Islamic Heritage Month

Written by: Izma Akmal

Photos by: Ms. Akbar

Contributors: Ms. Akbar, Ms. Turnbull, Tia Smith, and Alessia De Leo

October was Islamic Heritage Month. In 2007, the Government of Canada designated October as Islamic History Month (IHM) to highlight the role that Muslim communities play in Canadian society.

One of the values of Islam is education. Not only to be educated yourself, but to pass knowledge on to others. To honour this, T.A. Blakelock hosted a local Oakville organization called "Salam Neighbor". Representatives from Salam Neighbor came to talk to students and staff about the role of Muslims in Canadian history. 

The attendees learned of the many inventions created by Muslims, most of which are still very much present today. Some examples are modern medicine, coffee, clocks. Even the first university in the world was created and opened by a Muslim woman, Fatima al-Fihri, in Morocco. Some of the customs that we are still using today came from this university. For example, the graduation cap, gown, and rolled diplomas.

During the presentation attendees were surprised to learn about the rights given to women in Islam. Some examples that were mentioned were the rights for women to vote and to own property. Women had these rights since the beginning of Islam. Unfortunately, these women’s rights are still being challenged today in many parts of the world.

One of the most interesting parts of the presentation was the Q&A (Question and Answer) session. The Imam (religious scholar) addressed different questions including the various microaggressions and stereotypes about Muslims that come up in the media. These views are often biased, incorrect, and misinterpretations. In addition to debunking these misconceptions, the Imam also shared a message of unity, peace and inclusion. It was a nice way to end the presentation with a message of hope, positivity and empathy for everyone. 

Being a new student at TAB, it felt wonderful to be a part of a community that welcomes speakers from different religions and cultures. Even as a Muslim who was surrounded with this information growing up, this presentation was done in such an enjoyable way that it made me upset it came to an end. The presenters of this interactive activity managed to make everyone smile by just speaking and sharing their positive messages. As aforementioned, the information they gave about Muslims in the past, present and future was fascinating, and we're sure all the students who attended would agree.