MAY EVENTS REPORTED IN THEAMBITION.COM

Shaikh Safie Mohamed host talk at NAMF

Outspoken and sometimes controversial is how many would describe Shaikh Saffie talks. He has been talking boldly about the Quran for the last thirty years and continues to do so. He recently spoke at NAMF at the invitation of the Richmond Hill Muslim Association. His premise is there are so many cultural overtures associated with Islam and the core teachings of the Quran are lost to this continuous ignorance that Muslims have been deprived of the true teachings and Non Muslims are not getting the essence of the teachings.

Mr Saffie hails from Guyana, studied in Pakistan and taught in Sri Lanka before moving Guyana and then to Canada. He has been an inspiration to many, including the writer and is known as one of the Caribbean best orators!

Domestic Violence Conference held for South Asian specific

On a beautiful sunny day in Markham’s state of the Art Seneca college many practitioners and survivors, politicians and media personnel gathered for two days to deliberate on the heinous crime of domestic violence.

This issue has plagued humanity and South Asians in Canada are no exception. Except for the shame and demonization of religion and culture that comes with this crime, inadvertently, the issue at hands is how could agencies work together to get help, funding and address these issues with South Asian specific.

Among the workshops hosted by the now famous Social Services Network, this being the second annual conference, were elder abuse, youths and religions, domestic violence survivors, services and public education, etc

Many special guest were at hand including the Minister for Seniors, Mayor of Markham, CBC top news anchors, religious leaders, author and many service provides in GTA among social agencies.

Those working on forced marriages, children abuse, elder abuse, police, legal aid, etc all participated.

Dr Nyla Butt, the main organizer noted that she is impressed with the recent statement the Canadian Council of imams made with 100 joint partners against domestic violence. She thought that this session gives voice to the unheard.

There was an interesting play put on at the nearby Delta Hotel, depicting the many types of acute domestic violence, and among the stars was Zaqra Nawaz  from little Mosque on the Prairie.

Looking forward for the next conference and working with others on this critical social disease.

Fatima Khamissa recently published her book called Verbal Abuse and she spoke of her story at the conference. For twenty one years she endured this abuse with five children until her parents passed away. Then she got the strength to move into a shelter and regained her life. Today she is a sought after international SPEAKER! See more on her at www.godandenergy.com

I was recently approached by a sister who said he has been divorced twice here and coming from Pakistan recently and she has tried to go back to school and get a job. But the abuse of persons, vulnerable, like her, is on the rise where a woman is married and divorced at whim and fancy without any recourse. That is why Ontario requires legal marriages, isn’t it?

Muslim inmates treated to a sumptuous dinner at Brampton Halfway house.

As always the pleasure of serving and serving those incarcerated is the Muslim joy. Despite the John Howard society is Christian based it has honored Muslim inmates with Halal food and is quite happy to have them celebrate Eid. This time around many new inmates arrived at the newly constructed house at Queen St. Sadro Usman from Brampton always has honored these inmates- every one included- with a sumptuous curry and dhal and rice on a nice rainy evening. Among the points Moulana Habeeb made in his presentation is that Islam gives everyone the right to be judged by God alone when he or she has to account to God alone and not man. No one should judge another. One brother there mentioned how he was able to grow vegetables in the prison in Kingston and donate 5000 lbs to the nearby Food bank. He was inspired by his Faith in Allah otherwise when you are inside you tend to lose faith in yourself!

CHAMP completed- HIV patients therapy at Ryerson

Many persons living with HIV are stigmatized. This accounts for major roadblocks is accessing medical treatment and equal opportunities in life including religion. That was the outcome of the first annual HIV Muslim awareness conference held at TARIC mosque in February. The Ontario Immigrants agency dealing with HIV held a three week research workshop at Ryerson and persons with HIV and those without but considered faith leaders and willing to champion the cause joined this session.

Many pastors, Imams, students, therapists, psychologists etc joined the program which was deeply emotional and cognitive. I saw one student deal with stigma through the Acceptance Commitment Therapy program. The two sessions on social justice were also very much an eye opener. We all need allies in our social justice work including Islamophobia. The hurt many people lock away deep inside their subconscious since childhood is very unsettling in later years. Stigma hurts everyone.

In a role play, we saw a sister who was told her English accent is poor by her boss remained in her ethnic enclave for twenty years with no sign of growth and a constant worry that her English conversations are not understood. She was made a bus driver and as passengers entered her bus they threw those very slurs on her, which represented her life long stigmas- poor accent, refugee background, womanhood, being an immigrant, living in the suburban, etc

As she fought them back she drove the bus of the 401! But in the second role play when she told them to get into the bus and kept driving she was on track and safe! Why? Those bad experiences will always be part of you and but are NOT you! Keep your goal head and work towards it no matter what they say about you!

Muslims battle Diabetes

Recently a focus group of Imams, Muslim women and youths and other diverse groups at different times and locations organized themselves to discuss diabetes.

Michael Taylor has been coordinating with the Daibtes Socity and the communities and has found that many Muslims living with this condition are not talking about it, afraid to discuss it with Imams, not seeking proper treatment fearful of lack of halal resources and cannot find appropriate material including religion and language specific.

Health is important in Islam and harming one self is haram hence its important Muslim make use of whatever concession Allah ahs provided for example in fasting says Dr Mohamed Nadvi.

IIT hosted visiting Malaysian Scholar.

Its rare to find an academically accomplished scholar whose world view is Islam. Such was the evening with Dr Kamal Hassan from Malaysian Islamic University at IIT Scarborough this week. Many Islamic schools teachers, Muslim local scholars and Muslims joined in a rondatablei discussion about integrating religion into science when teaching. He said that since the 1970 this idea has been around and Dr Ismail Faruqi was a champion of Islamization of knowledge, however, the idea has been without textbooks and many verses of the Quran point to the cosmic presence of Allah’s power but schools lack this integration between science and religion. He is presently studying this and working with many Islamic schools in south Asia to make this a success. Dr Ahmad Kutty noted that the IIT is willing to participate in this venture as part of its curriculum.

Council of Imams held their annual retreat.

In a beautiful country side resort many Imams of Toronto spent their Victoria Day holiday deliberating issues affecting Muslim communities in Canada. Although the cuisine was sumptuous and the walk about was relaxing the issues at hand remained challenging. Hate crime is on the rise, chaplaincy is going to be challenged in the Province, many Imams are struggling with resources on integration, many mosques need education on citizenship. Ac communiqué like the last declaration was sighted and preparation for Ramadan with unity was empathized. Altogether, Imams also have their families and work but they do spend time professionally mapping the course of the next year’s work in the community. And the media and leaders and youths do keep them on their feet, mostly!

INTERFAITH – many in one!

May saw the special Scriptural reasoning sessions hosted by Susan Harrison where Jews, Muslims and Christians deliberate on the texts and contexts. Last week’s was around racism in the community and how to fight that. Then later in Mississauga we had a wonderful evening of poetry and yoga and music with a Jewish student singer Joseph, yogi Ameena and Poet Habeeb and singer Sanjeet making it the Evening of peace with Interfaith activists. Then later the walk for values at Yonge and Dundas was simply inspiring Youths of the Sai Baba school were joined by Interfaith leaders supporting human values like love, forgiveness and truth. I said lets walk in value and not only for values and Rumi said come as you are! Then the Guyana interfaith service was held at the Vedic Cultural centre and I gave the Sura Fatiha recital asking all to stop racist discrimination in Guyana and to remember our roots of four religions is the UN model of harmonious living.

ORPHAN WALK 2012 a success

With almost sixty walkers, six thousand raised and lots more diversity and presence of politicians etc I think the NAMF orphan walk this year was a success.

Walkers walked from Scarborough Civic Centre to 4140 Finch Ave - 6 km and were greeted by MP Jim Karigiannis and lots of hot bbque. The first prize was won by Swabera Khan and it was an ipad with the three other prizes being perfume sets and medals.

The Chiropractor Zunadi Kadgi was at site to relax all walkers willing for the free service!

It was a sunny and blessed day in Toronto as orphans will have another year of hope- 360.00 to sponsor an oprhan for one year at www.namf.ca Masjid Farooq was one such sponsor.

Thank you!