To be a Canadian Muslim is to act according to the teachings of Islam within the adopted society. (Reuters)
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Canadian Muslims: The Highlight of a Mosaic

Dr. Zijad Delic
10 September, 2019

Muslims Developing Politically

The essential question that Canadian Muslims ask themselves is how to be at the same time true Muslims and faithful Canadian citizens?

The answer is that loyalty to one’s faith and conscience requires firm and honest loyalty to one’s country. Islam demands honest citizenship from every Canadian Muslim.

Why then do Muslims in Canada lack full participation in the civic and political arenas?

There are several domestic reasons for that. Besides being divided into ethnic and cultural groups by virtue of their places of origins and geography, Muslims in Canada are divided along the way they express and practice their beliefs. Secondly, many Canadian Muslim associations are local to a single city or region rather than being national in scope.

Sometimes these institutions are not accustomed to the Canadian democratic standards of association but rather follow a particular culture of membership and executive. Often these institutions are ineffective because of the scope of activities they are involved in. They try to do too much, from the basic educational activities for children and adults to political advocacy in municipal and national elections.

While some Muslim organizations are trying hard to overcome divisions among Canadian Muslims on ethnic, national, or sectarian lines, they acknowledge that such fragmentation has made it difficult for Canadian Muslims to project the recognizable public voice. However, this does not mean that currently, Canadian Muslims lack presence in the federal/senate, provincial, or municipal politics.

To be a Canadian Muslim is to act according to the teachings of Islam within the adopted society.

By exploring core Islamic sources regarding the notion of Muslim identity and at the same time considering the texture and Canadian lifestyle, we can see that there is no contradiction for Muslims in taking up full citizenship and embracing Canada as their own country.

This is what is meant by the path of constructive integration of Muslims, as compared to the less constructive choices of assimilation and exclusion.

This is the path that will take Canadian Muslims towards new horizons of opportunities and help them express their beliefs openly while enjoying Canada’s democratic standards.  Only as such, they will be able to claim the Qur’anic title of honor — UmmatanWasata (A community of enlightened moderation).

Being part of Canadian society means facing reality, with all its challenges, head-on. It means reforming themselves individually and collectively within the positive contexts of their adopted liberal democratic pluralist culture while remaining faithful to the basic religious principles that define their core religious identity as Muslims.

Thus, when they settle suitably and reconcile effectively, they can productively live in harmony amid new environments and contribute to the well-being of all. This is a responsibility of both — Canadian Muslims as well as policymakers in Canada.

This article is from our archive, originally published on an earlier date, and now republished for its importance.

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About Dr. Zijad Delic
Imam/Dr. Zijad Delic holds a PhD from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His Doctoral thesis focused on tasks and activities relevant to building bridges between the Canadian Muslim community and mainstream Canadian society in hopes of creating more cohesive cooperation among all Canadians. In addition to his formal academic endeavors and a longstanding personal interest in emerging issues of the Canadian and global Muslim communities, Dr. Delic has invested much of his career energy in researching how Muslims can integrate more successfully into the Canadian context.