Community Responses to the Passing of Canadian Pioneer of Islamic Finance Pervez Nasim

His work helped to build the foundation of Islamic Finance in Canada.

Community members offered reflections on this life and legacy on social media:

Rabia Khedr, Deen Support Services:

The sudden passing of Brother Pervez Nasim is a huge loss for our community and in particular for our DEEN Support Services family.

We recently had a lunch meeting where he wanted to make sure that we all shared a common understanding of Islamic financing and purchasing properties as homes for people with disabilities in our community. Brother Pervez wanted to make sure that we establish a home in Scarborough with Islamic financing in place. It’s hard to imagine that he is gone. We were just all together at the centre, barely two weeks ago. We started the journey of Muslims with Disabilities in 2004, and I met Brother Pervez at the first conversation I facilitated around caregivers and people with disabilities at an Islamic centre in Scarborough. This was also my first introduction to Ansar Financial and the housing cooperative as well as to Mohammed Jalaluddin. I learned that they both shared something in common, more than their Islamic financing work. They both had children with disabilities. They became part of the work of advancing accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities in the Muslim community, sharing in my vision of an inclusive society. They believed in my vision that eventually established DEEN Support Services and the Muneeba Centre. Brother Pervez Nasim in fact put up a substantial donation to have the centre named after his daughter. 1486 Southdown Road would have never happened if it was not for the contribution of the Nasim family, and in particular Parvez Nasim.

On behalf of our board of directors and staff team as well as the people we support, I am eternally grateful. We are sending our heartfelt condolences to his wife and children.

May Allah SWT grant him the highest place in Paradise and may He give his family patience at this difficult time.

Ameen.

Taha Ghayyur

Mourning the loss of a visionary pioneer of the Canadian Muslim community.

I always loved his helpful and gentle demeanor.

Br. Pervez Nasim was an institution builder.

He was ahead of his time.

From introducing Halal financing and investment services like Ansar Financial, to supporting accessible homes and programs for Muslims with disabilities like Deen Support Services, to the establishment of one of Canada's most iconic Masjids like ISNA Canada, to serving on the board of ISNA Continental, he paved the way for so many others to introduce creative and needed programs and services.

I am deeply concerned about our community losing so many OG's so quickly.

I wish we did more justice to learning from the successes and failures of our elders while they are alive.

May Allah inspire us to build on the phenomenal legacy of institution-building of Br. Pervez Nasim, Ameen.

May Allah accept all his services and sacrifices for His Deen and for His community as Sadaqah Jariyah, Ameen.

May Allah grant him the highest Maqam in Jannatul Firdaws, pardon his mistakes, and expand His Qabr and fill it with Noor, Ameen.

To read a tribute to Nasim on Iqra.ca, click here