Support Akram Jomaa Islamic Centre's New Building
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40 Years With Islamic Relief
Remembering a Legacy of Compassion and Change
For four decades, Islamic Relief has been weaving a thread of hope, compassion, and positive change across 40 countries.
With your support, we've touched the lives of 120 million people, creating a world where no one is left behind. Join us in honoring our 40th anniversary and continue the journey of transforming lives. Thank you for being part of our story.
This fundraiser is being organized by
Akram Jomaa Islamic Centre
Empowering Our Mosques, Empowering Our Community
As Muslims, we know that our mosques are not only places of worship but also centers of community life. They have been there for us in times of joy and times of hardship, providing us with a safe space to come together and support one another. However, due to the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 many mosques continue to struggle to keep their doors open and their services.
This is where we, as a community, can make a difference. By giving Sadaqah and donations to support our mosques, we can ensure that they continue to be a source of strength and unity for us. Even a small donation can go a long way in helping to pay for the upkeep of the mosque and the programs and services it offers.
Giving back to our community is a way of fulfilling our religious obligations and showing gratitude for the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon us. It is also a way of investing in our community's future and ensuring that future generations have access to the same support and resources that we have had. So that like us, our children may also find the solace we have found within the walls of our masajid.
So let us come together and support our mosques and each other. Every contribution counts. Let us remember the vital role that our masajid have played in our lives and make a commitment to help ensure that they continue to thrive.
Donate your Sadaqah Jariyah to support your local Masjid in'sha Allah.
About
Despite a long history that predates the Canadian confederation, Muslims are one of the most misunderstood faith communities in the country. The earliest Muslim presence in Canada dates back to 1871, when the Canadian Census recorded 13 Muslims living there. By 1901, approximately 300-400 Turkish and Syrian immigrants resided in Canada. Today, over 1,053,945 Muslims call Canada home. The first masjid ever built in Canada was in 1938, the Al-Rashid Masjid in Edmonton, Alberta.
Al-Rashid Masjid, in Edmonton, Alberta was the first masjid in Canada ever built
Hussein Dessouki was one of the first pioneers who had immigrated to Alberta in 1905. In 1958, he began working towards organizing the Muslim community in Calgary. By November 16, 1958, a hall was rented, and about twenty Muslims attended and agreed to establish the Muslim Association of Calgary. Because of the non-Islamic environment, they lived in, the members of the Association realized that they were responsible for promoting better learning, practicing, and understanding of Islam and Muslims amongst Canadians. The Association set the following objectives as its guideline principles: To teach the principles, spirt, ethics and culture of Islam to Muslims, their children, and to those who express an interest in Islam.
To improve the moral, intellectual, and social conditions of the Muslims of the community.
To expand and spread the teachings of Islam through discussions and writing by providing relevant and accurate information.
To promote and provide a wider distribution of Islamic literature to dispel misconceptions about Islam.
To provide a medium where may take on united action matters relevant to Islam and Muslims worldwide.
To conduct charitable activities and assist members of the Muslim community or any people in need, locally, nationally, or internationally.
To carry out these objectives. The community knew that it was likely to face innumerable difficulties and challenges that needed to be met by gathering all the human and economic resources within the community possible. In 1960, this small number of Muslims were able to buy an old Anglican Church and converted it into a Masjid. During that time, the Muslim community grew from 50 individuals in 1951 to 200 in 1960. And by the early 1980s, the population was up to 2700. Due to the rapid growth in the Muslim community, the Masjid could not provide the adequate facilities needed for its visitors.
The community decided that an expansion of the Masjid is required, and a new Islamic Centre was constructed. The community purchased the land in 1976, and the building did not begin until 1976; this is the Calgary Islamic Centre SW masjid we know today, and it opened for prayers in 1978. With the establishment of a Centre, congregations were held regularly, religious holidays celebrated, and a regular weekend school for the children was established. As the Muslim community grew, various other needs were identified and pursued, one of which was a Muslim cemetery. The Muslim cemetery was the first cemetery in Canada to perform burials according to (sunnah) Islamic traditions, licensed and operating by 1986. Within ten years of construction of the Islamic Centre of Calgary, the Muslim population grew over 15,000. The majority of this growth resided in the east side of Calgary, making it difficult for Muslims to benefit from the SW masjid daily.
A committee in 1986 was formed called the “East Calgary Masjid Committee” to collect enough funds to purchase an existing building to establish a place to conduct regular prayers and Quranic classes. The final design consisted of a 30,000 sq. Ft. Two-story building with a community Centre, full-time school, and Masjid and was established in 1992 and is known today as Akram Jomaa Islamic Centre.
Islamic Relief works with communities to strengthen their resilience to calamities, and we provide vital emergency aid when disasters occur.
We help the impoverished access basic services, including education, water and sanitation, as well as healthcare. We provide lasting routes out of poverty through our sustainable development schemes. Our integrated approach to progress is transforming communities worldwide.
We tackle the root causes of poverty and make sure that the world’s most vulnerable people have real influence in both our programs and advocacy.
Our key values, of compassion, justice, custodianship, sincerity and excellence – a critical part of our Islamic faith - inspire us each and every day to create positive change and remember the sanctity of life.
In line with Islamic teachings on the value of every human life, we provide assistance to whoever needs it most, regardless of race, religion or gender. We work to transform and save lives of people in crisis both Canada and across the world.
Let us share the khair from the blessings Allah has bestowed upon us.