Lives Lived: Pervez Nasim - a Canadian Muslim pioneer

Pervez Nasim, a pioneering Canadian Muslim leader, passed away on Wednesday May 1, 2024  in Toronto.

He was renowned across North America for founding the first interest-free housing cooperative and spearheading other Islamic financial institutions - Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji`un - We belong to Allah and to Him we return.

He was a founding member and Chair of the Board of the Islamic Co-operative Housing Corporation Ltd., the first interest-free home ownership and investment project in North America, and for that he has been volunteering his time since its inception in 1980 in Toronto.

Pervez Nasim was also Chairman and CEO of Ansar Co-operative Housing Corporation and a number of Ansar Financial Group of Companies that organized the 3rd International Islamic Banking, Finance and Insurance (Takaful) Conference held in Ottawa, Canada in May 2007. 

Ansar Financial Group Companies are managing investments in various projects and joint ventures in Canada.

Pervez Nasim was also Chairman and CEO of the first Interest-free public company in North America known as Ansar Financial and Development Corporation. This company is listed at  Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE) and trades as "AFD".

He was a Bachelor of Commerce graduate and a Certified Management Accountant (CPA) and was employed by the Ministry of Finance in Canada, from where he took early retirement in 2004 after twenty-seven years of service so that he could devote more time to the various Islamic financing and investment projects.

During the past thirty five years he made a number of presentations on Islamic finance and insurance (Takaful) in various international Islamic banking  and finance conferences across the world.

Pervez Nasim was a community builder and philanthropist who supported many mosques, institutions and projects including ISNA Canada as a founding member of the Islamic Centre of Canada. 

He also served on the Majlis of ISNA (continental) in many capacities and on the Boards of major mosques including the Islamic Foundation of Toronto. He was also a founder of the Muneeba Centre in Mississauga.

He was the husband of Samar Nasim and father of Shahab, Rizwaan and Muneeba.

May Allah Ta`ala shower him with His mercy, forgive him, and grant him Jannatul Firdaus.  May Allah grant the  family patience and acceptance of His decree.