Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim, In the name of Allah, the most benevolent, the most merciful!
All praise belongs to Allah, the Creator of heavens and earth and the Lord of the universe.
Honorable Guests, respected elders, brothers, sisters and youth: Assalamu-Alaykum-wa Rahamatullahi-wa Barakatahu.
On behalf of the entire BCMA, I extend to you and your families, a very joyous Eid Mubarak.
Today we gather, by the blessings of Allah, to celebrate the ending of the beautiful month of Ramadan. On this day of Eid Ul-Fitr we ask Allah to accept all our fasting, prayers, supplications, charity and good deeds. We ask that He reward us with His forgiveness and entry into Paradise.
As we celebrate Eid, let us not forget the Muslims suffering in many parts of the world, particularly in Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Central African Republic, and the Ukraine. Innocent children and mothers are being killed and maimed through no fault of their own except for their belief in One and Only Allah. Let us pray that this violence and suffering comes to an end by the grace of Allah Subhan wa Taala. Let us pray for Peace in all parts of the World.
Let us be very thankful to Allah SWT:
1st For making it possible to enjoy the month of Ramadan
2nd To be present today at this Eid gathering in this park in Surrey – the city of growth where more than 20,000 Muslims live and this number keeps on growing.
3rd To be living in BC, the most beautiful Province in Canada where there are more than 40
Masajid to serve the Muslim communities and expanding in all directions.
4th To be in Canada – where we can practice our faith in peace and serenity and for that we
thank the people of Canada and hope the government of Canada will play a greater role
to ensure all citizens enjoy the same rights and freedoms regardless of their race, colour,
and religion. Let us all hope that our government representatives will restore Canada to
be an honest broker that we were, and provide more humanitarian support to all.
Allah gave us many blessings, but one of the greatest blessings was that He guided us to the Deen of Islam. Being the Ummah of Muhammad PBUH means we bear the responsibility of living Islam as our way of life and conveying that message to all of humanity, especially in today's great time of need. Let us not be discouraged or disheartened by those who seek to dim the light of Islam, but instead, remain steadfast. Let us note that Islam, despite all the negative propaganda, is the fastest growing Religion in the world, especially in Europe and Americas.
Dear brothers and sisters, today is a day when our happiness and entertainment becomes a form of worship to Allah. Take this occasion to gather with family, to connect with your neighbors and the community, and to fill the pockets of children with goodies and toys to bring smiles and lasting memories.
Last Eid we announced the leasing of a property for Surrey Muslim School. This Eid we wish to inform you that we have just signed the Purchase Agreement to own the property. It should be noted that we have grown from 155 students when we moved a year ago to approximately 250 in the coming September. This is a tremendous growth within a year of operation at this new location. Your continued support for our schools is very much appreciated and needed for the sake of our children - our future leaders.
Our Website has also been updated and we are getting many comments and inquiries from new Muslims and those who want to learn about Islam. If you know anyone interested, they must register on our website so we can offer support and education, Inshah Allah.
We are also involved in many humanitarian relief efforts throughout the year. Your zakat, sadaqa and general donations are all distributed according to the Shariah to the most deserving.
We, under the Halal Monitoring Committee of BC are about to launch a newly registered Halal LOGO which will help us to identify only authentic halal products to safe guard our family from being served non-Halal food. Keep a watch for press release.
“An Imam at each Masjid” initiative is also progressing well. This will enable us to give dawa as well as teach and train both our children and adults at all our locations.
This year we also participated in providing funds to V G Hospital for Mental Health Clinic as well as Surrey General Hospital for the Palliative care facility on your behalf.
Let me take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to Canada, the Province of BC and the City of Surrey for allowing us to hold our first Eid in the park, which is the traditional way of celebrating this beautiful festival of Eid ul Fitr. Thank you to all our neighbors and volunteers for providing support. Thank you all for coming and joining us in this one of a kind Eid in the Park celebration.
In closing, let us pray to Allah Subhan-wa-Taala that He may shower His infinite mercy on the entire Ummah and accept our humble effort towards the common goal of making this world a better place for all to live.
May Allah accept all our ibadaah and continue to keep us on the straight path.
Once again, EID MUBARAK to you all.
Your Brother in Islam.
Musa Ismail
President, BCMA.