The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) and the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) welcomed Calgarians of all backgrounds and beliefs at the Al-Salam Centre for the Meet Your Muslim Neighbour Open Mosque Day event.
The mosque hosted guest speaker Dr. Sabeel Ahmed, who flew in from Chicago. He dedicates his efforts to combating Islamophobia and spreading his faith’s peaceful message.
“Many times, we don’t have time to research,” said Ahmed, who is director of GainPeace. “Whatever the media says, we just take it as truth.”
The organizers sought to build alliances and stronger communities especially among the non-Muslim people living in the neighbourhood.
“The concept of this event is to bring communities of different faiths and different cultures together to share information and to know more about each other,” said Fakhir Habib who is in charge of the outreach department of the local ICNA chapter.
The open house included tours of the mosque, explanations of the Quran, and the chance to have henna design art done on hands. Refreshments included shawarma, samosa and a sweet desert called jalebi. Guests were provided with gift bags that contained a Quran, some pamphlets and a chocolate bar.
Female visitors learned about putting on their own hijabs.
“It was just really cool to hear about how you don’t even have be a Muslim to wear one,” said Sage Campbell, an agnostic attendee. “It’s just all about modesty.”
A booth was dedicated to Arabic calligraphy where guests could have their names written in Arabic.
“People were very interested in learning more about the language,” said Isma Zafar, who, as an artist, does a lot of paintings that revolve around Islamic art and calligraphy.
“We also share some interesting facts about how there are scientific miracles of the Quran that were revealed 1,400 years ago and more facts.”
The event was not a campaign to convert Calgarians to Islam but rather as a chance to talk and learn.
“We want to be inviting,” Habib said. “We just want to show them that we are not hiding anything.”
Guests observed the “Musalleen” (the performers of prayer) during their daily prayers in the Musalla (the main prayer hall).
Ahmed gave a presentation with the use projected images in the Al-Salam Centre’s gym on the history of Muslims in North America (stretching back to 1529), the strides made in women’s rights and education (with the longest lasting university having been founded by a woman,) and the true meaning of Jihad among other things.
“He’s really good in explaining every detail,” said Marta Mykhailiv, who has come to Calgary from Ukraine. “It’s really understandable for everyone no matter who you are.”
It was a chance to learn what Muslims actually believe by addressing myths and facts. Such as that there is no one founder of the Islamic faith.
“In the teachings of Islam, there is no forced conversions,” said Ahmed. “If someone is doing it they are going against the practices of the Quran.”
Calgary has a Muslim population of 95,925 which makes up seven per cent of the city’s population according to the 2021 census.
“I am a neighbour of the mosque,” said Robert Johnson who was reading a copy of an English-translated Quran. “My fiancée is Muslim and I have taken steps to learn more about her beliefs.”
Other attendees came out of a sense of curiosity.
“I’ve always been interested in Islam so when I got the invitation at my house last week, I thought this would be good time to find out what’s happening here,” said Reg Brehaut, who spent two years in Saudi Arabia.
People interested learning about Islam can reach out to GainPeace or if they are interested in visiting the mosque at the Al-Salam Centre can call 403-452-8861 or info@alsalamcentre.ca to make an appointment.
“Our hope,” said ICNA member and organizer Basil Ahmad, “is that we can build bridges with the community,”
