Imam Yasir Qadhi on April 13th 2022 uploaded a Ramadan lecture. In 2011 The New York Times Magazine essay by Andrea Elliot described Yasir Qadhi as one of the most influential Imams in America. Below are some excerpts. Muslim Loyalty Islam America
The believer takes pride not in himself but in the heritage and in the Legacy of Allah.
And we say this loudly and unabashedly. My only ultimate unconditional identityis that of Islam. Everything else must be in accordance with my primary identity. If there is any clash then presidents will be given without a doubt to my God. There is no question that if there is a clash between loyalties there is no clash for me. As a Muslim ultimate submission is to one and my God alone. So I am first and foremost a Muslim everything else comes after that.
Dear Muslims understand that your ultimate label is that of Muslim. That is your ultimately. Everything else comes under this term… You have to learn how to defend your faith with wisdom and with the right methodology of preaching and teaching. But do not be embarrassed to be a Muslim and visibly to pray in public when the need arises.
Imam Qadhi had some harsh words for the French people and president Macron after the beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty.
Political Islam in Toronto. Before the call to prayer filled Toronto City Hall chambers proclaiming Allah is the Greatest, John Tory gave a welcome speech. Speech & Prayer
On the occasion of the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan… I think many of you here are members of the Islamic faith, but I do want to thank those who are joining from churches across the city and showcasing their support for this community… I don’t want to make a big deal of it, but for the first time ever in my life I fasted from when I went to sleep last night until now.
Many Toronto mosques to broadcast call to prayer during Ramadan amid COVID-19 restrictions over loud speakers.
Alhaj Abubakar, the imam Masjid Omar Bin Al-Khattab, a mosque on Parliament Street just south of Dundas Street East that broadcast its first call to prayer on Wednesday said:
The reason why this time it’s so important for us [is] because the [city] is allowing us to say the Azan publicly.
“We are very, very happy.”
Prayer filled Toronto City Hall
Down Town Ottawa Enriched with Islamic Call to Prayer. Working together with Political Islam in Toronto.
Non-Muslims will or may view the following teaching about the importance of prayer from Imam Mohammad Hablos, as disturbing; however, we must remember that spiritual religions conviction in the West is considered a private matter never to be denigrated but respected.
My brothers and sisters let me tell you something and understand this fact. So far as sin is concerned and, please understand this message very clearly… Of course it’s all sin. It’s all haram. None of it is good and accepted. But for the sake of understanding… Because many of us, we see our brother who is selling drugs, we see a brother who maybe murdered another brother and we say “look at these people, look how rubbish they are.” My friend, let me tell you something. In the eyes of Allah, as far as sin is concerned… The one who sells drugs – good or bad? – Just very quickly, good or bad? Bad. How about the murderer? How about the one who commits adultery, fornication? What about the one who rapes a child? What about the one who drinks alcohol? What about the one who does the biggest of the major sins, good or bad? This person, one person, who commits all of these sins, he commits all of these sins on the daily basis but he prays is better in the eyes of Allah than the one who doesn’t commit any of these sins, but doesn’t pray. So you and your brother say “yeah I’m a good guy”… Habibi, go and pack that up because, it’s not going to work on the day of judgment. Any person who misses one prayer, one not two… One prayer – you miss one prayer for no reason… You are worse than a murderer, you are worst then a rapist, you are worse than a terrorist, you are worse than a pedophile in the eyes of Allah.
Edmonton heard the Islamic call reverberate over the city:
Across Canada, cities are allowing the call, or adhan, during the COVID-19 crisis, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and other major cities have all made exemptions to the usual rules.
However there will be people that are not favorable to Islamic cultural enrichment.
Netherlands: Mosque’s neighbors complain of loudness of call to prayer on loudspeakers, mosque says “get used to it” There are similarities with Political Islam in Toronto
Other benefits to prayer were keenly felt by non-Muslims in the early expansion period of Islam. Some senior scholars are of the opinion that such protections should be granted today.
The prophet used to order the invasion of every land which did not submit to the Muslims. The prophet would not raid except in the morning. If he heard the Adhan he would refrain. If he did not, he would invade after dawn”. Narrated by Essam Almusny, who said; “the prophet told the expeditions he sent if you have seen a mosque or heard a call for prayer do not kill anybody.”
Islam Q&A is an academic, educational, da‘wah website, which aims to offer advice and academic answers based on evidence from religious texts in an adequate and easy-to-understand manner.
What is the ruling on interrupting prayer in event of an earthquake or fire?
Toronto City Hall vibrates with Allah is Greatest
Political Islam in Toronto Propelling Forward the Cause of Allah
On Friday Apr 10, 2020 Toronto Mayor John Tory addressed the Muslim community in an online speech that was broadcast after the sermon by Sheikh Ahmad Kutty of the Islamic Institute of Toronto.
Tory instructed the Muslim community to abstain from religious gatherings during the month of Ramadan (April 23 – May 23) because of the Corona virus pandemic (COVID-19). During Ramadan Muslims gather every evening for the iftar, breaking the fast meal, and later for the tarawih, the recitation of the Quran and night prayers in the mosques.
Assalamu Alaikum [Peace be upon you] and good evening. I’m so glad that I’m able to join you at the Friday prayer service. You know it’s interesting at times like this when people can’t get together. Technology allows us to be together to celebrate Friday prayers and for me to join you and to extend all my best wishes to you and talk a little bit about what’s going on in our city at the moment. You know the virtual prayers allows us to stay connected and that’s very important at the time like this. Perhaps more important than ever because it gives us an opportunity to hardness of the technology but also to harness the power of faith. And the power of faith right now is important to keeping the city together to dealing with some of these stresses were facing in our lives. Whether it’s people like yourself personally or your friends or your relatives that are anxious about their health it’s understandable anxious about financial security and jobs which is also understandable. I think these are all things that as people are going through right now but what’s really important for all of us is to remember that we have to be there for each other. And we’ve got to support each other. And I know that that’s a great tradition of Islam. That you would be there to contribute to the community and to strengthen the community and to support each other. And that’s a lot of what goes on at the mosque the day after day especially on Fridays. So I hope that you will do that today. I also hope you will keep in mind what I would telling people is the single most important thing they can do which is to stay home. Please stay home right now. Because the scientist tell us convincingly based on science that the best way this virus can spread. And of course we don’t want that to happen. Is person-to-person contact through droplets that come from your mouth. And if you’re not away from home those droplets are not going to spread. That’s why I am emphatic saying to people please stay home. It’s why there have been various orders and guidelines given to stop people from coming to the mosque on Friday or any other day. Because it’s just not going to help us to fight this battle against the virus. I want you to know that we are trying to do what we can as a city to make sure people are left with a degree of support and comfort. We’ve got all kinds of services for our most vulnerable citizens to make sure that the elderly and the homeless are looked after. As you would expect. And by the way Muslim association of Canada the Muslim welfare centre other organizations that are known so well in our community are doing the same thing. But I also want you to know to the extent that you can volunteer to help others in the community. That’s going to be good. And we are doing some things to deferral of tax payments, utility payments so on and so forth. As well other public services to make sure that people are kept comfortable and supported. Of course Ramadan will soon be here and we hope that a lot of this will be behind us. But we should prepare ourselves, for the fact that one of the things that is most important in your calendar each year, and all the iftar dinners that it that it has been my privilege to attend, with you. It’s a time when you are getting together with family and friends. And with of course each other. And that we may have to make some alterations to that this year. As well and, will find a way, as we have found a way with Friday prayers, to make sure that people have that sense of togetherness and that they feel that power of faith. And they feel that power of observance on one of the most important dates if not the most important date on the calendar. And I hope with the help of technology we will still be able to find ways to celebrate and commemorate something that I know is very important to me as the mayor of Toronto and very important to you as residents of the city of Toronto. We are all in this together. We have overcome many things in the city over time even before I was born. And we will overcome this too we will do it together with your help. And I thank you very much for all the effort you’re undertaking to keep the city together to look after each other. And I look forward to seeing you just as soon as that is possible.
On April 10, 2020 John Tory instructed the Toronto Police Service to take more strict measures to enforce social distancing:
Chief Mark Saunders, Toronto Police Services Mr. Carleton Grant, Executive Director Municipal Licensing and Standards
Gentlemen:
First of all may I thank you for your leadership which has helped us to have hundreds of police and bylaw enforcement officers at work this holiday weekend across the city helping us to educate and to enforce our physical distancing rules.
As you know, beyond the preferred option which is for people to stay home, physical distancing between people is the best way we will slow down the march of COVID-19 and thus save lives and get us back to our normal way of life as quickly as possible. That is the advice of all public health professionals including our Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa.
As you also know, despite very simple legal and health requirements, the most important of which is for people to remain two metres apart, there are still many people who are not doing what they must do to stay healthy themselves and to protect the health of others.
We have reports of everything from bonfires on the beach to hanging out in groups in parking lots to playing pickup sports in closed areas, all of which involve groups of people who don’t live with each other and thus could spread the virus.
While the vast majority of Toronto residents are keeping their distance and helping us fight COVID-19, your officers have given hundreds of informational talks, many warnings and some tickets to the worst offenders, which is the kind of enforcement we all wanted to see to the greatest possible extent.
It seems to me however, that when, after a week, we are still having informational chats with hundreds of people who don’t get it or won’t comply, the time has come for stricter enforcement and more tickets.
We are facing a deadly virus – tragically it has already claimed the lives of 77 Toronto residents – and we need people to realize as quickly as possible what they need to do to stay healthy.
As you both know, as an elected official I cannot direct law enforcement as to how they enforce the law, but I am by way of this letter offering my strong opinion and support as Mayor for stricter enforcement which would be in the interests of fairness to law abiding people and in the interests of protecting our city’s health and moving us faster to the day when life can return to normal.
I hope you will give this request every possible consideration as I believe it is entirely consistent with our collective efforts to save lives, protect health and the healthcare system and limit damage to our economy and our way of life.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mayor John Tory
John Tory Picture Islamic Institute of Toronto YouTube Channel
On December 24, 2019 Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, issued the following statement on Christmas:
Merry Christmas, Canada! Today, our family joins Christians across the country and around the world to celebrate the birth of Christ. Whether you are sharing a meal with friends, keeping the kids entertained in the snow, or spending time gathered around the Christmas tree, this season is full of joy, light, and love. No matter how you celebrate, our greatest holiday traditions are the ones of giving and giving back. Rain, shine, or snow, as Canadians, we take care of each other. From helping a neighbour shovel their driveway to serving a hot meal to someone in need, lending a hand is what brings us closer to the people around us. At this time of year, we are especially thinking of our brave Canadian Armed Forces members serving here in Canada and overseas. Thank you for everything that you do to keep us safe and defend the values we hold dear. Today, and every day, let us reflect on how we can live the Christmas message of peace and compassion as we come together and keep moving forward in the new year. From our family to yours, Hadrien, Ella-Grace, Xavier, Sophie, and I wish you a merry Christmas and all the best in 2020.
Justin Trudeau. Picture: Facebook video Justin Trudeau
