HAMILTON – Hamilton’s Muslim community have come together to celebrate their Canadian identity and faith in one celebration that combined `Eid Al-Fitr and 150th anniversary of Canada.

“The Riverdale neighborhood is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Hamilton and people from all over the world make their home here in Riverdale,” Nazia Zeb from the Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton told CBC News on Monday, July 3.

Hamilton’s Muslim community invited the Riverdale neighborhood to festivities at the community centre as a way to connect people of various backgrounds that make up the area.

The event, held on Sunday, was held as Muslims wanted to share a combined `Eid and Canada Day celebration Sunday in Riverdale.

Zeb saw the event as a great opportunity to offer a celebration for people from all over the world who now call Canada home.

She also thought it was a chance to explain to people that Islam is a religion of peace.

“While a few are extremist people, people should not think that all Muslims are terrorists and should not harm any Muslim just because few people who are extremists have done something bad,” said Zeb.

“Not the entire Muslim community is responsible for that.”

Speakers included Liyakat Takim, McMaster professor and Sharjah Chair in Global Islam.

“I think the important thing is we need to address the issue of Islamophobia,” said Takim.

He expressed the need to get the right message across not only because “of what these crazy extremists are doing on behalf of Islam,” but also to clear up any misunderstandings that people may have about the religion.

Fighting Misconceptions

The event helped the Muslim community to fight the common misunderstanding that Muslims want to impose Shari`ah Law in Western countries.

“If we cannot impose our law on others in our own countries, how can we impose it on those outside our own countries,” said Takim.

“We’re not here to harm anybody or to impose ourselves on anybody,” said Takim.

“We can be Muslims and we can be Canadians at the same time.”

Takim stressed that there’s nothing in the Canadian Constitution that is against or counter to Islamic law. He says Islamic law is fully in agreement with the Canadian Constitution.

Takim also said that Muslims should celebrate Canada Day the way others do.

“I don’t believe that we should shy away from participating in Canadian holidays or events because we are Muslims,” said Takim.

“We can be Muslims and we can be Canadians at the same time, without compromising one or the other.”

He urged people to get to know Muslims and the mosques in their community.

“Be friendly with them and let’s reach out in the name of humanity,” he advised.

Ward 5 Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board trustee, Aldo D’Intino also brought a message of “tolerance and understanding” to the event.

“Their faith and our faith may be drastically different, but they’re both faiths,” said D’Intino.

“It’s a free country, you believe what you want and that’s the key.”