These Windsor teens say Islamic Heritage Month is a chance to get to know them
Students at Windsor Islamic High School in southwestern Ontario say their faith is often misunderstood
Students at the only Islamic high school in Windsor, Ont., hope people will take time this October during Islamic Heritage Month to get to know the religion and the damaging impact of Islamophobia on young people.
Sundus Hussein, a Grade 11 student, said the month is an opportunity to tackle negative stereotypes.
"I feel like not a lot of people are educated on Islam — there's not a lot of good sources to find out about it — so having this month puts it in a positive light to learn."
Anti-Muslim attacks rose by nine per cent across Canada in 2019, according to the latest report on hate-crimes by Statistics Canada. In June, the Afzaal family was killed when they were run down on a street in London, Ont., prompting an outcry across the country to combat Islamophobia.
Grade 12 student Hamza Hamud believes Islam is not well represented around the world, and that's perpetuating racist stereotypes.
"There's a lot of people who have Islamophobia and xenophobia toward Muslims. I feel that in order for us to all become more educated and to learn more about Islam, it is important for us to have a month where people can learn and understand what Islam really is about."
Hamed is one of dozens of teenagers attending Windsor Islamic High School, which opened this past September in east Windsor. He and his peers were meeting this week to talk about Islamic Heritage Month for the school newsletter.
Nada El-Fakharany, 16, says she's directly impacted by stereotypes because she's visibly Muslim, wearing a hijab. She says she sometimes feels the negative stereotypes first hand.
"I wish people would understand me for who I am and not judge me for my appearance first. I think my appearance, for some people, might be in a negative way. I think this month would help us be represented in a more positive way."
Lateefa Rabee, 17, also wears a hijab. She spoke about the importance and impact of positive representation in media for Muslimahs like her.
"When you really learn about us, our religion is about peace and being kind and having manners. A lot of the times, the way we are represented is very different from our perspectives of things."
According to a March 2021 report from Statistics Canada, Muslimahs are 15 per cent more likely to experience hate crimes than women and girls of other faiths.
Private high schools dedicated to Islamic studies are few and far in between. Windsor Islamic High School is the only one like it in the region, with the next nearest Islamic high school located in London.
Windsor Islamic students Yousuf Iqbal and Abdalla Ismael said going to a school specialized in teaching Muslim students about their heritage has helped make them feel more at home.
"I have friends who go to a different school and they can't even pray there because it's not a Muslim school," said Iqbal.
"I come here and when it's time for prayer, I go to the room to pray."
"We also learn about our religion," added Ismael. "We learn things we never even knew about it."
More initiative needed to celebrate Islamic heritage
October was designated Islamic Heritage month by Parliament in 2007 to highlight the significant contributions of Muslim people in Canada.
Sadaf Khan, vice-principal at Windsor Islamic, said it's not enough to just designate a month — there needs to be more initiative to back it up.
"What's the point of just making this month Canadian Islamic Heritage Month if you are not making people aware of this month? What is the significance of this month? Let people know."
She put out a call to action to educate youth in Windsor.
"I would say to each and every person, every adult in Windsor's society... please try to educate this generation about the diversity, which is really important."
The school's principal, Wissam Kabbani, said his staff would be happy to offer consultations.
"I would recommend that also the part of raising awareness would be taken by the city of Windsor because all the community is attached to this city. So this can be done for sure.
"If they need help from us, we can help in any way."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
