Stories

Wire service ”“  n. A news-gathering organization that distributes syndicated copy electronically, as by teletype or the Internet, usually to subscribers.

Also known as a wire agency.

About a decade ago, Hadeel Al-Shalchi, 32, was writing articles about Ottawa's Muslim community in these very pages. She also hosted a weekly show on Carleton University's student radio station, CKCU, and was a regular guest on CBC Radio, commenting on the latest developments in her homeland.

Obviously, journalism was in her blood, though at the time she was pursuing an engineering degree because her father thought it was a more reliable choice.

Perhaps. But thankfully Ms. Al-Shalchi decided to follow her dreams. After obtaining a Master in Journalism from Carleton University, the then 25-year-old Ms. Al-Shalchi made her way to the Middle East, where her family is originally from, to break into journalism on familiar soil. That decision would change her life and bring her to the front lines of the Arab Spring, including the latest violent uprising in Syria.

Ms. Al-Shalchi, who is now covering the Middle East for the wire agency Reuters, was in Ottawa recently and shared her experiences with a packed room of journalism students, family, friends and members of the wider public. Here are some of her reflections on covering the historic Arab Spring uprisings:

With a background in psychology and a PhD in neuroscience, management didn't initially figure among Nashwa Irfan's career goals.

“I would have never gone into management if it were not for my father's encouragement,” says Dr. Irfan.

Her father the late Dr. Muhammad Irfan, a professor in physics at St. John's University was certainly right about Dr. Irfan's talent as a manager. This year she received not one, but two prestigious awards for her work as Health Canada's Associate Director of its Marketed Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau.

"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." - Helen Keller

In preparation for this article I asked Fatma Maged to email me her favorite saying and she replied with the quote above by Helen Keller. Later, as I sat down in an interview with Fatma, I soon realized why this quote is so closely related to her own personal biography.

I recall my first day as a volunteer at the Ottawa Sadaqa Food Bank. I didn't really know what to expect, so I was glad it was training day which also gave me an opportunity to meet my fellow team members. Once our training was complete we were officially on our own.  We divided ourselves into two groups. Two of us would staff the office and serve the clients, while the other two would take to the pantry to stock shelves and make food packages. Initially I was in the latter group. 

Having recently recognized that people are hungry for local news, CBC is turning its attention to local communities after having left community news in the backseat for so long due to budget cuts. As a result, changes are occurring within the CBC Ottawa newsroom. One of the recent changes is Adrian Harewood.

The news out of Egypt is coming fast and furious. One of the latest reports came from Human Rights Watch (HRW), which condemned what it sees as the excessive use of force by Egyptian security forces in the dispersal of pro-Morsy protesters.

“The police's persistent record of excessive use of force, leading to dozens of deaths this month, and the density of the sit-ins mean that hundreds of lives could be lost if the sit-in is forcibly dispersed,” according to HRW's Middle East Director Nadim Houry, “To avoid another bloodbath, Egypt's civilian rulers need to ensure the ongoing right of protesters to assemble peacefully, and seek alternatives to a forcible dispersal of the crowds,” he said.

I have been called many things: an optimist, strong, patient, tough. The truth is, what I really feel I am, is blessed. And I share this with you to remind you how very blessed you are, too -- even when it might not seem like it.

Whenever afflicted by some calamity or test, one may choose to reflect upon the story of the passing away of Ibrahim, the son of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him. Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: "We went with Allah's Apostle to the blacksmith, Abu Saif, and he was the husband of the wet-nurse of Ibrahim. Allah's Apostle, peace and blessings be upon him, took Ibrahim and kissed him and smelled him and later we entered Abu Saif's house and at that time Ibrahim was taking his last breaths, and the eyes of Allah's Apostle started shedding tears. Abdur Rahman bin Auf said: 'O Allah's Apostle, even you are weeping!' The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, replied: 'Oh Ibn Auf, this is mercy'. Then he wept more and said, 'The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord. Oh Ibrahim! Indeed we are grieved by your separation'." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

Many people will spend months and sometimes even years preparing for a wedding that will last a few hours, not to mention the tens of thousands of dollars invested as well.  But how many people actually prepare for marriage itself, which could last a lifetime, by ensuring they have selected the most suitable partner, based on the criteria set out by the Quran and Sunnah (tradition of the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him) and the advice of experts in the field of forming healthy relationships that lead to successful marriages?

Mariam Elchamaa, the owner of Expressions by ME, an Ottawa-based design company specializing in personalized weddings and event decoration, is an example of a generation of young Muslim entrepreneurs who are “self-taught” experts in fields that neither their education nor their life goals prepared them for. 

Mariam, whose family immigrated to Canada in 1989 from Lebanon, enrolled at the University of Ottawa to study psychology. Her plan was to become a nurse, but things turned out very differently.

It was at university that Mariam started designing events. An active member of the Muslim Students' Association, Mariam wanted to create alternative “all girls” events that would “build sisterhood” among Muslim female students.

There are now several grocery stores that offer halal meat, but Blossom Pure Organic, set up in 2002, is still the only onein Canada that carries double certification; offering organic meat that comes from animals slaughtered in accordance with Islamic principles. The owner of this Mississauga-based business, Fahim Alwan, was recently in Ottawa to market his products. The Muslim Link caught up with him for this one-on-one interview.

A start-up company called Radiant Design has recently come up with a nifty application to help new drivers learn the rules of the road. It's just one more offering from the start up that's got an impressive roster of clients including Carleton University, SPG Group, World Skills and ielp.

Shamima Khan, its Studio Director, talked with the Muslim Link's Amira Elghawaby, about the company's new product.

With Ramadan fresh in our minds, let's think back to that moment when the sun sets, and it's time to decide what delectable item will enter our eager mouths first. Many people opt for dates, simply because that's what the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, used to do. But what if there was a chocolate bar right in front of you, ready for the taking? What would you really want to choose?