Published: 133 days ago
" Congratulations to IIT for setting the bar very high. May Allah bless this institution and make 2012 a very fulfilling and prosperous year.
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By Sr. Anela Jadunandan (Ontario Association of Islamic Schools)
The cold winter evening didn’t hold back hundreds of people from attending the annual Winter Gala Dinner held by the Islamic Institute of Toronto on Sunday, January 1, 2012. The occasion also welcomed back their Hujjaj from their pilgrimage to Mecca last October.
I was glad to have bought our tickets early because it is usually a sold out affair. Br. Fareed Amin, Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, welcomed the audience. His ease and great sense of humour at the microphone always put people in a great mood and Sunday evening was no exception.
The special guest speaker for the evening was Muhammad Lila, award winning Canadian journalist, reporter and anchor with the CBC, held our interest as he spoke about what is currently going on in the media and the Muslim world.
Br. Lila started off by welcoming Sister Inas Qadri, who was at the dinner with her family. She was in the news recently for having her niqab rudely pulled off her face as she shopped in a west end Toronto mall with her young children. Sr. Inas did not take this assault sitting down (or, should I say, standing up). She used the full extent of the law to prosecute the woman who attacked her. I was hoping to meet Sister Qadri to congratulate her for the brave stance she took. My only hope is that Muslims will try to forgive her attacker and teach that woman about true Islam. Imagine what a great story that would make!
Br. Lila also spoke about his experience in school where his creativity and imagination were at times suffocated. He talked about his challenges when growing up in a very controlled environment in school where everyone had to do as they were told –a type of “one size fits all” methodology. He encouraged schools (and parents) to allow for greater creativity and imagination when educating their children. I couldn’t help but reflect that this type of stimulus might be just what our schools and especially our Islamic Schools might need.
Brother Mohamed (Farhad) Khadim, President of IIT, spoke about the impressive advances that IIT has made. These include Islamic schooling, Hajj resources, scouting, and the White Ribbon Campaign (Violence against Domestic violence), Islamic bookstore and building improvements including a playground for the kids. We also learned that IIT has given internationally to humanitarian causes for Libya, Somalia and other places through Relief Groups such as Islamic Relief, HCI, IDRF and Children of Hope.
They have also provided much needed financial assistance locally through the Muslim Welfare Centre and directly to individuals and families who are in financial need. IIT also offers continuous educational, emotional and social support provided by our two scholars Shaikh Ahmad Kutty and Shaikh Abdool Hamid, through family and youth counselling and answers to questions through Askthescholar.com.
I had made a promise to myself about limiting my donations to “bricks and mortar” institutions and giving instead to more social and humanitarian causes. However, when I considered the wonderful work being done by the Islamic Institute of Toronto and its hard working people, and the fact that they the results we are seeing, I had to make an exception.
The mouth watering dinner consisted of roast beef and chicken, catered by Affy’s Premium Grill of Pickering topped off with dessert of black forest cake, coffee and tea.
The real sensation of the evening was the entertainment part. The performers from the Apex Shaolin Martial Arts and the Drumming opening act absolutely mesmerized the audience! Some of the performers looked like they were as young as 7. Watching the performers going through their routine reminded me of many years ago when I earned a black belt in Karate and how proud (and nerve racking) it was to perform in front of an audience.
Congratulations to IIT for setting the bar very high. May Allah bless this institution and make 2012 a very fulfilling and prosperous year.
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