On Sunday, October 1st, the Black Muslim Initiative-Ottawa will be having its first gathering. This will create a space for Black Muslims to discuss the challenges of life at the intersection of anti-Black racism and Islamophobia in Canada, as well as the strength that comes from having both the Black and Muslim traditions of resistance and resilience to draw from when facing these challenges.

It will also be an opportunity to meet award-winning Somali Canadian journalist Eman Idil Bare, who has recently moved to Ottawa to work as a producer on CBC's Power and Politics. Eman has been outspoken in calling attention to the issue of anti-Black racism within Muslim communties. Read Eman's CBC article about what self-identifying as Black means for young Torontonians here.

Palestinian Canadian Qasem Mahmud passed away earlier this summer. Although many younger Muslim and Palestinian Canadians in Ottawa may not know his name, many have been impacted by his legacy.

In honour of Islamic Heritage Month in October, Muslim Link hopes to publish an article showcasing the impact of Brother Qasem Mahmud's legacy. If you would like to share your reflections on how his community work has influenced you, from his establishment of the tradition of Muslim youth camps at Long Bay to the establishment of the Association of Palestinian Arab Canadians (APAC), we welcome your submissions of stories and photos. Please send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Ottawa-based writer Zul M. Khalfan gives us an overview of Brother Mahmud's life in this tribute to his friend.

Dr. Habib Khoury is a Palestinian Canadian practicing dentistry at Centrum Dental Care in Kanata. In 2015, he came up with the idea of finding an innovative way to raise funds for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)’s Community Mental Health Program which supports Palestinians, particularly children, who are coping with mental health issues such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He spearheaded the annual Ottawa Run for Palestine, now in its third year.

It takes place this Sunday, September 24. This year the run has a new route from Ottawa City Hall to Dows Lake. a 2K Family Walk and a 5K and 10K professional run. The run is followed by a Family BBQ with multiple activities for children, as well as cultural activities such as Dabke.

This year, the Ottawa Run for Palestine is also fundraising for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)'s youth mental health program.

Muslim Link connected with Dr. Khoury to learn more about why the run is partnering with CHEO this year.

Muslim Canadians are rallying across the country to support the Rohingya in Myanmar/Burma and Rohingya refugees who have fled to Bangladesh.

On September 13th, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor of Myanmar.  "The Prime Minister conveyed his deep concerns over the situation in Rakhine State for Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic minorities. He stressed the particular importance of the State Counsellor as a moral and political leader.  The Prime Minister also emphasised the urgent need for Myanmar's military and civilian leaders to take a strong stand in ending the violence, promoting the protection of civilians and promoting unimpeded access for the UN and international humanitarian actors. The Prime Minister and the State Counsellor discussed the need to defend and protect the rights of all minorities. The Prime Minister offered Canada’s support to help build a peaceful and stable society in Myanmar that is respectful of the rights of all ethnic minorities. The State Counsellor expressed appreciation for Canada’s contribution to humanitarian efforts."

Tarbiyah Learning, the full-time Islamic school, is starting out the school year in brand new classrooms in Masjid Jami Omar, located in Ottawa's West end.   Muslim Link interviewed Tarbiyah's principal Ghazala Choudhury about the move and what parents and students can expect if they enroll in the school this year.  

Assunnah Muslim Association's Masjid ar Rahmah in Ottawa will be hosting a Sisters Eid Party on Saturday, September 9th.

Muslim Link interviewed Assunnah staff and volunteers about what people could look forward to at this events.

The Somali Aid Campaign is back again fundraising to address the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. Their upcoming event is this Saturday, August 26 at Andrew Haydon Park.

Muslim Link interviewed members of the Somali Aid Campaign about their progress so far. 

Al-Hamdu Lillah with the support of the community, SNMC donated $14,500 on Friday July 28, 2017 for BC Fire victims. 

With the government matching our donation, a grand total of $29,000 will be donated for BC Wildfire Relief efforts.

Farhia Ahmed is co-chair of the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition, a mother of four, a productivity junky and lover of coffee. Here she reflects on the death on Abdirahman Abdi and its impact on Ottawa over the past year.

The I.LEAD conference is back for a fifth year and will take place on Saturday, July 15th. Tickets can be purchased online here.

Muslim Link interviewed the I.LEAD organizers about what people could look forward to at this year's conference.