Muslims in the city of Steinbach, Winnipeg, celebrated the first public prayer service earlier this month, fulfilling an old dream for worshippers from surrounding southern Manitoba communities.
Renting a new space in Steinbach, 35 people gathered for the first prayer service on February 3, while 30 came to the second on February 10.
“We started talking about starting a mosque in 2019,” Saif Asi, 28, told The Free Press.
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Muslims gathered for prayer Pat Porter Active Living Center
The group dream to gather in a public prayer service started in 2020, “But then COVID hit and we couldn’t do it.”
As the nearest mosque to Steinbach was 60 kilometers away in Winnipeg, it was important for Muslims to get a place for their prayers.
“People were all happy to be able to meet together to pray closer to home,” he said.
Asi, studying information technology at Red River College Polytech, arranged for the rented space and helps lead the prayers.
“I had never met some of them before,” he said, adding in addition to Steinbach, worshippers came from St. Anne, Kleefeld and Blumenort.
“In the future, we may need a bigger room,” Asi said, adding Muslims in Steinbach are already dreaming about one day building a mosque in the city.
First Sermon
Idris Elbakri of Winnipeg, a former member of the Manitoba Islamic Association board, led the first prayer service.
“I felt really honored to be asked to give the first sermon,” Elbakri said.
“While right now they can only offer a Friday prayer, hopefully, over time, there will be more growth and institutionalization.”
Finding some non-Muslim guests attending the service was very impressive.
“It shows that the community there is building bridges,” he said, noting the staff at the active living center were eager to accommodate and welcome the Muslim worshippers.
One of the non-Muslim guests was Ed Neufeld, who attends Grace Mennonite Church in Steinbach.
Neufeld said it was “awesome they are doing this.”
Manitoba is a province of Canada at the longitudinal center of the country. It is Canada’s fifth-most populous province, with a population of 1,342,153 as of 2021.
According to 2011 census, 12,405 of Manitoba population are Muslims.