Breaking barriers – Islamic Research and Information Center (IRIC)

This group is breaking down barriers to nature for Muslim students- one classroom at a time

IRIC — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 13:53:29 +0000

Aim is to help students make connections between sustainable habits and their cultural values

A non-profit geared to creating an environmental movement within the Canadian Muslim community has taken its work inside the classroom. The aim is to help students make connections between sustainable habits and their cultural values.

Aadil Nathani, co-founder of Green Ummah — ummah means community in Arabic — said the group was created to help address under-representation in environmental causes among Muslim people as well as other racialized groups.

The organization worked with teachers and the environmental organization Nature Canada to develop a two-week curriculum program taught in both private Islamic school settings and public schools in communities with higher rates of racialized and newcomer Canadians. It’s called the Greening Our Communities toolkit.

Nathani told Laura Lynch, host of CBC Radio’s What on Earth, he believes the program is the only one in the world with ready-to-teach packages designed for teachers to engage their students on the topics of Islam and the environment, as well as environmental justice.

“We see these students as the future leaders in the world,” said Nathani, who also acts as the group’s director of operations and partnerships, and is a lawyer for a Toronto firm by day.

Aadil Nathani is the co-founder and director of operations and partnerships for Green Ummah.

“If we can teach them about their role and responsibility in the environment early, the hope is that when they get into these positions of power later on, they will remember their teachings and act in a more careful and meticulous manner than a lot of folks have been doing for the past hundred-plus years.”

He said Muslim communities in Canada have had limited capacity to get involved with environmental movements — and for good reason.

“I’ve grown up in a post-9/11 world where a lot of the concerns for the Muslim community have been, first and foremost, safety and security within Canada, within the United States,” Nathani said, who resides in Scarborough, Ont, a Toronto suburb.

He points to tragedies in recent years when Islamophobia has erupted in deadly violence, such as the London, Ont., truck attack by Nathaniel Veltman, who killed four members of the Afzaal family in 2021, and the mosque shooting by Alexandre Bissonnette, who killed six people in 2017.

So far, the curriculum program has been run in Ontario high schools and workshopped at the middle-school level. But Nathani says the group’s mandate is national, with online resources such as its Green Ramadan program available to anyone in Canada. The group is also hosting events in Alberta and B.C., including one happening this month with the non-profit NatureKids B.C.

Breaking down barriers to outdoor spaces
Nathani says the “coolest part” about the school-based program is the organization’s partnership with Nature Canada, which bills itself as one of the oldest national nature conservation charities in Canada.

Costs for the outing were covered by Nature Canada. School trips like this often carry a fee that can put them out of reach, especially at schools with high numbers of racialized and newcomer Canadians, said Aadil Nathani, Green Ummah’s co-founder.

Funding from that group’s NatureHood program has paid to send students on field trips to national wildlife areas, migratory bird sanctuaries or urban nature sites, such as Rouge National Urban Park in Toronto’s east end, he said.

“This has been really unique for us because we also know that newcomer and racialized Canadians face barriers to accessing nature in Canada,” said Nathani.

“So we’ve been able to break those barriers down entirely and actually just send students to do activities in nature spaces, which is great because it builds that connection to the environment and will hopefully lead to the students becoming environmental stewards in the future.”

Yavar Mirza, a Grade 11 student from Gibraltar Leadership Academy, an Islamic private school in Toronto, said the two-week program changed the way he views the environment.

“I began to see the natural world not just as, like, a resource for us, but something that is sacred,” he said. “It made me realize that climate change is not just a scientific issue. It’s a spiritual and moral responsibility that we all have together.”

Mirza says, moving forward, he’s committed to upholding the principles that he learned, such as “khilafah, which is basically a stewardship, and amana, which is like a trust that we have to protect the earth.” For one thing, Mirza said he plans to be more conscious of his environmental impact by making sustainable choices.

A group of students note observations during a field trip to Dundas Valley Conservation Area in Hamilton. The trip was made possible by Green Ummah, a non-profit geared to creating an environmental movement within the Canadian Muslim community.

“I would also want to focus on climate justice, especially advocating for solutions that support Indigenous communities and others that are affected by climate change.”

Beyond doom and gloom
Nathani says the program was designed to address the problem of students hearing “so much doom and gloom,” leading to environmental and climate anxiety.

“We wanted to let them feel like, yes, there are problems, but we can all collectively be part of the solution,” he said.

Anees Chugtai, also in Grade 11 at Gibraltar, said that came through loud and clear.

“The program made me feel a lot more hopeful about humanity’s rebuttal against climate change,” he said.

“Before the program, I always thought, you know, that the world was just going downhill [and] that we weren’t doing anything.”

A student from Windsor Islamic High School offers a bowl of seeds to some geese on a field trip to Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Kingsville, Ont., about 45 kilometers outside of Windsor.

Lilian Tu, a science teacher and department head at Milliken Mills High School in Markham, Ont., said the school has tapped into Green Ummah’s curriculum and outdoor education resources for a couple of years.

She said the school is in one of York Region’s lowest-income neighbourhoods, which sometimes means participation in field trips — which often carry a fee paid for by families — is out of reach. She said Green Ummah was able to fund “an amazing field trip at an outdoor centre,” which was a first for many of her students.

Then last semester, Green Ummah funded a tree planting outing facilitated by Friends of the Rouge Watershed in Toronto’s east end. Tu said many of the students weren’t aware that this natural area was so nearby, and that it was empowering for them to learn that by planting a couple of trees, they could be capturing a lifetime of carbon for a family.

“So these kids made a significant contribution [through] this one-day field trip.”

But the other great thing to see was the kids just having a good time together outside.

“They’re creating spaces for trees to grow and making a huge difference, but they’re also just playing as well.”

Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Muslim women in east London break stereotypes in water sports

IRIC — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 08:45:17 +0000

In East London, a group of Muslim women is breaking barriers and challenging cultural taboos by taking to the waterways, inspiring others to engage in sports without compromising their faith.

At the forefront of this movement is Dilruba Begum, 43, who guides a kayak along a canal, her paddle gently cutting through the water.

“Out here, you can be anyone,” Dilruba reflects, savoring the freedom that the water offers.

Two years ago, Dilruba, overwhelmed by the demands of motherhood, discovered a free, women-only paddle sports program in her community.

At the forefront of this movement is Dilruba Begum, 43, who guides a kayak along a canal, her paddle gently cutting through the water.

Now, as a qualified paddle sport instructor, she helps other women—many from marginalised communities—explore water sports they once believed were out of reach.

The program, launched by local housing association Poplar HARCA, has grown from 18 participants to around 70, many of whom, like Dilruba, had never imagined themselves on the water.

The initiative’s impact goes beyond the physical benefits of sport. Dilruba and eight other women, including Atiyya Zaman, 38, have now qualified as instructors and formed London’s first all-female, Muslim-led boat club, “Oar and Explore.”

The club, which caters to women of diverse backgrounds, operates in one of London’s most economically disadvantaged areas—Tower Hamlets—using the borough’s extensive canal network to create access to “blue spaces.”

Breaking Barriers
For Muslim women, participating in water sports presents unique cultural and religious challenges. Many, like Naseema Begum, 47, faced cultural taboos, especially regarding modesty and the hijab.

The paddle boarding initiative has grown in the last two years from a pilot project with 18 women to a group of around 70.

Naseema, who now teaches alongside Dilruba, wanted to show that “you can wear anything and go in the water. As long as you’ve got the right equipment… anyone can take part.”

Her own niqab has never been a barrier, and the program’s inclusive approach to attire has made the sport accessible for local Muslim women.

Affordability is another key factor. Private boating clubs often charge prohibitive fees, a barrier for women managing household finances.

This community-led initiative removes that obstacle, offering women the chance to learn and participate in water sports without sacrificing their budget or responsibilities.

For Muslim women, participating in water sports presents unique cultural and religious challenges.

Beyond the physical activity, the water offers emotional solace. Dilruba describes it as “an escape,” a place where she can reflect and find peace.

For Atiyya, too, kayaking provided a much-needed release from the stresses of parenting and work during the pandemic. Both women emphasize the mental health benefits of connecting with nature through these activities.

With plans to raise funds for their own boats and storage, the women of “Oar and Explore” are determined to continue breaking down barriers. They aim to inspire future generations of Muslim women, proving that water sports are not only accessible but an empowering space for growth, community, and self-discovery.

As Dilruba puts it, “The enjoyment and confidence I’ve built from this, I want to pass it on to others and tell them there’s more to life.”

Source: About Islam

Dutch Olympian wins kudos for donning hijab to collect gold medal

IRIC — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 05:08:30 +0000

Sifan Hassan, the winner of the women’s marathon at the Olympics ignited global praise after defiantly wearing a hijab at her medal ceremony.

Netherlands’ Muslim athlete Sifan Hassan earned global acclaim after receiving her gold medal at the final 2024 Paris Olympic Games ceremony on Sunday, August 11, while wearing a hijab, in a defiant message again France’s controversial hijab ban.

Sifan delivered an incredible burst in the final 250 meters of the women’s marathon, clinching gold with an Olympic record time of 2:22:55.

The Dutch runner had already picked up two bronze medals in the 5,000m and 10,000m races at this Olympics.

Sifan Hassan, the winner of the women’s marathon at the Olympics ignited global praise after defiantly wearing a hijab at her medal ceremony.

The 31-year-old became the first athlete to medal in all three of the long-distance events at the same Olympic Games since Czech Emil Zatopek in 1952.

In previous Olympics, the men’s marathon has taken place on the final day with the medalists being presented on the podium at the closing ceremony. Paris was the first Olympics to boast gender parity, and the women’s race was run on the final day meaning the women were presented with their medals at the closing ceremony instead.

While receiving her gold medal in front of fellow athletes and a packed crowd at the Stade de France, Hassan wore a maroon-colored hijab.

The image of her stood on top of the podium struck a chord with fans after the host country controversially banned its own athletes from wearing head coverings at the Olympics.

Social Media Reactions

Viewers took to X to praise Hassan with one user saying: “Sifan Hassan wearing her hijab to her gold medal crowning ceremony for the women’s marathon, after France banned females from wearing hijabs at the 2024 games. She is so powerful. What a woman!”

Another said: “Congrats to Hassan! Love seeing the image of her wearing hijab in the host country that banned its own athletes from wearing it.”

A third user claimed it was an ‘unforgettable moment for her and the entire world’.

Similarly, Instagram users praised her, with one commenting: “The last medalist of Paris 2024 is a woman who chooses to wear hijab. The irony of that being in a host country that bans hijab in sport is incredible.”

A person wrote: “How ironic! A slap in the face of xenophobic France, which prevented its own athletes from participating because of their hijabs. And there stands Sifan proudly receiving her gold medal while wearing her hijab. FANTASTIC!”

“SUCH A STATEMENT WEARING HIJAB THANK YOU SISTER,” a netizen added.

Silver medal winner, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, gold medalist Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan and bronze medalist Kenya’s Hellen Obiri pose during the podium ceremony for the women’s marathon event on Sunday.

Last September, French Minister of Sports Amelia Oudea-Castera announced athletes representing France would not be allowed to wear the hijab.

Last September, French Minister of Sports Amelie Oudea-Castera announced that athletes representing France at the Paris Games would not be allowed to wear the hijab in line with the country’s secularism principle and rules against displaying religious symbols at sporting events.

The rule was swiftly met with a strong wave of backlash, as The Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation argued: “This ban contradicts the principles of equality, inclusivity, and respect for cultural diversity that the Olympics stand for.”

Amnesty International labeled the Hijab ban as “discriminatory” and “hypocritical,” a week before the Games commenced, and wrote: “French authorities made it emphatically and unashamedly clear… that their proclaimed efforts at improving gender equality and inclusivity in sports do not apply to one group of women and girls – those Muslim women and girls who wear religious head coverings.”

The human rights organization reportedly highlighted how banning the hijab was particularly jarring considering the 2024 Olympics was labeled as the first gender-equal Olympics – yet Muslim women were being discriminated against and singled out.

Source: MSN

Muslim wrestlers hit out at uniform rules

IRIC — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 11:25:42 +0000

Female members of a wrestling club have been unable to compete in international competitions because they refuse to wear a singlet for religious reasons.

Haniyah Kousar, who coaches at Impact Fitness Academy in Birmingham, said the singlet exposed the full leg and arms, with the neck line also being too low.

To compete at United World Wrestling (UWW) competitions, including the Olympics, participants must comply with uniform guidelines, which require women to wear a singlet.

“Religiously, we can’t show that skin,” Ms Kousar said.

However, students at the Impact Wrestling Academy said the restrictions would not stop them from aiming to compete on a global stage.

Student Asia said: “I dream of representing team GB in the Olympics one day and the singlet will not stop me from trying.”

A Tyseley woman has made history as the UK’s first female Muslim wrestling coach. Haniyah Kousar, at just age 20, coaches and trains women of all ages in a sport were they are not traditionally visible.

One woman who could not take part in the final Team USA trials for the Paris Olympics due to the UWW rules was Jamilah McBryde.

She said: “Even though we were denied the opportunity to compete in the Olympic trials… we’re still going to fight for the right to compete, not only for myself, but for my younger sisters, for all young girls [not just Muslims], all young women for who wearing the singlet doesn’t feel comfortable.”

McBryde surprised the young girls at the Birmingham club via Zoom during one of their lessons and shared her story to empower them to fight on.

Jamilah McBryde, a Muslim wrestler, couldn’t go to the Olympic trials because of her hijab and uniform.

Ms Kousar, who is believed to be the UK’s first ever Muslim female wrestling coach, trains up to 20 young girls at the Impact Fitness Academy.

Despite international uniform restrictions, Ms Kousar said rules were more relaxed for competitions under the British Wrestling Association.

On their website, they say: “In line with making the sport more accessible, competition wear requirements have been relaxed for all levels of competition within the control of British Wrestling.

“For National and Club level competitions tight tops and leggings can be worn under a traditional wrestling singlet.

“For lower-level competitions, the requirement for a singlet has been removed though wrestlers will need to be clearly identifiable as either red or blue.”

Source: BBC

The Pursuit of Justice in the Women’s March: Toward an Islamic Liberatory Theology of Resistance

IRIC — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 18:31:29 +0000

Article: “The Pursuit of Justice in the Women’s March: Toward an Islamic Liberatory Theology of Resistance”

Author: Etin Anwar, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Published in: Religions, Vol. 15, Issue 6 (June 2024), pp. 706-726

Publication Date: June 6, 2024

Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), Basel, Switzerland

Abstract:

The Women’s March on 21 January 2017, opened a new social and political landscape for Muslim women to engage in Islamic liberatory activism. I locate Muslim women’s participation in the marches following the 2017 ‘Muslim travel ban policy’ as a site for discovering the link between the politics of resistance and the utility of Islam as a source for liberation. I argue that Muslim women living in minority and post-secular contexts resort to faith as a source of agentival liberation to address the political rhetoric of anti-Islamic sentiments and policies.

The outcome of this research demonstrates:

How Muslim women activists challenge the Western narratives of being oppressed and explore the ways they want to represent themselves;
How Islam serves as a catalyst for theological resistance and how this enhances the role of Muslim women as moral and spiritual agents in transforming their political and social conditions;
How the Islamic liberation in the US context historically intersects with Black churches’ resistance toward White racism; and
How Muslim women’s agency as spiritual beings is linked to the promotion of justice in the Western liberatory movements.

Overall, the article shows how Muslim women resort to their spiritual journey and use such narratives to confront unjust political rhetoric and policies.

Keywords: Islamic liberation theology; agency; Women’s March; Justice activism; Islamic feminist resistance

Read the full article HERE.

Source: MDPI

Journalist challenges rule banning hijab in French press card photos

IRIC — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 07:04:46 +0000

A Paris-based Moroccan journalist, Manal Fkihi, said she will appeal the French regulation which prohibits Muslim women from taking press ID card photos in hijabs.

Manal Fkihi, a 25-year-old journalist, is fighting for her right to work without compromising her identity. Her application for a press card was rejected by the CCIJP (Commission de la Carte d’Identité des Journalistes Professionnels), a commission to issue ID cards for professional journalists in France, citing a requirement that ID photos meet the same standard as passports, which prohibit head coverings. Fkihi argues that this rule is discriminatory and that a press card is a professional card, not a form of ID.

France forbids head coverings in passport photos, unlike Britain where they are permitted for religious reasons.

The journalist views her appeal as a crucial step towards ensuring equal opportunities for veiled women in the journalism profession. “It is important to accept us as we are,the appeal is a first step to combat the marginalisation of veiled women in the profession,” the 25-year-old journalist told Reuters

Fkihi’s lawyer, Slim Ben Achour, plans to appeal the decision to the CCIJP and, if necessary, to the administrative court.

Fkihi says that she was once offered a television journalism job, on the condition that she did not wear her headscarf. “What is crazy is that it was for an Arabic-speaking post. They want our skills but without our identities,” she said, declining to name the media organization.

France’s laws on secularism have been criticized by some rights groups, who argue that they target Muslims. While there is no national legislation covering non-state workers, some organizations have created their own rules. Fkihi believes that these rules are unfair and that she should be able to work without compromising her identity.

The issue is not just about Fkihi’s right to work, but also about the marginalization of veiled women in the profession. By appealing the decision, Fkihi hopes to combat this marginalization and pave the way for other veiled women to succeed in their careers.

Source: U.S. News & World Report

Rehana Khalil stars for GB basketball team with hijab and talent

IRIC — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 08:42:15 +0000

Rehana Khalil is the sole athlete to represent a Great Britain basketball team while wearing a hijab.

“If I think of basketball in England, there isn’t anybody else that I’ve seen who’s from a South Asian background, is Pakistani, is Muslim and wears a hijab,”

Hailing from Manchester, she not only plays and coaches for the Manchester Mystics but also competes in the Women’s National Basketball League Division 1.

She also represents Great Britain’s over-35s team, set to compete in the European Championship this summer in Italy.

Despite her successes might make the journey look easy, her path through the sport has come with its own challenges.

“She is an example to people. Somebody that you can look up to, a role model, always teaches you things the right way and the award couldn’t go to a better person.”

“There was a time where within basketball, you weren’t allowed to wear a hijab and that obviously changed,” Khalil added.

Taking the decision to wear a hijab in early 2010s, she was shocked to discover she wasn’t allowed to play while wearing the Islamic attire which was banned by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

In 2017 FIBA lifted the ban, meaning players did not have to decide between faith and sport.

“People just want to be able to participate comfortably. I potentially would have come back earlier if that rule wasn’t in place,” she said.

Joe Forber, Manchester Mystics co-founder and former Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero award-winner, described Khalil as a “role model”.

Source: AboutIslam.net

Youth-led basketball club aims to break barriers for female Muslim athletes in London, Ont.

Islamic Monitor — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:04:05 +0000

London Royals Basketball’s under-19 team is open to players of all faiths and backgrounds.

In her years playing competitive basketball on teams across London, Ont., Tala El Khodeir found that although her teammates were welcoming and inclusive, they didn’t quite understand her Muslim faith and its traditions.

“Being a Muslim athlete, you feel different with specific things like telling them ‘I’m fasting today’ or having to explain why I’m wearing a T-shirt under my jersey or letting them know when I have to pray,” said El Khodeir, 20.

“It’s simple things like that where it just feels like you’re not comfortable in your environment.”

It wasn’t until she joined the London Royals Basketball Club, created by a group of Muslim youths in the community, that El Khodeir “felt at home and as if she found her sisters.” That’s why she now coaches the girls team.

Ayan Salat, 17, is a returning player at the London Royals Basketball Club. She says the women’s-only team gives her a safe space with teammates who share similar beliefs.

London Royals became certified with the Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) and Canada Basketball over the summer. The registered non-profit hosts weekly practices for its respective under-19 boys and girls teams at the London Muslim Mosque gym.

The club has and is open to players of all faiths and backgrounds, and offers subsidized pricing for low-income families. But its primary goal is to encourage more girls to take up the sport, said 23-year-old Hamdi Babeker, who co-founded the club in 2018.

Nour Habliza, left, is current president of London Royals Basketball Club after he took over the position from Hamdi Babeker, who co-founded the club in 2018.

Players pray together and during Ramadan, practices are scheduled for them to get home in time to break their fasts. Non-Muslim players on the team also get an opportunity to learn about the culture and everyone respects each other, said El Khodeir.

After establishing the basketball program, the club wants to branch out into other sports like soccer and volleyball, Habliza said.

Earning her wings, Canadian Muslim pilot hopes to inspire women

Islamic Monitor — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 21:01:44 +0000

Looking up to her father who worked as a pilot in Pakistan, Khansa Ayyaz has always dreamed of taking to the skies.

The dream is getting closer to reality, thanks to the scholarships she received from Women in Aviation International, alongside other students from the Fanshawe College Norton Wolf School of Aviation and Aerospace Technology.

As a hijabi Muslim, Ayyaz had to break many false taboos to pursue her career ambitions.

Khansa Ayyaz in the cockpit of an Emirates Airbus A380, a plane she one day hopes to pilot.

In a country where male pilots outnumber female pilots 12 to one, according to the latest statistics from Transport Canada, Ayyaz hopes to inspire more women to pursue a career in aviation.

“This is like a dream for me. It’s my passion and I believe that women should be able to do anything that they put their mind to, especially if it’s in aviation. There should be more women being pilots,” she said.

Source: Wisconsin Muslim Journal

Young Muslim leads hijab campaign to break down barriers

Islamic Monitor — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 20:38:27 +0000

Leading a successful campaign to allow Muslim girls to wear sports hijab during PE lessons, a young Muslim student from Lancashire hopes her campaign will break barriers from more Muslims to join sport.

Umme Kalsoom, a 16-year-old student in Burnley, Lancashire, started the campaign after she felt “vulnerable” when expected to take off her hijab while playing sport at her school.

The young Muslim was struck by the attention her campaign achieved, said: “I did it to bring comfort to myself and the other girls. I didn’t know it would go this far.”

As the school has since changed its policy, Umme Kalsoom hopes her campaign will have a nationwide impact.

16-year-old footballer Umme Kalsoom who hopes her campaign which allowed Muslim girls to wear sports hijabs during physical education (PE) lessons at her school will have a nationwide impact.

“(The hijab) makes me feel like myself,” she said. “Taking it off to do something I love didn’t enable me to feel my full self and I lacked confidence without it.”

Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one’s affiliations. In general, Islam promotes good health and fitness and encourages both men and women to engage in physical activity to maintain healthy lifestyles.

Source: AboutIslam.net