Today, there are approximately 650,000 Muslims in Canada. Islam is Canada’s fastest-growing religion, and in the 2001 census, it is expected to surge past Judaism and be recognized as Canada’s second-largest religious group. Even on the 1991 census, there were more Muslims than Jews in Alberta and 10 of Canada’s 25 metropolitan cities.
The number of Muslims in Canada has more than doubled since then, from 293,000 to about 650,000. Toronto alone has at least 16 Muslim schools.
According to the Canadian Islamic Congress about 55% of Canada’s Muslims are Canadian born, 3% are converts, and 42% are immigrants from all over the world.
The first Muslims came here before Canada’s Confederation. In those early years, it was only the very adventuurous few who left home to seek their fortune in distant lands. The majority went to the United States, but a few made it to Canada. The Post World War II period witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of Muslim immigrants to Canada. The period following World war II, particularly the last 3 decades, has witnessed not only a substantial growth in Muslim immigration to Canada, but also significant changes in the socio-economic characteristics and national origins of Muslim immigrants.
The oldest Mosque (place of Muslim worship) in Canada is the Al Rashid Mosque in Edmonton, Alberta. It was built by the children of Muslim farmers and fur traders. It was officially opened on December 12, 1938.
Since then, the Muslim community in Canada has grown with several mosques in every major city. Muslim full-time schools and businesses also flourish in many cities.
Two of Canada’s largest universities, McGill and Toronto, have Islamic Studies departments. Several universities and public libraries have large collections of books on Islam.
Today’s Muslims can find halal foods in grocery stores, and order special meals in airplanes and hospitals. Schools, businesses and professional associations take Muslim holidays into account in their schedules, the Qur’an is sometimes quoted in public meetings.
Muslims are also better-educated than most Canadians: 27 per cent have graduate degrees, as compared to only 17 per cent of all other Canadians. They have made major contributions as pioneering farmers in Alberta, as well as in government, industry and high-tech enterprises.
*“Labaik, Allahumma Labaik, Labaik La Sharika Laka Labaik, Innal Hamda Wa N’amata Laka Wal Mulk, La Sharika Lak.” “Here I am at your service, O Allah, here I am. Here I am at your service and no partners do you have. Verily All Praise and All Bounty belong to you, and Yours alone is The Sovereignty. No partners do you have.”
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