An Islamic leader's worst nightmare

The worst nightmare of any local Islamic leader in Canada has happened to me. Someone who was associated with the Muslim community in Winnipeg for some years was arrested and implicated in a terrorist plot to inflict harm on my fellow countrymen. Apparently, he became involved in such activities after leaving Manitoba some time ago.

Many Muslims in Manitoba are naturally concerned about this, because many of us know this person. He used to work at an ethnic grocery store where many Winnipeg Muslims got their halal meat. Manitoba Muslims will be concerned about their personal associations with this person, and the overall stigma that will affect our community. The presumption of innocence is no consolation in a time of heightened fears and rampant suspicion.

As I interact with members of the Muslim community, and as they seek my reaction, I will strongly advise them that if they have any information that can assist authorities in their investigation, that they must, I repeat must, bring it forward. It is our religious and civic obligation. The Qur'an admonishes us that the murder of one innocent person is as morally abhorrent as the murder of all of humanity.

Canadians expect their Muslim countrymen to be vigilant and put Canada's safety and security above all else. I could not agree more. Like other Canadians, however, we are challenged in these times to live up to our values of freedom of speech, freedom of religion and civic peace and security.

How should Islamic leaders deal with the mere expression of certain political sentiments? Do we debate them openly and try to refute them, do we suppress them to protect our institutions or do we report them to the authorities?

These issues are further complicated by the diversity of the Muslim community (more than 80 ethnicities) and the fact that many immigrants bring a culture of suspicion towards government and authority.

While we remind our fellow Canadians not to judge us based on the alleged actions of a few, and while we call on government to be sensitive to our delicate situation, the Muslims of Canada must admit we have work to do.

For far too long, we have followed a paradigm that emphasized building and establishing mosques, but has neglected to invest in human capital. Our youth are often integrated in their Canadian surrounding, but not into their own community of faith, leaving them prey to misdirected calls for jihad and liberation of the weak and oppressed. Our women struggle for proper access and equitable opportunity in our religious institutions, and our concerns are often of what goes on "back home."

For a community of 15,000 people, many of whom are refugees from war-torn countries, there is only one salaried imam.

We are trying and change is coming. This Ramadan, at the Waverley Grand Mosque (and before news of the Ottawa arrests broke out), youth are taking centre stage and addressing the community during the daily Ramadan prayer services. Pro-active steps were taken to improve access for women at all levels of the organization. I participated this summer in a Muslim youth camp where young campers explored issues such as their complex identities, community service and outreach to others.

I spent last night with many of these young people in a Ramadan spiritual retreat. This effort is led by young adults, born and raised in Canada, as well as community veterans, who are eager to ensure Canadian Muslims succeed and thrive and contribute to their society meaningfully. These very youths are organizing a conference in Winnipeg in mid-September where they have chosen to explore issues related to the tension and opportunities of being Muslim in a secular western context.

Truly, this is the jihad of Canadian Muslims.

One year almost to the date after I immigrated to Canada, the Toronto-18 story broke. Back then I reflected through the pages of the Winnipeg Free Press as a want-to-be Canadian about the future that awaits my children as Canadian Muslims, and about my struggles to raise them to be at ease with their complex identities.

Today, I am pleased to report some modest progress. My daughter, Sena, 6, is fluent in English and Arabic and, after a weekend visiting friends in Montreal, has insisted we enrol her in French immersion. She will start at Ecole Varennes this fall. She knows O Canada by heart, takes swimming classes at the YMCA and goes to Qur'an class at the mosque.

She knows the world has Christians and Muslims (we're working on other religions, it takes time), and she knows that our good Christian neighbour across the street was the first to bring us food when we had our second daughter. I hope she and her two siblings will always appreciate the diversity and peace that we have in Canada, and that they will be always committed to preserving them for future generations.

Idris Elbakri is the president of the Manitoba Islamic Association. He can be contacted at president@miaonline.org

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 28, 2010 A18