Anti-Homophobia Statement From MUSLIMS

Anti-HomophobiaStatementfromCanadaImams
andMuslimLeaders
inconjunctionwithastatementfromtheLGBTIQcommunity
RE:Orlandoshooting
ReleaseDate:June24,2016
CommunityUnityIftar-The519,519ChurchStreet,TorontoON
We the undersigned, represent Muslim organizations, communities and individuals across
Canada.
Theracist,homophobicandtransphobicmassacreinOrlandoonJune12,2016thatledtothe
deathof51membersoftheLGBTIQcommunity,almostallpeopleofcolour,BlackandLatino
istragicanddisturbing.
It is a tragedy that has impacted people around the world and caused us all to pause for
reflection. We care about the pain and the fear that members of the LGBTIQ communityare
continuingtoexperience.
As a community, we stand firmly against all forms of oppression including homophobia and
transphobia.We are concerned about this oppression and its impacts on members of the
LGBTIQ communities and the world.All people should be free from discrimination and
oppressionandbeabletolivetheirlivesinpeaceandsecurity.
As a community, Muslims understand the pain and suffering that comes from hatred and
ignorance.
Because of the identity of the Orlando shooter, there has been, once again, an escalation in
anti-Muslim sentiment and Islamophobic rhetoric,leaving many Muslims feeling unsafe in
theirhomesandcommunities.Noperson,grouporcommunityshouldeverhavetoexperience
bigotryorviolencebecauseofwhotheyare.CanadianMuslimsstandforjusticeanddignity.
Canada is our home, one that protects the rights of all communities. We live together as a
widerfamily,respectingeachother’srightsasfriends,neighbours,co-workersandcitizens.
Asafaithcommunity,weliveourlivesaccordingtothewaywebestunderstandGodwantsus
to.JustasMuslimsareprotectedundertheCanadianCharterofRightsandFreedoms,we
supporttherightsandfreedomsofallCanadians.Wedonotbelieveintheimpositionofany
beliefs/valuesonothers.
TheCanadianMuslimcommunityisdiverseandreflectsthevariedbackgroundsoftheglobal
community.
WetreasureCanadiandiversityandseeitasastrengthtodrawupon.Itsaddensusthatany
act of violence here or abroad could be misinterpreted as stemming from the doctrines and
practicesofIslam.
Werefusetoletthesetypesofactionsdefineus.Wewillcontinuetostanduptofear,hatred
andprejudiceinallitsformsandstandtogethertoprotecteachother’shumanrights.
SEESIGNATORIESONFOLLOWINGPAGES
SIGNEDBY:
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INDIVIDUALS:(SeeOrganizationsfollowingthiscategory)
AbdulRehmanKhan,Khateeb
AlexCarter,PoliticalandSocialAdvocate,Associateprofessor/professeuragrégé
AnelaJadunandan,Executive-OntarioAssociationofIslamicSchoolsandMuslimActivist
AzfarRizvi,ExecutiveDirector-InstituteofCanadianArchives
Dr.AbderrahmanBeggar
Dr.AbdullahHakimQuick,ImaamandMuslimScholar
Dr.AishaSherazi,OttawaCommunityActivist,Ottawawriterandeducator
Dr.FirasAl-Dhaher,MD
Dr.IqbalIkeK.Ahmed,MDFRCSC
Dr.JasminZine,ProfessorSociology&MuslimStudiesOption-WilfridLaurierUniversity
Dr.SalhaSalimJeizan,AcademicandCommunityAdvocate
Dr.TimothyJ.Gianotti,AssociateProfessorofArabic&IslamicStudies,RenisonUniversityCollege
(UniversityofWaterloo)&Director/PrincipalTeacher,IslamicInstituteforSpiritualFormation,
Toronto
El-FaroukKhaki,Immigration&Refugeelawyer,co-Founder,El-TawhidJumaCircle
FaisalKutty,LegalCounsel,MuslimCivilLibertiesAssociation
FarheenKhan,Writer,ConsultantandCommunityActivist
FarihaKhanMD,CCFP
FauziaMazhar,Chair,CoalitionofMuslimWomenofKW
GillaryMassa,CommunityAdvocate
GinellaMassa,MediaProfessional
HaafidRahman,Director-TheCanadian-MuslimVote
HumaDurrani,SeniorBusinessConsultant
IftikharMahmood,CFPCreatewealthPlanning
ImamAbdulHaiPatel,ImmediatePastCoordinatorCanadianCouncilofImams
Imam(Shaikh)AhmadKutty,SeniorResidentScholar-IslamicInstituteofToronto(IIT)
ImamHabeebAlli,ChaplainandAuthor
ImamIbrahimHindy,SalaheddinCentre
Imam(Dr.)ShabirAlly,IslamicInformationandDawaCentre
ImāmYūsufBadāt,IslamicFoundationToronto
InciKuzucuoglu
JasonNahrgang
JeewanChanicka,Principal,CommunityEducatorandActivist
KhalidUsman,Chair,CanadiansofPakistaniOrigin,FormerCouncillorCityOfMarkham
(Continuedonnextpages)
SIGNEDBY:
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INDIVIDUALS:(Continued)
MayuriMaryamSalaam,RN
MichaelAbdurRashidTaylor,IslamicChaplaincyServicesCanada
MihadFahmy,LLB,LLM,Lawyer
MohammedBaobaid,PhD,MuslimResourceCentreforSocialSupportandIntegration
FounderandExecutiveDirector,London,ON
MohammedHashim,Organizer-TorontoandYorkRegionLabourCouncil
NaeemSiddiqi,Author,CreditRiskProfessional
NaheedMustapha,IndependentJournalist
NoraHindy-EducatorandCommunityActivist
OmarSiddiqui,Chair-CanadianMuslimLeadershipInstitute.Inc
RabeaMurtaza-MuslimsforOntario'sNewHealthandPhysicalEducationCurriculum
RajaKhouri,President-CanadianArabInstitute
Rev.renéeI.A.mercuri,interfaith/interspiritualministerandDirector-el-TawhidJumaCircle,
TorontoUnityMosque
RifatHussain,CommunityActivist,London,Ontario
RimaBernsMc-Gown,PhD,writerandresearcher
RubyAlvi,MDCCFPMHSc.
SahverKuzucuoglu
SalehaKhan,IHMC,MuslimResourceCentreforSocialSupportandIntegration
CanadiansMuslimsforPeaceCampaign,FamilyHonourProject,London,ON
SamiyaAhmed,HealthCareConsultant&CommunityAdvocate
SamraZafar,Founder-BraveBeginnings
SandraNoe,ChairoftheFederationofMuslimWomen
SeherShafiq,ExecutiveDirectoratTheCanadian-MuslimVote
ShahinaSiddiqui,PresidentIslamicSocialServicesAssociation,Inc.
ShahlaKhanSalter,LawyerandDirectorofUniversalistMuslims
ShahnazKhan,Professor-WomenandGenderStudies&GlobalStudies
ShailaCarter,CEO-MuslimWomen’sCollective
ShaneezaNaseer-Ally,ExecutiveDirector-ForYouthInitiative(FYI)
ShaykhFarazRabbani,IslamicScholar
UrzHeer,FounderCAMPToronto-ExecutiveDirector,TheCareFactor
WaelHaddara,MDFRCPC,AssociateProfessor-SchulichSchoolofMedicine,WesternUniversity
WahidaC.Valiante,PastPresidentandChairofIslamicHistoryMonthCanadaand
CommunityActivist
YasmeenSiddiqui,BoardofDirectors,IDRF
ZehraAbbass,Founder,Aasra.co-AssistantProfessorPreclerkshipDirectorDepartment
ofFamilyandCommunityMedicine
SeeOrganizationsonnextpage
SIGNEDBY:
ORGANIZATIONS:
ArabCommunityCentreofToronto
CanadianCouncilofMuslimWomen(CCMW)
CanadianMuslimLawyersAssociation(CMLA)
CouncilfortheAdvancementofMuslimProfessionals(CAMP)-TorontoChapter
DawaNet
El-TawhidJumaCircle(ETJC)
InstituteofCanadianArchives
InternationalDevelopmentandReliefFoundation(IDRF)
IslamicHistoryMonthCanada(IHMC)
IslamicSocialServicesAssociation(ISSA)
IslamicInstituteToronto(IIT)
Naseeha,MuslimYouthHelpline
NationalCouncilofCanadianMuslims(NCCM)
NoorCulturalCentre
NorthAmericanSpiritualRevival(NASR)
OrganizationforIslamicLearning
Salaam:QueerMuslimCommunity
The Canadian-Muslim Vote
UnitingMuslimsandAlliesforHumanity(UMAH)-UniversityofToronto
UniversalistMuslims
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