Richmond’s Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre will welcome members of the public this Saturday for its annual A Journey into Islam event.
The free-of-charge evening combines a gala dinner, a keynote speaker and exhibits to help guests learn more about the faith. This year, the theme of the evening is women in Islam.
“In all honesty, it's a topic where despite the plethora of information out there, many misconceptions continue to exist, among Muslims and non-Muslims alike,” said keynote speaker Fatemah Meghji, who grew up going to Az-Zahraa and has a Master’s degree in Qur'anic exegesis
“We are hoping to dispel the many myths that exist and to showcase Islam's unique and holistic perspective on women as human beings.”
Mahmood Jaffer, who is helping organize the 8th annual event, said the goal is to create a relaxed atmosphere so guests can ask questions and leave with a better understanding of the faith.
“The event has really been inspired by the younger members of our community. [They were getting] asked a lot of questions, and there were misconceptions out there,” he said.
Now, he said his favourite part of the evening is meeting and interacting with the 300 to 350 guests that come from across the Lower Mainland.
Exhibits at this year’s dinner include Islamic art; an explainer on halal and haram foods, fasting and Ramadan; the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca; the Qur’an; the concept of modesty and why some Muslim women choose to wear a hijab; the history and meaning of the term jihad; prayers and important people in the faith.
You can register for the event online.
