Watch Dr. Murray Hogben Discuss His Book Minarets on the Horizon about Muslim Pioneers in Canada

Written by Canadian Council of Muslim Women

Published in Stories

Minarets on the Horizon is a ground-breaking work on the Muslim pioneers who helped to build Canadian Muslim communities.

The Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) hosted a book talk by Dr. Murray Hogben for his new book, Minarets on the Horizon on August 29, 2021. The event was moderated by CCMW President Nina Karachi-Khaled.

About the book: "This book gives us a detailed look at the Muslim presence in Canada, starting with the pioneer settlers from Syria/Lebanon and the Balkans in the early twentieth century and moving on to the more modern midcentury arrivals from South Asia and Africa. Told in their own words, the stories in this collection give us a rare insight into the lives of these pioneer Muslims. Punjabi men in the timber mills of British Columbia; Lebanese Arab peddlers on foot or horse cart on the rural highways of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba; men venturing north on dog sleighs to trade for fur; young women arriving to start families and soon to become family matriarchs; shopkeepers serving small provincial towns and big cities; and finally, students and professionals arriving in the postwar urban centres. Wherever they went, they bore the brunt of xenophobia and acknowledged kindnesses, as they adapted and sought out fellow worshippers and set up community centres and mosques. A Muslim identity was retained, adapted, and diversified."

You can order the book online here

In the video, Dr. Murray read excerpts about four pioneering Canadian Muslim women.

CCMW pioneers who are featured in the book also spoke briefly at the event.

Watch Dr. Murray Hogben discussing Minarets on the Horizon on YouTube below (It may take a few moments for the video to load from YouTube)

Canadian Council of Muslim Women

The story of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) begins in 1982 when a group of dynamic and devoted Muslim women from across the country congregated in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Led by the late founder of CCMW, Dr. Lila Fahlman, these women sought to mobilize their passion for social justice and faith in order to enrich their communities and work towards the common good of Canadian society.

This inaugural meeting led to the establishment of CCMW, a not-for-profit organization that works to provide equity, equality and empowerment for all Canadian Muslim women. For the past 30 years, its proud and accomplished roster of members have achieved and continue to achieve great milestones for Muslim women and Canada’s multicultural landscape. As a highly diverse organization, CCMW is firmly committed to the overarching vision of improving the status of Muslim women to remain true to their Islamic heritage and Canadian identity.