SHAFAQNA

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) — Despite having eight mosques in the Canadian capital, the Muslim community in Ottawa has never heard the adhan (the public call for prayers” coming from any of them.

“We have to acknowledge that we’re in a predominantly Christian land … It ends up being really just a matter of identity,” Omar Mahfoudhi, executive director of the Islam Care Center in Ottawa, told Ottawa Citizen.

“If we can accomplish that better by having loudspeakers then yes, that would be great.”The Adhan (The Call to Prayer)

Mahfoudhi believes that he has never heard the adhan in any mosques in most Canadian cities.

“But the way our communities are, we’re very dispersed, people will come to the mosque … I don’t live anywhere that’s near a mosque and even most of the people that come to prayer here at the center, they live very far away,” he said.

Muslims make around 1.9 percent of Canada's 32.8 million population, and Islam is the number one non-Christian faith in the North American country.

Muslims make up nearly 3.9 percent of Ottawa population, according to the 2006 census.

Out of the city’s eight mosques, only one mosque has a minaret capable of performing adhan, though it has never been used to do so.

“From my past knowledge, no, it hasn’t been used,” said Mohamed Ghadban, the president of the Ottawa Muslim Association.

“The time in the morning, for example, is early morning and to wake up the neighborhood is not a good idea … You won’t hear it, not in the Western world as much as you would in the Middle East.”

The adhan is the call to announce that it is time for a particular obligatory Salah (ritual prayer).

Living in a Christian-majority country, Muslims have always known that calling to daily five prayers would not be allowed.

In Ottawa, for example, the adhan would be considered a violation of Ottawa’s noise bylaw.

While the by-law does not strictly prohibit the Islamic call to prayer, it provides no exemption such as the one granted to Church bells.

“No person shall ring any bell, sound any horn, or shout in a manner likely to disturb the inhabitants of the City provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the ringing of bells in connection with any church, chapel, meeting house or religious service…,” the bylaw reads.

Adhan App.

Without a public call to prayer, Ottawa Muslims resorted to technology to keep track of changing prayer times.

“Right now, I only hear [the call to prayer] when I go to a mosque, within the confines of the mosque,” said Amira Elmi, a practicing Muslim and a policy analyst at Environment Canada.

“Personally, I feel like the purpose is kind of served by virtue of having Internet and having so many ways to know what time it is to pray.

“I think we’re so dispersed nowadays that it’s not like everybody is in one area and they’ll all hear it and go. I’m not sure it’s necessary in that sense.”

Like most Canadian Muslims, Elmi relies on technology to know the time of the daily prayers.

“When there weren’t digital watches, no atomic clocks, and all these ways to tell time, people needed to hear something, or people needed to tell each other what time to pray,” she said.

“I usually just Google the time.”

As for Mahfoudhi, the executive director of the Islam Care Center in Ottawa, a smart phone application has solved the adhan problem.

“We’ve gotten around the restriction of not being allowed to do it publicly, and we actually have a little app,” he said.

“We have software, we have apps—it’s all around us. In fact, sometimes I’ll be with my wife and we’re at home and my phone will go off and her phone will go off and her computer will go off, all of them with the call to prayer.

“So you almost end up feeling like you’re in some Muslim land where the mosques are calling off.”

A recent survey has showed the overwhelming majority of Muslims are proud to be Canadian.—www.shafaqna.com/English

Source: On Islam

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) — The Canadian government has announced that it will match donations made by Canadians to eligible charities responding to the crisis in Sahel, a sub-Saharan region of West Africa where more than 18 million people are facing food shortages.

In making the announcement, International Co-Operation Minister Julian Fantino said Canadians themselves will dictate how much money comes out of the federal coffers.

The government will match Canadians’ donations to registered charities supporting the Sahel region between Aug. 7 and Sept. 30, Mr. Fantino said.

Ottawa has already made an initial $10 million contribution to the matching fund. A similar initiative in 2010 saw the federal government shell out $220 million to equal the donations that poured in from Canadians to provide relief to Haiti in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake.

“Right now, millions of women, men and children in the Sahel are suffering from hunger and severe malnutrition,” Mr. Fantino said in a statement. “This is absolutely unacceptable. With generosity from Canadians, we can do more to respond to this crisis and support people in dire need.”

The nine countries in the Sahel region have been contending with increasingly desperate conditions as political tensions escalate in Mali. A coup in the country’s north has plunged the area into chaos as so-called Islamist and other rebels fight for control of the territory.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said 260,000 Malian refugees have fled for neighbouring Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso, which have kept their borders open and shared their food supplies despite the dire hunger crisis they face within their own nations. Some 200,000 people also have been displaced within Mali, facing dire conditions.

Along with those four countries, Ottawa has identified Chad, Senegal, Gambia and northern Cameroon as being most severely impacted by the escalating crisis.

In May, the Muslim Link reported that Islamic Relief is hoping to spend up to six million dollars in the next month or so to combat the situation. It has issued an emergency Sahel Region Appeal to help exact an effective response to the crisis.—www.shafaqna.com/English

Source: Muslim Link

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has abruptly reversed course on his plan to get badly needed medical supplies into Syria by way of a Canadian aid organization.

Just days after travelling to Jordan to announce some $2-million in aid, Mr. Baird confirmed Wednesday that the government will not be providing the money to the group known as Canadian Relief for Syria.

“We wanted to ensure that supplies could make their way to the victims of the Assad regime in the best way possible, and that it wouldn’t fund things like warehouses and infrastructure,” Mr. Baird said.

He said concerns about where the money would be going arose after the announcement, when the government sat down with the group to reach a contribution agreement.

“The current intention will not be pursued,” he said. “We will find alternatives.”

It remains a “top priority” of the federal government to assist the victims of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, whether they be opposition fighters, civilians or others caught in the crossfire, he added.

“The situation in Syria is a top priority for me, for my department and for our allies, and that’s why we’ll be moving as expeditiously as we possibly can.”

Momtaz Almoussly, a spokesman for the aid group, expressed shock Wednesday at the sudden about-face, insisting no one ever said the money would be used for anything but medical supplies and equipment.

“Maybe they sent an e-mail or something, but nobody has spoken to us from the government about this decision,” Mr. Almoussly said. He declined to comment further, saying he needed some time to figure out what had happened.

Mr. Baird’s announcement prompted questions about why the group was being singled out for foreign aid when there are more established organizations on the ground.

A report earlier Wednesday had suggested the Canadian group was chosen for its ability to ensure opposition forces receive care.

But the doctors on the ground weren’t going to single out anyone, Mr. Almoussly said in an interview Wednesday before the decision was made to revoke the funding.

“The treatment centre, when it receives a patient, they don’t ask are you a civilian, are you from the left or from the right,” he said in an interview.

“It’s just a medical centre.”

At a news conference earlier this week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended his government’s choice.

“I’m told that our officials have done due diligence on all the organizations to which we’ve given money,” he said.

“I’m told they have the appropriate connections by which to deliver aid on the ground. And as I say, it is our officials who carefully research these groups and make sure they fit the needs of the government of Canada.”

Mr. Almoussly echoed those comments and said he didn’t know how the impression was formed that those networks would channel aid specifically to rebel groups.

“Because maybe of our connections and networks in areas that are difficult for international organizations, they labelled us that way,” he said. “But as I said, medical relief is impartial.”

Western countries have largely stopped short of providing material aid to the network of opposition forces in Syria who have been fighting against Mr. Assad’s regime since last year.

The United Kingdom recently announced funds to supply communications equipment, body armour and medical supplies and said the equipment was only for those not directly involved in the fighting.

Mr. Baird said Wednesday that Canada’s aid money was not directly intended for opposition forces.

“The sad reality is that far too much of the hospital and health care system has collapsed in Syria because of the war,” he said.

“Civilians are suffering greatly — whether it’s someone with a heart attack or a woman giving birth — so this medical assistance will go to support all the victims of Assad.”

That includes those fighting against the regime, but the money was never intended to help the opposition’s military effort, Mr. Baird said. “It’s entirely 100 per cent medical supplies.”

Canada has so far channelled the lion’s share of its aid for Syria through groups like the International Red Cross.

But the Syrian government has been severely restricting the number of visas available for foreign aid workers, making it difficult for outside groups to intervene.

This week, the United Nations humanitarian aid chief Valerie Amos is in Syria to press for more access for aid.

But she told the BBC on Wednesday that the Syrian government doesn’t want international aid groups on the ground because they fear they’ll assist rebel forces.

Mr. Almoussly said his group’s network of medical staff is already there and can move around with ease.

He said the money was going to be used to purchase medical supplies that would be brought into the country via Jordan and Turkey.

“Canadians should know that they can help, they can make a difference,” he said. “It’s unacceptable to see people dying from non-fatal wounds due to the lack of medical treatment.”

The UN released a report Wednesday accusing Mr. Assad’s forces and their militia backers of war crimes in the killings of more than 100 civilians — nearly half children — in the village of Houla in May.

It said the civil war was moving in a “brutal” direction on both sides.

The report was the first time the U.S. has described events in Syria’s civil war as war crimes and could be used in possible future prosecution against Mr. Assad or others.—www.shafaqna.com/english

Source: theglobeandmail

SHAFAQNA (Shia News Association) — To mark the Queen of England’s sixty years on the throne, a commemorative medal is being bestowed on deserving Canadians across the country.

Among those who have already received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal is Mohammed Azhar Ali Khan, a retired civil servant and refugee judge who is also a journalist and founder of the Muslim Coordinating Council of the National Capital Region (MCC-NCR).

Sheema Khan, whose monthly columns appear in the Globe and Mail, and who is the founder of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, was also bestowed with the honour.

While Canadians can nominate deserving individuals for the award, community organizations selected by the Canadian government, as well as members of Parliament and provincial governments are also encouraged to nominate Canadians for the distinction. Canadians who received the Order of Canada or the Order of Ontario also automatically receive the medal.

Mr. Ali Khan and renowned Toronto journalist Haroon Siddiqui had previously received both the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario and automatically qualified for the medal. Likewise, Hanny Hasan, a London, Ont., engineer and community volunteer who holds the Order of Canada also received the jubilee award.

Other well-known, and lesser known, Muslim Canadian winners include Mobeen Khaja, a community worker in Gatineau; Niagara-on-the-Lake retired physician and community volunteer Fuad Sahin; and advocates for the disabled Rabia Khedr and Uzma Khan.

Ottawa’s Wafa Dabbagh, who recently passed away from cancer, also received special recognition. Lieutenant Commander Dabbagh was honoured in June with a special memorial service in Ottawa to mark her contributions to the Canadian armed forces.  The ceremony began and concluded with recitation of the Holy Quran by a Canadian Muslim chaplain. It was attended by members of the public as well as members of the nation’s top military brass including Chief of Staff General Walter Natynczyck.

VERBATIM

“I had no idea when I worked as a journalist, Muslim community leader and promoter of better understanding between people of different faiths that what I did as my duty would one day get me top awards and recognition.

My feelings are of gratitude to Allah and to Canada. I hope this pleases the souls of my parents and elders and that it encourages my children and other youth to work hard for our community, country and humanity.

I also hope that it tells more of our fellow Canadians that Muslims are contributing to Canada every day and that most Muslims are decent, hard-working people who love Canada. Finally, I hope it encourages our youth and our community to work hard constructively, with unity, patience, integrity and faith, as taught by our religion, in order to build a better Canada and a brighter future for our children in our country.”

- Mohammed Azhar Ali Khan

“It meant quite a lot -- to have one's efforts recognized is humbling. The medal was primarily for the Globe columns (I have been writing since Sept. 2002).

There are many Muslims who have been recognized for their contributions towards Canada, which shows that we should continue to work hard for the betterment of society. And such striving is part and parcel of our faith.”

- Sheema Khan — www.shafaqna.com/english/

SHAFAQNA (Shia News Association) — This year’s festival, representing more than 40 distinct cultural backgrounds, was held at Ottawa’s Britannia Park on July 14, 2012.

Over 20 Muslim countries took part in the event to introduce Islamic culture and civilization as well as their diverse traditions to the local community.

This year’s event with the theme of “The World in One City” presented country exhibitions, Islamic arts and handicrafts, a bazaar as well as fun activities for children.

Muslim Canadians that form 3 percent of the country’s population are important contributors to the nation’s economy, politics and culture.

While there are over 67,000 Muslims living only in Ottawa, today the Muslim population in Canada is estimated to be between 980 thousand to 1.3 million.

Organized by the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), the Muslim Summer Festival attracts thousands of visitors every year. The festival recognized by the City of Ottawa as a city-wide festival. — www.shafaqna.com/english/

SHAFAQNA (Shia News Association) — Ottawa will appeal a B.C. Supreme Court ruling on assisted suicide Justice Minister Rob Nicholson announced on Friday.

In June, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled that Canada's ban on assisted suicide infringed on the rights of the disabled. The ruling opened the way for legalized assisted suicide in the country.

In a statement, Nicholson said the government intends to seek a stay on all aspects of the ruling, including the exemption for Taylor, while it goes to the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

"The government is of the view that the Criminal Code provisions that prohibit medical professionals, or anyone else, from counselling or providing assistance in a suicide, are constitutionally valid," the statement said.

"The government also objects to the lower court’s decision to grant a 'constitutional exemption' resembling a regulatory framework for assisted suicide."

Taylor, who has Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS, hailed the lower court's ruling because it gives her control over when and how she dies.

She had hoped the government wouldn't appeal.

"I would really like to think that the government would see that they can't do this to me," Taylor said last month. "They can't do this to other Canadians.'

In her complex, 395-page judgment, Smith said the ban on physician-assisted suicide violates two sections of the charter of rights covering the right to equality and the right to life, liberty and security of the person.

She said the law must allow for doctor-assisted suicide in cases where patients have a serious illness or disability and are experiencing intolerable suffering. Such patients must ask for the help, must be free of coercion and cannot be clinically depressed, the ruling noted.

Nicholson, though, said the law has to protect people.

"The laws surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide exist to protect all Canadians, including those who are most vulnerable, such as people who are sick or elderly or people with disabilities."

Nicholson also said the government would have nothing more to say on the matter while the case is before the court.

Canada has had a turbulent legal history with assisted suicide. Cases brought forward by Sue Rodriguez, a woman with ALS, and Robert Latimer, a father who was convicted of killing his severely disabled daughter, brought the debate to the headlines. — www.shafaqna.com/english/

SHAFAQNA (Shia News Association) — A nine-year-old Gatineau girl who refused to remove her headscarf was forced to stand on the sidelines Sunday as her team played – and won – the final match of a soccer tournament.

The order came just days after the International Football Association Board voted to lift its ban based on the fact that "there is no medical literature concerning injuries as a result of wearing a headscarf," the organization stated on its website.

Rayane Benatti was told to take off her headscarf for safety reasons, but she refused. "It made me feel very sad," she told the Citizen in French on Monday. "I love soccer. I get to run around and do teamwork – I really like that."

Gatineau's regional soccer association maintains that it made the right decision. Until the international organization approves a design, colour and material for headscarves during matches, "scarves of all sorts" will remain banned, said Gatineau's director of tournaments Marc St-Amour.

"It's not because she was wearing a hijab – it's because she was wearing a piece of equipment that is not recognized," St-Amour said.

On July 5, the International Football Association Board "agreed to unanimously approve – temporarily during a trial period – the wearing of headscarves." The organization will define the design, colour and material at a meeting in October. "The piece of equipment needs to go through a process," St-Amour said.

On Monday afternoon in Gatineau's Jolicoeur park, Rayane was running around the soccer pitch with her two older brothers, wearing her beige headscarf and her yellow No. 7 Atomique Jaune team jersey. She paused for a moment each time she kicked the ball toward the net, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth – a personal trademark of concentration.

Rayane said the headscarf, which fits neatly over her head and is tucked under the collar of her jersey, is comfortable. Her mother pulled gently at the fabric to show the scarf is secure yet stretchy. "It doesn't make sense," said Fatima-Zohra Elmarhoum. "It's a piece of fabric."

What was supposed to be a three-day tournament under the sun turned into weekend of confusion, said Elmarhoum. Due to protests, Rayane was allowed to play a game on Friday and another on Saturday morning but was refused participation in the following three games.

"As a mother, I was really sad for my daughter and frustrated about the rule. She's a child who simply wanted to play and she was not allowed," Elmarhoum said. "It's not fair."

Despite her love of soccer, Rayane said she was glad she refused to remove her scarf – an item she has been wearing daily since October 2011. "I decided to wear the headscarf out of love for Allah," Rayane said. "Some people decide not to do it because they don't have enough courage. I had the courage to do it."— www.shafaqna.com/english

SHAFAQNA (Shia News Association) - Dr. Mohammed Saleem, a 12-year veteran of the U.S. educational system, brings a wealth of experience to his new position as the principal of Abraar School in Ottawa, Canada. Here, in his first interview since he moved to Ottawa at the end of last year, Dr. Saleem discusses his plans for the Abraar School and shares his views on the state of Islamic education in North America.

Q: How are you enjoying Ottawa so far?

MS: Ottawa is a great place to be! My family and I really like how different cultures are celebrated here in the city. Coming from a relatively small town in the U.S. Southwest, we are still getting used to living in a metropolitan area and of course the cold! It’ll take a while to get used to the traffic…but it is a price worth paying considering the several opportunities the city affords regarding Islamic/Muslim venues and other recreational resources.

Q: What did you expect to find when you arrived at Abraar School?

MS: Well, as a former principal of an Islamic school in the U.S. and a founding member of the MAS Council of Islamic Schools, I’ve had the opportunity to visit many Islamic schools in the U.S. So I had a pretty good idea of what I would find at Abraar School. I was pretty sure that I was going to see the same type of students, dedicated team of teachers, caring parents who are trying to make ends meet but still willing to pay the cost of an Islamic education for their children, a dedicated, core group of people working day and night to make sure the school is running smoothly. And all of that of course in an environment of limited resources! I was also expecting the school to be struggling with student enrollments, you know, it is sometimes difficult to convince parents to send their children to an Islamic school. Issues of credibility, quality of education, etc. make parents hesitate to commit their children to an Islamic school.

Q: How did your expectations fit with reality?

MS: Well, I was right on the dot when it comes to the type of students, teachers, parents, and that special group of people that make things happen despite the limited resources. I just happened to visit another Islamic school in Vancouver last month and when I came back to Abraar School, I told the students, “Guess who I saw at the school? I saw students and teachers that look exactly like the good folks here at Abraar!” Having been involved in Islamic education in North America for the last fifteen plus years, I really see this as a common thread that unites the many Islamic schools in the West.

Now, as far as the expectation that Abraar School will be struggling with student enrollments, I was wrong! I was pleasantly surprised to find that several classes were at capacity and there were students on the waiting list in many grade levels. In fact, parents were enrolling their kids in the daycare program and some parents registering their kids even before they were born just to reserve a spot for their child at Abraar School! SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah)! This is definitely the result of the solid reputation in academic excellence that Abraar has within the Muslim community in Ottawa. Of course that is directly related to the consistent high academic performance of our students over the years.

Q: What sort of experiences and skills prepared you for taking over the principal role at the school?

MS: Believe it or not, I actually started off as a chemical engineer! I was teaching at a local Islamic school to pay for my bachelors in chemical engineering. I loved teaching so much, in my senior year of my bachelor’s degree, I decided to change my major to education and become a teacher instead. My family was surprised, to say the least. But I have never regretted that decision. I went on to teach in the public schools in the U.S. and then became a founding principal of an Islamic school there. I completed my Masters in Education Administration and worked as a principal of an Islamic school for seven years. I left my principal position to complete my Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin. My research focuses on Islamic education and education of Muslims in the West. I worked as an assistant professor of education for three years at West Texas A&M University prior to joining Abraar School. I guess those are my formal experiences that have prepared me for my role as a school principal.

More importantly; however, are my informal experiences as the president of several student clubs such as the Muslim Students Association and various local community organizations over the years. These experiences really prepared me for a leadership role within the Muslim community. As an executive committee member of the Muslim American Society Council of Islamic Schools, I was privileged to visit many Islamic schools and provide consulting as well as professional development services to them. This has afforded me a much deeper understanding of the challenges Islamic schools face and the unspoken stories within their walls.

Q: What are your goals going forward?

MS: My personal goals are to continue my research on Islamic schools and the education of Muslim children in the West and continue to serve the Muslim community and the wider community. My goals for the school are to make it one of the best educational institutions in the country. The school is already in the right direction. With the proper guidance, research driven practices, dedication, and sincerity, we can make Abraar one of the best schools in Canada… a model not only for Muslim but also for non-Muslims.

Q: With the majority of Muslim youth in public schools, why should the community support Abraar School?

MS: Institutions like Abraar School are connecting our youth back to their Islamic roots. They are preparing the future leaders for the Muslim community and our nation. In Islamic schools, character development is not just one of the aspects of the curriculum; rather, it is the raison d’être. Additionally, schools like Abraar School are playing a very important role of not only reviving the recitation and memorization of the Holy Quran amongst our youth but also inculcating in them the spirit of the Quran and the sunnah (tradition) of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.   We teach our students about the importance of obedience and service to our parents, to each other, and to our community. We expect our students to give back to their community by becoming contributing citizens. These are all good reasons why the community should support Abraar School. It is an investment that will bring back many returns for the community.

Q: What do you say to those who argue that isolating Muslims in their own schools will limit their abilities to later interact with people of all faiths and backgrounds?

MS: I would say that those fears are not completely unfounded because I have seen some Muslim communities and some schools that have unfortunately done just that and have become isolated from the majority culture and community. Therefore it becomes absolutely necessary that we understand that one of the purposes of an Islamic school is to help our youth to judiciously negotiate the various tensions that may arise due to cultural, ethnic, social, and religious differences in our pluralistic society.

You see, regardless of whether our children are in a secular school or in an Islamic school, they will be forced to make choices and consequently to continuously negotiate between their Islamic/minority identity and the majority culture. I say that from my own personal experiences of growing up as a teenager in the U.S. and attending high school and later on teaching in the public school system and also from findings from research related to social justice and cultural issues.

Youth that do not attend Islamic schools are constantly challenged in regards to their Islamic identity and without proper guidance, many youth have a tendency to react in an extreme manner in regards to the majority culture; either they will completely reject the values of the majority culture in order to staunchly hold on to their Islamic identity or embrace the values of the majority/secular culture and let go of their Islamic identity. Those who let go of their Islamic identity tend to live two lives; at home they endure the Islamic/cultural values imposed upon them by their parents and as soon as they are amongst their friends at school, they discard them for the values of the popular culture. Very few youth attempt to critically analyze their positions in regards to the majority/popular culture. It is much easier to react irrationally or without thinking rather than to question the status quo or to burn your own trail.

One of Islamic school’s most important roles is to provide that nurturing environment that can guide our youth to critically analyze their own positions in regards to others and to teach them the skills of negotiating differences with understanding, respect for others, and with compassion and love. However, that cannot happen without our youth having a high self-esteem and self-confidence. That can most easily be provided in an environment that already affirms their Muslim identity. Therefore, Islamic schools can actually play a vital role in raising a generation of Muslims that are well adjusted in regards to their Islamic identity and their role in a pluralistic society.

Q: What are your concerns about the future of Muslims in the West when it comes to their education?

MS: The Muslim community in the West must focus on building/establishing a variety of educational and education related institutions. We should not be satisfied with establishing mosques and graveyards! We must also establish colleges, universities, schools, youth and community centers, counseling centers, women centers, research and information powerhouses, etc. If you examine how minorities in the West have established themselves, you will see a similar pattern; they have primarily done so by establishing institutions that serve their particular communities. We must do the same.

One of the challenges that Muslims in the West face in regards to education, especially here in Ontario, is the cost of private education. Less than five per cent of Muslim youth attend Islamic schools. We need to increase that number. It is a catch 22 situation, low enrollments mean high costs and less revenue that has a direct impact on the quality of education and perpetuates the cycle of low enrollment. It is within the grasp of the Muslim community in the West to provide affordable quality education in an Islamic environment to its youth. However, that requires a commitment from a greater number of Muslim parents to send their children to Islamic schools.

In my opinion, the Islamic education of the Muslim youth is strategically the most important endeavors the Muslim community can undertake. It is an endeavor that is directly linked to the very existence of the Muslim community in the West.

Q: Any final thoughts?

MS: For those who are not yet convinced about Islamic schools, especially Abraar School and the quality of education that we provide to our students, I invite you to come to our Open House on June 12, 2012 and see for yourself.