The largest annual convention of North American Muslims is set to start this weekend in Toronto and the organizers are promising the audience a transformational experience.

This year’s convention is set to run from Friday, December 20th through Sunday, December 22nd at the Metro Toronto Convention Center in the heart of downtown Toronto.

Convention attendees will listen to leading Islamic scholars, academics, and motivational speakers, meet and mingle with fellow Muslims, and discuss matters of faith and contemporary issues.

This year’s presenters include an impressive list of world-renowned scholars and speakers such as, Maulana Tariq Jameel, Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi, Imam Siraj Wahhaj, Imam Zaid Shakir, Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, Dr. Yasir Qadhi, Imam Omar Suleiman, Dr. Dalia Fahmy, Ustadha Ieasha Prime, and Sister Aisha Gray Henry.

A bustling grand bazaar will be a major feature during the three-day event showcasing products, as well as charities and services from around North America and the Muslim world.

The convention will also feature a Qur’an competition and a youth program.

Bridge of Understanding

The Reviving the Islamic Spirit convention was first launched eighteen years ago by Muslim youth to tackle the backlash on Islam and Muslims after the 9/11 and to build a bridge of understanding with non-Muslims.

The event has become a staple in Toronto’s downtown core during the Christmas holiday season and an estimated 20,000 attendees are expected from all over North America and around the world, adding a boost to the local economy.

Canada is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations with a population of 35 million.

Muslims are the fastest-growing religious community in Canada, according to the country’s statistical agency, Statistics Canada. Canada’s Muslim population increased by 82 percent over the past decade to more than 1 million in 2011. Muslims now represent 3.2 percent of Canada’s total population.