Welcoming
Remarks Dear Brothers and Sisters: Assalamu alaikum Warahamatullahi Wabarakatuh. The theme of this year’s convention - ISNA: Within & Beyond - was chosen to provide an opportunity to reflect on the important changes which are taking place and are shaping the new ISNA Canada. For a long time, ISNA Canada was marred by numerous problems. Suffice it to say that the potential of a national organization was reduced to that of a mosque! By the blessings of Allah (SWT) and the hard work of the Majlis, systematic reform took place and resulted in dramatic changes. This process is still continuing. This convention is an opportunity to discuss the progress made so far, and to chart the course ahead. Presentations and discussions will deal with the steps taken to redefine the by-laws of ISNA Canada and its affiliates, reclaiming all the ISNA Canada affiliates, achieving financial accountability and security, rebuilding our relationship with the many alienated members and sister Islamic organizations and strengthening of our relationship with ISNA (National). The task ahead is challenging but also very rewarding. Insha-Allah, with your prayers and support, ISNA Canada will move on to regain its stature as the national umbrella organization of Muslim Canadians. The Majlis hopes that you will Insha-Allah find this program engaging, relevant, and inspiring. Your brother in Islam, Dr. Mohamed Bekkari President, ISNA Canada
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About Convention
ISNA Objective ISNA Canada evolved out of the MSA of the US & Canada, and now it is about 28 years old. During this time, the organization has not been scrutinized either internally or externally, though criticism in subdued voices could be heard from certain quarters. Essentially, the Organization has been run without any checks and balances. The disturbing findings in the recent audit report regarding ISNA’s finances and operations is a natural outcome of lack of its evaluation.
It is high time that ISNA Canada should pause and self-evaluate objectively. This process of constructive analysis would determine where the improvement in the Organization is necessary. Finally, effective procedures and policies for communication with the membership and community at large should be developed in order to promote the growth of the Organization.
In the February 19, 2011 meeting, the Majlis (Board) of ISNA Canada announced to hold a meeting of its members and well-wishers within 90 days. This convention is the fulfillment of that promise. We want to examine, objectively, the achievements of ISNA Canada, and identify areas of improvement and devise procedures and policies to achieve new goals of progress and transparency.
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Convention
Program Friday, May 20, 2011
Time
Sessions Khutba, salat-ul-Jumaa
1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Yahya Abu Sumaya (Invited speaker) Location: Masjid
Quran and US
Session 1 7:00 p.m. - 7:50 p.m.
Dr. Arafat El-Ashi Moderator: Sr. Seema Khan Location: Gym
Session 2 7:55 p.m. - 8:40 p.m.
Sheikh Alaa ElSayed Moderator: Br. Usman Siddiqui Location: Gym
Sincerity (“Ikhlas”)
Saturday, May 21, 2011 Session 3 10:00 a.m. - 10:10 a.m.
10:10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Session 4 10:20 a.m. - 10:55 a.m.
Recitation of Quran Karim Sheikh Huzaifa Location: Gym Moderator: Br. Ahmed Saleh
Welcoming Remarks Dr. Bekkari Location: Gym
“Conduct Affairs by Mutual Consultation” (42:38) The Process of “Shura” (Consultation) Sheikh Abdalla Idris Ali Location: Gym Moderator: Dr. Mian Bagh Ali
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Convention
Program Saturday, May 21, 2011
Time
Sessions Guided in Differences:
Session 5 11:00 a.m. - 11:40 p.m.
Session 6 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
“ ...Allah by His Grace Guided the believers to the Truth, concerning that wherein they differed” (2:213).
Difference etiquettes Sheikh Alaa ElSayed Moderator: Sr. Seema Khan Location: Gym
Evolving Role of MSA/ISNA from Awakening to Comforting Dr. Syed Imtiaz Ahmad Moderator: Br. Ghulam Nabi Chaudhary Location: Gym
Salatul Dhuhr & Lunch Break
ISNA Canada Within:
Session 7 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Session 8 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Affiliates, Projects, Constitution, Operation and Management Dr. Mohamed Bekkari Moderator: Br. M. D. Khalid Location: Gym
Guiding Light: Ask Questions about religious Matters
Dr. Sheikh Mohammed Iqbal Masood =AlNadvi and Dr. Arafat El-Ashi Location: Gym Moderator: Sheikh Abdalla Idris Ali
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Convention
Program Saturday, May 21, 2011
Time
Session 10 5:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sessions Future Leadership of Islamic Organizations Sheikh Riad Ouarzazi Moderator: Br. Mohammed Zeyara Location: Gym
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Salatul Asr & Dinner Break
Session 11
MYNA (Muslim Youth of North America): Introduction & Activities
7:00 - 7:15 pm
7:15 -7:30 pm
MYNA Speaker Session MSA (Muslim Students Association of the USA & Canada): Introduction & Activities MSA Speaker Session
Session 12 7:30 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.
8:45 p.m.
Brotherhood & Unity
Sheikh Riad Ouarzazi Moderator: Dr. Mohammed Khadim Location: Gym
Salatul Maghrib
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Convention
Program Saturday, May 21, 2011
Time Session 13 9:05 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sessions Exciting Discussion with Br. Bilal Philips Dr. Bilal Phillips Moderator: Sheikh Alaa ElSayed Location: Gym
Sunday, May 22, 2011 Controlled Environment for Managing Charities
Session 14 10:00 - 10:50 a.m.
Br. Fareed Sheik, CA., Sami Syed, CA. and Mohammed Shameem Moderator: Br. Abdalla Idris Ali Location: Gym
Session 15 10:50 - 11:30 a.m.
Br. Abdul Basit Khan (Lawyer) and Br. Walied Soliman (Lawyer) Br. Ghulam Nabi Chaudhary Location: Gym
Session 16 11:30 am - 12:15 p.m.
Legal Issues and Charities
ISNA Aspirations: Future directions and Beyond Imam Mohamed Hagmagid Ali Moderator: Dr. Mohamed Bekkari Location: Gym
Closing Remarks:
12:15 - 12:25 pm
President, ISNA (Continental) Imam Mohamed Hagmagid Ali & President, ISNA Canada, Dr. Mohamed Bekkari
Du’aa
Imam Mohamed Hagmagid Ali
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Convention
Program Sunday, May 22, 2011
Information Session
Special Meeting: Open to all
2:00 - 2:15 pm
Recitation of the Quran and opening Dua'a
2:15 - 2:30 p.m.
ISNA (Continental) Headquarters: Important Operational Features
2:30 - 3:00 pm
Decisions and steps taken to correct the current situation
3:00 - 3:45 pm
3:45 - 4:00 pm
Special Session 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Br. Usman Siddiqui
Br. Safaa Zarzour, ISNA Secretary General
Dr. Mohamed Bekkari, President, ISNA Canada
Questions and Answers
Dr. Mohamed Bekkari + Members of the Majlis
Concluding Remarks and Closing Dua'a Br. Imam Magid, President, ISNA
The Youth Meets the Leader
Speaker: Br.Safaa zarzour, Secretary General, ISNA (Continental) Moderator: Br. Usman Siddiqui Location: Masjid
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About Speaker
ISNA Biographies Sh. Abdalla Idris Ali
Originally from the Sudan, Sh. Abdalla came to Canada in 1977 as a graduate student at the University of Toronto (for a Ph.D. in International Relations). Began his work in Education in Canada as a teacher for Arabic and Islamic Studies at the Islamic Centre of Toronto (Jami Mosque). Served as the Director of Education at the Islamic Center and coordinated the Heritage Language program for Peel, Scarborough and Toronto Boards of Education. Then, as a principal of the full-time Islamic Summer School. Later he served as the Imam and Director of the Islamic Center of Toronto, (Jami Mosque) and continues to be an Imam at Large in the community. In 1982, Sh. Abdalla laid down the foundation of the first full-time Islamic school in Canada and served as the Principal of the Islamic Community School, which is now called the ISNA Elementary School, located in Mississauga, Ontario, for 17 consecutive years. Was appointed to the Executive Council of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) then elected to its consultative body (Majlis Ash-Shura) and later served as President of ISNA for the two maximum terms (1992 – 1997). Currently, he sits in the Majlis Ash-Shura as the Chair of the Islamic Media Foundation (he also Chaired the Youth and the Education Committee of ISNA). He served as a member on the Board of Trustees for the Islamic Teaching Centre (ITC) and North American Islamic Trust (NAIT). He also is on the Board of Advisors of many Islamic organizations. He is a founding and Board member of the Council of Islamic Schools in North America (CISNA). He developed and implemented Islamic and Arabic Studies curricula for elementary and junior high students. He has written various articles in Islamic Horizons and was a member of the American Trust Publications (ATP) Editorial Board. In 1998, he moved to the United States as a curriculum consultant to the Universal Foundation, and then was appointed Director for the Center for Islamic Education in North America (CIENA) at the foundation in Kansas City, Missouri. Joined the Missouri Non-Public Accreditation ciation as a full board member. This is an accrediting agency for independent and religious
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About Speaker
ISNA Biographies Association as a full board member. This is an accrediting agency for independent and religious schools in the U.S. including the Catholic and Lutheran Schools. It sets educational standards for schools, inspects and improves the educational performance of member’s schools. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of IBERR (International Board of Educational Research and Resources) serving minority communities in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Britain, South Africa and Nigeria. This organization is headed by Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens. In addition to a number of educational institutions, he is an advisor to many schools and Islamic organizations. As an economist, he co-organized the Canadian Islamic Banking Conferences for 1996 and 1997. Currently, he is a Board of Trustee member of the Iman Fund which was the Allied Assets of the Islamic Dow Jones Index Fund. For the last 10 years, he chaired the ISNA Education Forum that attracts more than 250 schools and close to a thousand teachers every year. Currently, he is back in Canada working as the Deputy Secretary General of ISNA Canada.
Sh. Alaa Elsayed
Sheikh Alaa Elsayed was born in Cairo and lived in Egypt until he was 15 years old. During his youth, he spent his time as the goalie for the Junior National Team and moved to Canada in the late 1970’s, where he lived in Toronto. Sheikh Alaa worked as a Vice-President of Business Development for an international company, and during this time he competed and placed first in the 1992 Bermuda Triathlon. Sheikh Alaa has studied for his Bachelors in Shari’ah from the American International University, and has earned a scholarship from the Shari’ah Academy in Egypt/Florida. Sheikh Alaa has also received his Ijazah of Qur’an recitation for Hafs an Asim, studied comparative religion for five years through the IPCI in South Africa, and was on the board of director of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth.
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About Speaker
ISNA Biographies of Muslim Youth. Sheikh Alaa currently lives in GTA (Greater Toronto Area) with his wife and three children. He is a member of Canadian Council of Imams; he’s also a member of Horizon Interfaith Communication Media Council. Prior to this he was an Imam for Muslim Council of Calgary and acted as its media spokesperson. He has hosted Vision of Islam, a weekly television show which runs throughout Alberta, Canada. He also appeared as a speaker on Islam on various television channels. Sheikh Alaa was a member of the Calgary Multi-Faith Committee, and a member of the Muslim Christian Dialogue Committee. Sheikh Alaa received the Alberta Centennial award by the Alberta Government in 2005, granted to him for his outstanding service to the Alberta community. Currently Sheikh Alaa is the Director of Religious Affairs for the Islamic Centre of Canada-ISNA. Prior to that, he was the Executive Director for the Canadian Islamic Congress. Sheikh Alaa is tutor with AlKauthar and is also the director of internal & external affairs for Mercy Mission world.
Imam Magid Ali
Imam Mohamed Hagmagid came to the United States in 1987 and is currently the Imam and Executive Director of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center in Sterling, VA. He was born in Sudan, the son of a leading Islamic Scholar, who was an Azhar graduate and the Mufti of Sudan. Imam Magid studied at the hand of his father and other notable scholars, gaining ijaza in several disciplines, including Ghazali’s Ihya-Uloom-al-Deen. His duties, as the Imam and Executive Director of the ADAMS Center, include giving Juma Khutbas and teaching classes in many aspects of the Islamic Sciences. Imam Magid is in great demand for Khutbas and lectures throughout the US. He is a passionate advocate for, and a practitioner of, reaching out to our neighbors and all citizens. Imam Magid is also well known as an effective communicator to our youth and for work with other organizations and interfaith dialogue. Imam Magid is also well known for his counseling and family counseling expertise. Other Islamic activities and responsibilities include East Zone Representative on ISNA Executive Council from 2001 to present; Chair, Fairfax (VA) Faith Communities in Action; Member, InterFaith
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About Speaker
ISNA Biographies Conference of Metropolitan Washington Assembly; Member of the Arab, Muslim Sikh Advisory Committee to the FBI Washington Field Office; Board, Fairfax Youth Partnership.
Safa Zarzour
Mr. Zarzour is a lawyer and educator, and has outstanding contributions to integrate Islamic communities and institutions to mainstream American society. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University School of Law and a Masters in Education from the University of Illinois in Chicago. He practiced law in Illinois and is also a passionate educator. He has served as an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School teaching courses in Education and Islamic Law. For over a decade, he served as a teacher and then principal at Universal School, one of the largest PreK-12 independent Islamic schools in the United States. Mr. Zarzour is active in interfaith circles. He is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Bernadine Center at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago where he serves along with distinguished faith leaders from the Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities. He has participated for several years in the Mid-Atlantic Muslim-Catholic Dialogue. Mr. Zarzour is a well known civic leader in Chicago’s Southwest Suburb. He has served in various capacities in his town, including as an administrative coordinator, Zoning Commissioner, and an elected trustee of the Bridgeview Public Library. Over the last 15 years, Mr. Zarzour helped establish and has served on the boards of a variety of local community and advocacy organizations. His civic and educational work has been featured in many media including 60 Minutes, PBS Front Line, Chicago Tribune, Time Magazine and many others. Mr. Zarzour has received several honors and awards for his public service. Most recently, Chicago’s Mayor Richard Daley handed him the Chicago Commission on Human Relations’ 2009 Outstanding Service Award. Currently, he is the Secretary General of ISNA U.S.
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About Speaker
ISNA Biographies Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad:
Dr. Syed Imtiaz Ahmad was born in the Indian Subcontinent in 1941 and came to Canada in 1962. He completed his Ph.D. and M.A. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Ottawa. He has served as ISNA Vice President, Canada and ISNA President from 1990-1992. He was the chairman for the 1999 ISNA Convention and chair of the Canadian Islamic Trust Foundation. Ahmad was the past President of the Windsor Islamic Association and the Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers. In 1994-1996, he served as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the Islamic University of Malaysia. He was a past chairman of the Islamic School Board of Toronto and a NAIT trustee for two years. He is the author of numerous articles on Islamic topics as well as author and co-author of several professional books and technical papers. Dr. Syed Imtiaz Ahmad is a university professor currently living in Windsor, Ontario.
Sh. Riad Ouarzazi
Sh. Riad was born in Casablanca, Morocco and, after achieving Islamic education degrees from M. Abdullah University, he moved to the States in 1988, where he pursued a Bachelors in International Management and a Masters of Science in Computer Information Systems. He studied Aqeedah under Shaykh Waleed Basyouni and Fiqh under Shaykh Waleed Idrees. He attained certificates in personal development, business management and coaching. He moved to Canada in 2001 and became active in Islamic work, conducting lectures and khutbas in several masajid in the Greater Toronto Area.
Fareed Sheik CA, CFE
Fareed Sheik is a Chartered Accountant from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and also from the Indian Institute of Chartered Accountants and a certified fraud examiner. He has over 12 years of experience in Audit, Tax and Consulting engagements across different industries. He has worked for Ernst & Young in India and Deloitte in Canada exposing himself to different compliance and accounting issues faced by fortune 500 companies. He has also served in the industry for a short time as group internal auditor for a leading service company.
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About Speaker
ISNA Biographies His areas of specialization include IFRS readiness, SOX and Bill 198 compliance audits, internal control documentation and testing. An active member in community work, Fareed Sheik is a volunteer for the free tax clinics organized by the CICA to prepare free tax returns for the low income group. Fareed Sheik also organizes park cleanup programs for the city of Mississauga through ICNA Community Link. Fareed helps the prospective CA professionals by marking their practice exam cases and provides valuable feed backs to improve their chances of passing the CA Uniform Final Examination (UFE). Fareed is married to Muneer Fathima and is father of 4 lovely daughters Rabia, Bushra, Sidhra and Rukhaiya. Currently, he is the Managing Director Fareed Sheik Professional Corporation.
Walied Soliman
Walied Soliman obtained an L.L.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2001. He joined the Ontario Bar in 2002 and is currently is lawyer and partner at Ogilvy Renault Walied Soliman focuses on public and private financings, corporate governance and regulatory compliance matters, as well as on the establishment of structured products for Canadian financial institutions. He works on both public and private financings for senior and junior Canadian issuers, including financial institutions and companies in the energy and mining sectors. His corporate governance experience includes playing a leading role in the establishment of board, committee, CEO and chairman mandates for one of Canada’s leading financial institutions and advising boards on acquisition and related party transactions. Mr. Soliman regularly advises on regulatory issues, including continuous disclosure and other compliance matters and has acted for both dissidents, issuers and meeting chairs in some of the most contentious proxy battles in Canada. His structured product experience includes the establishment of dozens of index-linked and equity-linked deposit products for Canadian financial institutions and numerous Islamic finance compliant products. In 2003, Mr. Soliman spent five months on secondment to the legal group of CIBC. In 2002, he spent three months on secondment to the Ontario Securities Commission in the Enforcement Branch. Prior to completing his law degree, Mr. Soliman worked as a senior assistant to a mem-
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About Speaker
ISNA Biographies ber of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
Abdul Basit Khan
Abdul-Basit is a Partner in Blakes Labour & Employment Group practicing in all areas of management-side labour and employment law, including defending employers in wrongful dismissal litigation, labour relations matters, employment standards disputes, human rights complaints, and occupational health and safety matters. He regularly advises Blakes clients regarding labour and employment matters in the context of corporate transactions. He has substantial experience in negotiating and drafting executive employment agreements, acting on behalf of corporations and individual executives. Abdul-Basit is also a member of the Firm’s India Practice Group. He travels to India frequently and works with Blakes India Practice Group to provide top-quality Canadian legal services to our Indian, Canadian and international clients who are involved in trade, investment and business between India and Canada.
Dr. Mohamed Bekkari
Dr. Mohamed Bekkari was born in Morocco in 1947 and currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is a registered clinical and school psychologist in Ontario, and he was president of the local union for about 10 years. Dr. Bekkari has dedicated his life to education and the positive growth of the North American Muslim community, serving ISNA for more than thirty years in various capacities. He is serving ISNA continental as Vice President of ISNA Canada as he did in the mid 1980’s. He served as Vice President of ISNA Canada from 2006-8. Currently, he is serving as President of ISNA Canada. Dr. Bekkari has been involved in Islamic work not only at the national level but has also been actively involved in his local communities. He was one of the founders of the Muslim Community of Edmonton and its first president around 1985. He served as Vice president of the Ottawa Muslim Association around 1990. He is determined to bring positive changes to ISNA Canada, and regain its national status as a Muslim organization in Canada.
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About Speaker
ISNA Biographies Dr. Bilal Philips
Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips is a Jamaican Canadian Islamic Scholar who converted to Islam in the early 70’s. He completed a BA in Islamic Studies in Madeenah, and an MA in Islamic Theology in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and a PhD in Islamic Theology in the early 90’s from the University of Wales, UK. He has written, translated and commented on over 50 published books on various Islamic topics. He has also edited and published the 56-book Eemaan reading series for children and presented Islamic programs for many years on Riyadh Channel 2TV, Sharjah TV for 10 years, as well as Peace TV, Huda TV, Islam Channel, UK, and the Deen Show, Chicago, USA. Most recently, Dr. Bilal was appointed the Director of PERF (Professional Education and Research Foundation) and Supervising Director of Preston International College (www.prestonchennai.ac.in) and Al-Fajr International School (www.al-fajrinternational.com), Chennai, India
Dr. Arafat El-Ashi Dr. Arafat El-Ashi has a PhD in Islamic & Arabic Studies from Punjab University in Lahore ,Pakistan 1991. El-Ashi. He worked for 25 years in Kuwait from 1963 to 1988 and then moved to Canada in 1988 and worked as Director of Muslim World League Canadian office until 2003. He is now Imam of the Al-Noor Mosque in St Catharine’s, Ontario. He hosted a weekly TV Programme called “Understanding Islam” from 1978 to 1988 on Kuwait TV. Dr. El-Ashi has also presented four radio programs from Kuwait radio and published a weekly page on Islam in Arab Times, a daily paper in Kuiwait. El-Ashi has 30 books published on Islam.
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