Reflections

A collection of 386 posts

531

Jews extend Qur’an to Muslims

By Habeeb Alli (May 11, 2011) – I’m thrilled again to have been a part of recent history – while someone burned the Qur’an in the United States, another presented us with a Qur’an in an expression of solidarity. I told this to my congregation during a Friday service

Canadian Muslims

From Bin Laden to the Arab spring

By Tariq Ramadan (May 9, 2011) – Reactions during the first 48 hours after the announcement of Usama bin Laden’s death have been indeed revealing. While the symbolic impact of the news touched off a media frenzy in the West, coverage was far more restrained in majority Muslim societies and

Canadian Muslims

Break the cycle of abuse, only you can!

By Farheen Khan (May 7, 2011) – For as long as she can remember, Fatima remembers the loud voices coming through her bedroom door while she pretended to be asleep in her bed. She remembers the screams and the tears. They haunt her even today… the sheer sound of a raised

Canadian Muslims

What’s in store for US-Pakistan relations post-bin Laden?

By Huma Yusuf (May 6, 2011) – Scenes of rejoicing in Washington and New York accompanied the news that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had been killed by US special forces on Sunday. But in Pakistan, many remained glued to their television sets, wondering what this event means for their

Canadian Muslims

Lessons from Canada's Federal Election

By Yahya Abdul Rahman (May 4, 2011) – I predicted it from the beginning, even on the day the election was called, but no one would believe me. Harper finally got his long coveted majority with 167 seats in Canada’s Parliament. But given the fact that 31 of the 34

Canadian Muslims

A terrorist victim isn’t always someone else

By Tahir Wadood Malik (April 27, 2011) – Terrorism was something that happened to others. Upon seeing news of another terrorist attack, I would simply change the channel. That is, until 5 October 2009, when I received a phone call that would change my life forever. The caller said that there

Aisha Aherazi

CBC program changes few assumptions about Islam

By Mohammed Azhar Ali Khan (April 23, 2011) – Canadian Muslims, used to frequent distortion in the media, were invited to have their say in a recent meeting arranged by CBC Radio. “Bias and Belonging: Being Muslim in Ottawa” [http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/03/14/f-bias-belonging.

Canadian Muslims

Muslims #1 victims in terrorist attacks

By Hussein Abdallah (April 22, 2011) – Late last month, Yemeni officials claimed that Al Qaeda-affiliated gunmen allegedly took control of a munitions factory in southern Yemen and then booby-trapped the facility after looting it. Residents of the town who flocked to the factory afterward trying to recover what was left

Canadian elections

Canadian Muslims and the upcoming elections

By Imam Dr. Zijad Delic Introduction: Reflection “Verily! God commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (God) gives you! Truly, God is ever

531

Religious peace between Jews and Muslims

By Talya Ezrahi (April 14, 2011) – In this interview with Talya Ezrahi, editor at Search for Common Ground, Mohammed S. Dajani Daoudi, founder of the Wasatia movement and Professor of Political Science at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, talks about an interfaith event in February that brought together 150 Jews, Muslims

Canadian Muslims

Electoral politics from the moral high ground

By Javed Akbar Elections in the recent past have failed to garner much excitement among the general public, particularly the young voters. But there is much at stake in the coming elections. The Harper government’s domestic and foreign policies read like the Bush doctrine. We need to restore the

Canadian Muslims

Embracing uncertainty in Pakistan and cricket

By Salman Ahmad (March 30, 2011) – Both cricket and life are unpredictable. Pakistan’s journey – from yesterday’s “no-hopers” to today’s semi-finalists against World Cup favourites India – has been a startling revelation to many pundits, experts and fans. The team’s World Cup transformation reflects the mercurial strength and

Canadian Muslims

A small window into violence against women

By Farheen Khan (March 23, 2011) – As I stand in line at the nearby Tim Hortons for my morning coffee, I see the faces of many women in the line and behind the counter. I watch one woman, in particular, among the crowd of faces at the counter. She prepares

Canadian Muslim Fellowship of Scouting

Engaging Muslim youth with Scouting

By Muneeb Nasir [Remarks delivered on March 19, 2011 at the event, Dr. David Suzuki – “A Conversation with PeaceMakers of the Earth”,  organized by the Canadian Muslim Fellowship of Scouting, Scouts Canada and Scouts Groups of GTA] Greetings of Peace/Assalaamu ‘alaikum We are excited to have you here tonight

CAIR-LA

A wakeup call for Americans

By Adel Syed and Lana Daoud Last month, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Relief sponsored a fundraising dinner in Yorba Linda, California to raise money for women’s shelters and hunger relief across the United States. Families, including young children and elders, arrived to the event, and attempted

Canadian Muslims

Norman Finkelstein to Hamiltonians – “We will meet at the rendezvous of victory”

By Hussein Hamdani(March 11, 2011) – In a crowded church hall in front of 300 attendees, Dr. Norm Finkelstein told his audience that “next time” he will not be coming to Hamilton, Ontario – rather, “We will all be meeting at the rendezvous of victory.” This was a mantra throughout his

Canadian Muslims

Support the people and oppose military intervention in Libya

By Javed Akbar While American and British politicians have ramped up talk of a no-fly zone, US warships have been sent to the Mediterranean, Italy has ditched a non-aggression treaty with Tripoli and a full-scale western military intervention in yet another Arab country is suddenly a serious prospect. The hawkish

Alice Hackman

A woman leading change in Yemen

By Alice Hackman (March 6, 2011) – With two presidents unseated in Tunisia and Egypt and highly publicised protests across Libya, the recent demonstrations in Yemen are catching the world’s attention. The escalating violence is worrying and only time will tell if it will lead to a quick overthrow of

CAIR-CAN

Together we can make every day International Women’s Day

By Ihsaan Gardee (March 4, 2011) – March 8 2011 marks International Women’s Day (IWD), which has been observed since the early 1900s. “IWD is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria,

Canadian Muslims

Memo to Canadian Muslim Leaders

From: Muneeb Nasir Date: March 2, 2011 Assalaamu ‘alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh. I hope this memo finds you all in good health and enjoying the Mercy, the Protection and the Grace of Allah. May Allah reward you for your continuing efforts in the service of the Muslim community. I

CAIR-CAN

Ottawa Muslims receive another wake-up call

By Yahya Abdul Rahman (Feb 28, 2011) – Two surprising occurrences took place in Ottawa’s Muslim community this weekend with the resignation of Ihsaan Gardee as CAIR-CAN’s Executive Director and the announcement that Zijad Delic is leaving his post as CIC’s Executive Director as of March 2nd. Although

Canadian Muslims

Today Tahrir Square; tomorrow Mecca?

By Fred A. Reed (February 25, 2011) – Recent earthshaking events in much of the Arab and Muslim world have shone merciless light not only on the actions of tyrants and dictators and their Western enablers, but on their officially religious Muslim partners in crime as well. When angry, determined but

531

Does the pulpit speak for Saudi Arabia?

By Sabria Jawhar (February 18, 2011) – Following the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, some Saudi imams during Friday sermons have increasingly directed their anger toward non-Muslims, singling out Jews and Christians as responsible for the destruction resulting from these wars. It hasn’t been a conscious effort to demonise people

Blooming Peaches

David Cameron’s flawed remarks on multiculturalism

By Waleed Ahmed (February 16, 2011) – Following the lead of German Chancellor, Angela Markel, British Prime Minister David Cameron took a stab at the multiculturalism debate during a recent speech on extremism at the Munich Security Conference. Like the Chancellor, who was sharing the stage with him, he too concluded

"We"

Emotions and Lucidity

By Tariq Ramadan (February 14, 2011) – The first stage of the revolution is over; the dictator has fled. The last days of his rule were curious, almost as though scripted for television: carefully thought out, in apparent disorder yet orderly, while guiding us to the only possible outcome. The young