Canada celebrates Islamic Heritage Month throughout the month of October, with a special focus on the resilience and achievements of Black Muslims.

In Airdrie, Alberta, the local Muslim community will use the occasion to reach out to their neighbors and educate them about Islam.

“Islamic Heritage Month gives all Canadians the opportunity to understand what Islam is all about,” said Syed Sohardwardy, founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, which owns Airdrie’s Jamia Riyadhul Jannah Masjid, Airdrie Today reported.

“There is a lot of misunderstanding because of some of the misguided people who call themselves Muslims.”

📚 Read Also: Islamic History Month to Honor Black Muslims Resilience, Achievements

The month of October was declared as Canadian Islamic History Month back in 2007 in recognition of the significant contributions the Canadian Muslims have made to Canada.

Love for your neighbor, compassion and truthfulness are also key themes in celebrations according to Hamza Nabi, an active community member at the Airdrie Islamic Center.

“If there was some light to be shed on this topic, from our perspective, one of the things we would like for people to understand is contributions Muslims have made around the world,” Nabi said.

“It could be a way to connect to people from other cultures and shed a positive light.”

📚 Read Also: Canadian Muslims Celebrate Black Heritage This Month

According to official records, Muslims have been calling Canada home for 170 years now.

Canadian Muslims are very diverse in terms of intersectionality. From race to languages spoken, the variations are endless. Canadian Muslims contribute to a variety of fields including Arts, Medicine, Politics and the Not for Profit sector.

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