Recently, Florida’s House of Representatives passed a bill (which later died in the state Senate) to ban the use of “foreign law” in domestic courtrooms. Such a bill may seem innocuous but according to the Miami Herald, flyers have circulated in Senate offices describing sharia

Ayesha Mattu

Muslim Women Take Back the Mic on International Women's Day

By Ayesha Mattu and Nura Maznavi Everyone has an opinion about Muslim women, even those — especially those — who have never met one. As Muslim women born and raised in America, we are tired of hearing everyone — politicians, pundits, men and women of other faiths (or those not adhering to any

Canadian Muslims

A Muslim chaplain who matters for non-Muslims, too

By Noah J Silverman The story of Hillel’s creation, growth and success is not only one of the major accomplishments of the Jewish community in America in the 20th century, it is also a distinctly American story of which citizens of all religious backgrounds should be proud. As President

Canadian Muslims

Decades later, Malcolm X’s legacy lives on

By Muqtedar Khan In February, Americans celebrate Black History Month. It is also during this month in 1965 that Malcolm X, an African American Muslim minister and civil rights activist, died. His legacy is important for Muslims and non-Muslims alike – and one that has influenced many Muslim Americans, including myself.

Canadian Muslims

Facts, not drones, to fight terrorism

By Ken Ballen During the course of six years as a federal prosecutor and investigator I interviewed at great length more than 100 radicals and terrorists who fought in the name of Islam. I chronicled the stories of many of these extremists leaving the path of violence when exposed to

Canadian Muslims

A tribute to Ustadh Haniff Bagh Khan

[http://127.0.0.1/wp/2012/a-tribute-to-ustadh-haniff-bagh-khan/ustad-1-2/]By Imraan Assim Ustadh Haniff Bagh Khan was among the city’s most respected, loved, and widely acclaimed teachers. He was a teacher of teachers and a celebrated hero in the Muslim community. He promoted the learning of the Arabic language,

531

Walking in MLK’s shoes

By Anya Cordell (January 17, 2012) – Martin Luther King, Jr., the renowned American civil rights activist, said, “Men hate each other because they fear each other, they fear each other because they don’t know each other, and they don’t know each other because they are often separated from

Canadian Muslims

First mosque part of the heritage of all Canadians

by Daood Hamdani (January 12, 2012) – This May, as Muslims mark the twentieth anniversary of the induction of Al-Rashid mosque in Fort Edmonton Park, the country’s largest living history museum, the spotlight will be on the leadership role of Muslim women in this historic event. Fifty years after they

Canadian Muslims

Pondering over 2011

By Tariq Ramadan (January 5, 2012) – It was a strange year, full of unexpected events. The world is changing quickly. For centuries and decades there has been talk of the “world order,” the “global economic system,” the “relationships (clashes or alliances) between (organised and structured) civilizations.” But are these ways

Canadian Muslims

‘Green’ Talk and Call for Action at RIS in Toronto

By Hind Al-Abadleh (January 2, 2012) – Attending the 2011 Reviving Islamic Spirit (RIS) Convention in Toronto was an intellectual and spiritual treat to environmental activists in the Muslim community.  For the first time since its launch in 2001, highly respected and well-informed Muslim scholars addressed the attendees in their 40-50

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Is there an ‘All-American Muslim’?

By Marwa Helal The Learning Channel (TLC) recently aired the new reality television programme, “All-American Muslim”, amid a great deal of buzz both within and outside the Muslim American community. Set in Dearborn, Michigan, a city that is well known for its large Muslim and Arab populations, the series focuses

Canadian Muslims

Muslims who can lead in multicultural societies

By Shelina Zahra Janmohamed (November 27, 2011) – Multiculturalism has come under increasing attack in the last few years in Europe, as societies struggle to make sense of how to bring together communities of diverse backgrounds. German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared multiculturalism a ”failure” and her sentiments were echoed by British,

Canadian Muslims

Lessons from the streets: Injustices made visible

(Sermon delivered by Muneeb Nasir at Hart House Debates Room, University of Toronto, November 18 2011). Preamble: Praises and Advice I begin by expressing praise and gratitude to Allah for all that we have been blessed with in our lives. We thank Him for all blessings He has given and

Canadian Muslims

Call to Action to Eradicate Domestic Violence

October 31, 2011 As October, the Domestic Violence Awareness month, has ended and we now approach December 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, Muslim Canadians reflect on the reality of domestic violence within our own communities, compounded by abhorrent and yet persistent cultural practices

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A time for a collective extension of love in the presence of fear

By Rev. Terry Weller (November 10, 2011) – I once studied with a spiritual teacher who taught that there are essentially only two basic emotions in the world: Love and Fear. He taught that every human, at any given time, is either extending love outward, or calling love to them. He

Ahmad Kutty

Abraham’s legacy: the openness to accept the other

[Eid Al-Adha Sermon delivered at the Islamic Institute of Toronto by Shaikh Ahmad Kutty on November 06, 2011]. I praise Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; I thank Him for His blessings and favors. I thank Him for the gift of faith; I thank Him for the gift of life and

Canadian Muslims

Muslim weightlifter who never gave up on her dream recognized at Toronto banquet

(November 3, 2011) – Kulsoom Abdullah is a Pakistani-American computer engineer, who has been Olympic Weightlifting [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_weightlifting]for three years and Crossfitting [http://www.crossfitatlanta.com/]for two years. Kulsoom started competing in Olympic Weightlifting competitions in March 2010 and obtained the Crossfit Level I

Common Ground News Service

Muslims and Christians: if you don´t communicate, you don´t exist

By Safia Aoude (October 31, 2011) – “We can write anything now!” said an editor of the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram to some visiting Danish participants in Cairo as a part of a recent Alexandria-based conference called “Media´s Role for Changing Society and Democracy”. The Egyptian revolution has certainly become a

Canadian Muslims

Gratitude is an attitude

By Muneeb Nasir In a Qur’anic verse (ayat), Allâh says, “Then remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject Me” (Qur’an – al Baqara:152). What does gratitude really mean in our lives? Most of us are thankful for the blessings we have

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Let’s become stewards of the earth

By Muaz Nasir “It is he (Allah) that has appointed you (mankind) as stewards in the Earth…” ( Qu’rán, 35:39) (April 21, 2011) – As Earth Day 2011 [http://www.earthday.ca/pub/] quickly approaches, many of us take this opportunity to reflect and participate in annual community events aimed

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1,000 Christians and 1,000 Muslims

By Arthur L. Smith On 18 September 2011,Northwood Church in Keller, Texas hosted an event where 1,000 Christians and 1,000 Muslims came together to embark on societal change. “The only hope we have to tone down our fear of Muslims and the only thing Jesus commands us

iqra

On the Death Penalty

By Tariq Ramadan Turning his face towards the victim’s relatives, he repeated with calm determination: “May God forgive you because I did not kill him.” Troy Davis had been waiting on death row for more than twenty years, all the while proclaiming his innocence. These were his last words

Canadian Muslims

Fasting strengthens communities

By Irshad Osman (Naleemi) (August 21, 2011) – Ramadan creates “winning moments” for the believers. Every single act in this beautiful month is a victory…it is a step in the journey towards success in both worlds. It could be those early hours when we wake up for a meal, it

Anders Breivik

Canada must not let the likes of Bin Laden and Breivik determine who we are

By Imam Ibrahim Malabari (August 16, 2011) – Anders Breivik, as evident from his philosophy, is against multiculturalism more than anything else – Islam and Muslims are just a part of his anti-multiculturalism rhetoric. In that sense, his beliefs target the very essence of Canada which promotes multiculturalism. This should alarm all

Canadian Muslims

‘I asked you for food and you fed Me not’

By Muneeb Nasir (Excerpt from Friday Khutba (sermon) delivered at Masjid Toronto on Friday, August 13, 2011) Fasting must have meaning in the present moment. In an op-ed piece in the Toronto Star on Sunday August 7, 2011, (Making fasting relevant during famine [http://www.thestar.com/opinion/columns/article/