Ramadan: The Canadian Guest

Reuters photo

By

Yasser M. Dhouib

Ramadan comes this year vested with many lessons for the Muslim Canadian community.

As usual the holy month of Ramadan will bring with it the much needed warmth and togetherness for Canadians of all stripes and faith.

Certainly the values of sharing and love will be a gift to be given to a nation celebrating its 150 years of existence, a nation that has become a beacon of hope coupled with pride and humility.

Nobody can deny the fact that the world needs the shining example of Canada more than ever.

The rise of identity crisis and populism across the west has become a very worrying trend where politicians are delighted to use these ingredients for political gain that aims to destroy grounds of respect and social peace between people of different faiths and backgrounds.

By sharing the honour of being Canadian, Canada can teach without any pretense that racism with its anti-Semitic and Islamophobic form has no future for the humanity of today and tomorrow.

Canadian Muslims can have the privilege of tutoring themselves, the grief in losing our beloved husbands, brothers and fathers in January during the Quebec City tragedy becoming the tool for healing souls and hearts for those still not convinced to be healed from hate and bigotry.

As a matter of fact Canada is still far from perfect, the plight of Canadian First Nations and ethnic minorities still needing to be properly addressed.

Canadians at large are still demanding a better society where equal opportunities are real and credible. They still expect from politicians a large doss of intellectual probity and fairness when it comes to seeking public office.

Making our nation a role model for the rest of the world is not an easy task but daring to make it true is what Canadians are capable of.

Yasser M. Dhouib

Yasser is a Public Relations Specialist (PR Specialist) Outreach Muslim Community Volunteer in Montreal, Canada. He is a former Board Member of The Canadian Muslim Forum CMF-FMC and advocated on issues relating to integration, inclusion and participation of minority communities in the broader Canadian and Quebec society, as well as addressing concerns related to discrimination and unemployment.