Islamic Heritage Month
Reflect, celebrate, learn and enjoy the diversity within Canada’s Muslim communities; from the arts to spiritual and philosophical knowledge, Muslims continue to enrich the multicultural social fabric
Timeline of Muslims in Canada
From the About Islam
The first recorded presence of Muslim communities in Canada dates back to the state formation period in the 1860s. Islam is now considered to be the most declared religion after Christianity, with flourishing and expansive religious communities across Canada.
The 1871 census recorded only 13 Muslims in Canada. Their number increased to 645 by 1931, mostly due to immigrants from Lebanon, Albania, Syria, Yugoslavia and Turkey. The influx of immigrants after the Second World War raised the number to 33,370 by 1971. In 2021, there were nearly 1.8 million Muslims in Canada (4.9 per cent of the population).
Coming from various regions, such as South Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa, Canada’s Muslim communities embody a diverse and enriching mix of traditions, languages, dialects, and experiences that contribute to Canadian society.
Sources - Canadian Encyclopedia
1851
James and Agnes Love, a young couple who had converted to Islam and emigrated from Scotland to southern Ontario in 1851, were the first recorded Muslims (or “Mahomadens”) in Canada. Their first child of eight, James Love, Jr., was born in 1854, and is the first known Canadian-born Muslim.
1854
Mahommah Gardo Baquaqua (1884-ca 1857), a West African from Djougou, Benin was enslaved in Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Encouraged by abolitionists, he escaped from a ship in New York, then to Haiti and eventually emigrated to Chatham, Ontario. In 1854 his autobiography, a narrative of a West African enslaved in Brazil, was published.
1871
John and Martha Simon and their children, Eastern European immigrants to the United States, emigrated to southern Ontario in 1871. The Canadian Census of Population recorded 13 Muslims in Canada (James and Agnes Love and John and Martha Simon families).
1880
Muslim labourers from Albania, Lebanon, Mongolia, Syria, and Yugoslavia were recruited to help build the Canada Pacific Railway.
1906
Ali Ahmed Abouchadi, a Muslim from Lebanon was a pioneer in Lac La Biche, Alberta, where he was engaged in the fur trade with Indigenous peoples and is believed to be the first Muslim Cree-speaker. Abouchadi was an entrepreneur and community builder, and ran a general store, a gas station, a sawmill, and a grain harvester. He also worked with the government on Northern Alberta Railways.
1910
Bedouin Ferran, also known as Peter Baker and Faron Ahmed (1887-1973) emigrated from Lebanon to Canada and then to the Northwest Territories. He was a fur trader, trapper, politician, and author of Memoirs of an Arctic Arab: The Story of a Free-Trader in Northern Canada (Yellowknife Publishing, 1976). Ferran was elected to the NWT Council (1964-1967) and became the first Muslim to hold public office.
1914
Seventeen Muslims were passengers on the Komagata Maru, a steamship carrying a multi-faith group, mostly Sikhs, from Punjab to Vancouver in a failed attempt to challenge immigration policies. They were denied entry to Canada.
1930
Early Muslim settlements began to emerge across Canada, mostly in Ontario and Alberta, and later in Quebec.
1938
Led by Hilwi Jomha Hamdon (1905-1988), a Muslim woman in Edmonton, Al-Rashid Mosque, the first Canadian mosque in Canada, was built in the city, which had a population of 700 Muslims. The mosque opened on December 12, 1938, inaugurated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the renowned translator of the Qu’ran into English.
1957
The Arabian Muslim Association, now the Lac La Biche Muslim Association, was formed.
1958
Al Kareem Mosque in Lac La Biche, Alberta was built. It was at the time the second mosque in Canada, and the third in North America. It was built for prayers, which were being held in the home of Muslim families, and for the education of children and youth.
1960
Muslim newcomers to Canada increased with the removal of the restrictive European Immigration Preferences.
Muslim Calgarians You Should Know
An opportunity to remember, celebrate and educate future generations about the inspirational role that Muslim Calgarians have played and continue to play in communities across the city.
Arabic Language and Muslim Cultures | UCalgary
Study one of the world's oldest living languages. Arabic is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Immerse yourself in a language with a rich and complex cultural heritage. Arabic has as many as 420 million speakers in 22 Arab countries. It's also the liturgical language of 1.6 billion Muslims all over the world.
AMANAH Muslim Advocacy and Leadership Scholarship in Law | UCalgary
Saliha Haq, JD'23, created the AMANAH Muslim Advocacy and Leadership Scholarship in Law, to encourage Muslim applicants and applicants belonging to marginalized groups to apply to law school and to make legal education a little easier for students belonging to these groups.
Islam - Religious Studies Library Research Guide
University of Calgary's Libraries and Cultural Resources (LCR) is here to improve your learning experience by focusing on user-centric resources to ensure you get the most out of your education or research. Utilize our curated pages built specifically for you.
Student and Community Supports
Muslim Students' Association
The Muslim Students' Association is the representative body of the Muslim community at the University of Calgary, we strive to cater to the needs of our Muslim brothers and sisters to create a more welcoming and accommodating space on campus through a variety of engaging events and programs throughout the year.
Instagram - @msaucalgary
Contact - calgarymsa@gmail.com
Think for Actions on Campus
Think for Actions on Campus is a Canadian Research Think Tank which promotes awareness on pertinent social issues through research, especially for Muslim students. TFA also facilitates mentorship and professional development in the Muslim community.
Contact - thinkforactionsuofc@outlook.com
Muslimah Empowered Chapter of University of Calgary
The vision and mission of this club is to create a welcoming and inclusive community for all Muslimahs through academic, spiritual and social events and activities. Be on the lookout for Halaqa groups, games nights, movie nights, career networking events and much more. Let us all work together as a community to make our Dunya better but ultimately prepare for Akhirah in a safe and welcoming community.
Instagram - @mecucalgary
Contact - mecucalgary@gmail.com
For more student groups, please visit Faith-Based and Spiritual Student Clubs and the Students' Association ClubHub.
Imam Atta-ul Wahab
Muslim (Ahmadiyya)
Faith and Spirituality Centre
Atta-ul Wahab is serving as Imam at Baitun-Nur Mosque Calgary belonging to Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at. He was born and raised in Pakistan. He graduated from the Ahmadiyya Institute of Islamic Studies in 2005 in Pakistan and had the opportunity to serve in Sierra Leone and Ghana for two years. He moved to Canada in 2010 and first served as a teacher at Jamia Ahmadiyya Canada (Missionary Training College) for 8 years and then as an Imam at Mubarak Mosque Brampton for 3 years. He is a Hafiz (one who has committed the whole Qur’an to memory) and also recently graduated from York University majoring in Humanities. He loves hiking and biking.
Shaykh Iqbal Gora
Muslim (Sunni)
Faith and Spirituality Centre
Shaykh Iqbal Gora is a Canadian Muslim serving as the representative for the Muslim Council of Calgary. A proud born-and-raised Calgarian, he grew up in the NW quadrant of the city and upon completion of high school, attended the University of Calgary briefly before deciding to pursue Islam and Islamic sciences full-time after developing a deep love and appreciation of his faith. His journey began locally with the memorization of the Qur'an. He thereafter travelled to Cape Town, South Africa where he completed a six-year intensive, graduating with 'Alimiyyah in Islamic Studies from Dār al-Ulūm al-‘Arabiyyah al-Islāmiyyah.
Upon return to Calgary, Iqbal has since engaged, taught, and provided spiritual counselling to both Muslims and the broader community on the topic of Islam in all quadrants of the city. Iqbal served as Imam of Calgary's oldest masjid - Calgary Islamic Centre - SW Masjid for two years. Additionally, he taught advanced Islamic sciences with the Al-Ansaar Foundation, led tour groups to the Islamic sacred sites of Makkah and Madinah, and served as principal of the Islamic Centre of South Calgary's Weekend Qur'ān School.
Presently, Iqbal is serving as the resident Imam of NW Islamic Centre/Ranchlands Musallah with the Islamic Association of Northwest Calgary - the very same masjid he grew up frequenting! He has been active in delivering Friday (Jumu’ah) sermons in the city for six years, and currently alternates between the NW Islamic Centre (Ranchlands) and Maryam Masjid (Beddington). Shaykh Iqbal also holds a diploma in Mechanical Engineering Technology from SAIT.
His other interests include Computer-Aided Design (CAD), aviation, archery, playing/watching ice hockey, spending time with his wife and 4-year-old son, and public speaking.
Shaykh Iqbal is keenly interested in opening any dialogue or discussion about what it means to be Muslim to everyone and anyone. Feel free to reach out!
Muslim Council of Calgary
Since 1958, The Muslim Council of Calgary (MCC) has represented the vast majority of Calgary Muslims from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. This diversity makes us stronger, wiser, and more inclusive while our shared belief in Allah (SWT) and his messenger Muhammad (PBUH) proudly defines us as Canadian Muslims.
Source - MCC
Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW)
In 1982, a group of dynamic and devout Muslim women from across the country congregated in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Led by the late Dr. Lila Fahlman, these women sought to mobilize their passion for social justice and faith to enrich their communities and work towards the common good of Canadian society. This inaugural meeting led to the establishment of what is now known as CCMW, and for the past 30 years, its proud and accomplished roster of members has achieved and continues to achieve great milestones for Muslim women and Canada’s multicultural landscape.
The Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) is an organization dedicated to the empowerment, equality and equity of all Muslim women in Canada. Our mission is to affirm the identities of Canadian Muslim women and promote their lived experiences through community engagement, public policy, stakeholder engagement and amplified awareness of the social injustices that Muslim women and girls endure in Canada, while advocating for their diverse needs and equipping local CCMW chapters with the necessary resources to maximize national efforts and mobilize local communities to join the movement.
Source - CCMW
Islamic History in Canada
Take a quiz to test your knowledge about the immigration history, traditions and key figures of Islamic cultures that are part of Canada.
This quiz is made available by The Canadian Encyclopedia | Historica Canada
Confronting Islamophobia
Delve into the origins of Islamophobia, contemplate its toll on individuals, and ponder the significance of actively opposing such prejudice.
Teaching About Islamophobia
Educational materials and resources that foster understanding of Islam, promote acceptance of Muslims, and foster appreciation for individuals from diverse religious backgrounds within society.
Anti-Islamophobic Curriculums
The Anti-Islamophobic Curriculum initiative aims to reduce negative societal reactions toward unfamiliar cultures while broadening students' exposure to curricula beyond the traditionally dominant English/French/Indigenous perspectives.
Controversies in Formative Shi'i Islam - The Ghulat Muslims and Their Beliefs
Asatryan, Mushegh
Associate Professor, School of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures and Culture
University of Calgary
Sacred as Secular
Kazemipur, Abdolmohammad
Professor, Department of Sociology
University of Calgary
Anti-Islamophobic Curriculums
Zaidi, Rahat
Full Professor, Werklund School of Education
University of Calgary
The Gate Keepers, Engaging Pashtun Men for Gender Justice and Girl's Education
Jamal, Aamir
Associate Professor and Director, Global Engagement
University of Calgary
International Institute for Research and Dialogue, International Islamic University, Islamabad
Books by and on Muslim Canadians
A curated book list from a variety of authors, including novels, memoirs and historical accounts. You can find stories that will foster not only joy and compassion but also resilience and understanding.
Films by and on Muslim Canadians
This selection highlights many of the accomplishments of Muslim Canadians who, throughout Canadian history, have made a rich and diverse nation through film.
Podcasts by and on Muslim Canadians
Listen to various podcasts across the spectrum from hosts and guests with a wide breadth of experience about Canada from Muslim communities.
Connect with The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
If you have any questions about this page or want to see some additions, please email equity@ucalgary.ca.