Chelby Marie Daigle discusses her experience speaking at the University of Ottawa's Muslim Community Association's Islam & Mental Health Discussion Session on October 31st.

The Ottawa Shia Islamic Association (OSHIA) held its annual Milad-un-Nabi banquet on February 4 at the Ottawa Conference Centre.

The event celebrates the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and strives to unite all Muslim communities. For years, the festivities have been organized with the support of the Honorable Senator Mobina Jaffer. This year, the Muslim Coordinating Council also helped coordinate in order to acquaint Muslims and people of other faiths with the noble example of the Prophet (pbuh).

Canada and Canadians joined the international community in mourning the death of South Africa's first elected Black President, Nelson Mandela.

An Ottawa Muslim congregation listened intently at its weekly Friday prayers as his enduring quality of forgiveness was recalled from the pulpit.

The Canadian Parliament rose to pay tribute to Mandela.

In a rare recent gesture, reflecting Mandela's own sterling legacy of fostering unity, the two opposing parliamentary leaders, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair, crossed the floor, in turn, to shake hands. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau also praised the fallen African hero. 

On September 20th, the Ottawa Muslim Association in partnership with the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) hosted an information night and panel discussion on the subject of Hate Crimes.

The event, which was held in the basement of the Ottawa Main Mosque, was attended by over 50 members of the Ottawa community. The event was opened by Imam Samy Metwally who spoke a few words on the principles of Islam as it pertains to justice, reminding the audience of the importance of forgiveness and the pivotal role it plays in the legislation of love in Islam.

After Muslim Link's 10 anniversary celebration, I made a decision; I was going to have a spoken word event. At the mosque.

Yes, you heard me right. I asked Sarah Musa, a fellow spoken word artist, to embark on this task with me. I then wrote an event proposal and emailed to a contact from the mosque. Within a few days, I had the approval.

It was an evening of firsts as the Ottawa Main Mosque welcomed US Ambassador David Jacobson on his first official visit on April 8.

Almost 100 people attended the event titled “Strengthening Bridges & Working Together for a Better Future”.  Security was discreet and the question period was uncensored which was unusual for a high-profile guest like the ambassador. But a unique set of circumstances had created the space for this gathering.  As Ambassador Jacobson explained at the beginning of his speech:

Carrying a message of tolerance, the new imam of the Ottawa Muslim Association mosque has taken up his job with a commitment to advance the cause of moderate Islam, help the local Muslim community contribute more to the wider society and enhance interfaith relations.

“I have a mission of building bridges, helping the Muslim community to know the moderate approach of Islam and coexist with the wider community like we have here in Canada,” Imam Samy Metwally, an Egyptian Muslim scholar, told the Ottawa Citizen.