Stories

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?