Message of the Executive Director
Asalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,
May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah (swt) be upon each of you, and your families and the communities around you.
As Muslims here in Canada, we are all feeling the weight of the grief, pain, and sorrow that has been building over the past weeks. Through local and global tragedies, we are finding ourselves caught between various emotions, as well as the impulse to take meaningful action. Our children are struggling to make meaning of what is happening, and we as a community are trying to lean on one another to build strength and solidarity.
These are difficult times. The tragedy of what is happening in Palestine and the ongoing struggles of our brothers and sisters, amidst the global realities, has been weighing heavily on our hearts and minds.
The recent discovery of 215 bodies buried at a residential school in Kamloops B.C and the ongoing injustices that our indigenous brothers and sisters are facing is horrific.
The brutal murder of a family, leaving a 9 year-old boy without a mother, father, grandmother, and sister as a result of Islamophobia is a completely unfathomable and our communities are still trying to make sense of this.
Through our schools, centers, virtual programs and initiatives, we are working to build networks of meaningful support for our community. For those who have been directly impacted, as well as to those who are struggling to cope with the magnitude of these devastating events.
As a grassroots organization that is committed to serving our communities, we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters here in Canada, and globally. We call on the leaders of our local communities and nationally to take immediate action. To address the increasing acts of injustice so that individuals and families don’t have to fear for their life, or fight to access basic resources.
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَشْكُوا۟ بَثِّى وَحُزْنِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
He said, “I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know. (12:86)
As we try to navigate through these difficult experiences, let us continue to turn to Allah (swt) and find ease. Let us also seek support, and healing within our communities and various avenues of support.
May Allah(swt) grant ease for our ummah and for our communities. Ameen.
Assalamu Alaikum,
Executive Director
Sharaf Sharafeldin
