In this special edition newsletter we will share highlights from our latest programs and initiatives over the last few weeks. We’ll start with a special message from Shaykh Ismail on the importance of Ramadan.
Message from our Imam – Shaykh Ismail Albatnuni
My dear brothers and sisters,
I want to congratulate you all and say Ramadan Mubarak. I have a short reminder for us all to take advantage of this blessed month.
When Ramadan comes, it reminds us of what Allah says in the Qur’an, that fasting was prescribed to us as it was prescribed to the nations before us so that we may becomemuttaqun (people of taqwa). The most important thing we need to remember while we are fasting, is that the goal of fasting is to increase our taqwa. Allah tells us in Surah Hajj:
It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is piety from you that reaches Him. [Chapter 22: Verse 37]
Taqwa, the consciousness and fear of Allah, is the wisdom and purpose behind all of the commands of Allah including salah (prayer), zakat (alms giving), hajj, being dutiful to parents, and more. All of these actions bring us closer to Allah and increase our taqwa.
We are here for a noble cause. Allah tells us:
And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). [Chapter 51: Verse 56]
With the arrival of Ramadan we are reminded of the purpose of our life. After 11 months of predictable daily rhythms (eating food, being like the rest of people), we have now awoken in this month of Ramadan. This month reminds us that there is more to life than simply living and going through our days like everyone else, and that the noble purpose for our existence is to worship Allah (SWT).
Let us go back to our Lord and renew our iman (faith). Iman fades and recedes over time, especially without maintenance. Ramadan, however, is our opportunity to increase our iman and taqwa. It also serves as a reminder to us about our brothers and sisters around the world. Those living in poverty, who are deprived of basic needs such as food and water.
Sometimes we forget about the bounties of Allah and through fasting for 17 hours we are reminded of these blessings. There are many lessons to be taken from this month. It is the month of mercy and forgiveness and we can take advantage of it.
May Allah accept our good deeds.
Community Highlight: Providing Assistance to the Flood Relief Campaign
We worked with our partners from the United Muslim Organizations of Ottawa-Gatineau (UMO-OG) to provide 200 meals as part of the Ottawa flood relief efforts.
Parts of our local community here in Ottawa were severely affected such as Constance Bay. With your generous support we were able to provide a helping hand.
This is a short clip showing the hot meals that were prepared before delivery.
We were delighted to receive an outpouring of appreciation from residents who were happy for the assistance our Muslim community provided.
A local resident shares her thanks for the hot meals our volunteers provided during the Ottawa flood relief campaign.
Honouring the New Zealand Government for its Actions
We hosted a dinner with the UMO-OG to thank the New Zealand government for its quick action after the Christchurch shooting…. [continue reading]
Keeping Our Environment Clean
We would like to thank all of our volunteers who participated in helping to clean litter and garbage around our masjid.
Thank You Letters After Visiting Our Masjid
Here is our Imam, Shaykh Ismail, providing a presentation to a World Religions class from a local high school.
Every year our wonderful team provides guided tours of our masjid and centre to over 200 guests from around the city. Over the last few weeks we hosted tours for a high school class, a 2nd grade class from Alta Vista Public School, and a group from the Metropolitan Bible Church.
The thank you letters in the images below were from the guests we had over the last month.
Your Ad Goes Here
If you are a local business looking to advertise to AMA’s community then please contact us at info@mymasjid.ca.
Do You Have a Highlight to Share?
We are on the look for amazing stories from our community about how our programs and initiatives have impacted your life or the life of those around you.
If there is a highlight you want to show in our next newsletter then you can send it to info@mymasjid.ca
That brings us to the end of our community highlights for May 2019. Stay tuned to our next newsletter for our regular announcements for upcoming events & programs.
Best regards,
The AMA Team