Islamic History Month celebrates with virtual events this October

For the 15th year in a row, Kingston City Council has proclaimed October as Islamic History Month. Inaugurated in 2007, Islamic History Month is a nationwide celebration that seeks to share the history, heritage and culture of Muslims with fellow Canadians.

The theme for Islamic History Month 2021 is Muslims and Indigenous Peoples: A Month for Mutual Sharing and Healing, Honouring Truth and Reconciliation, according to a release from Islamic History Month organizers. For the second year, due to restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, events have been moved online for virtual lectures and panel discussions. Organizers said this also allows people from across the nation (and beyond) to tune into both local and national events.

Local events are being organized through the Islamic Society of Kingston (ISK) and Muslim Societies, Global Perspectives (MSGP, Queen’s University), and include the following events. Online events will be live-streamed from, or shared to, the Islamic History Month Kingston’s Facebook Page.

• October 1: Illumination of City Hall in Green to commemorate Islamic History Month, starting at 6:30 p.m.
• October 6: I’m Al-Andalus: Why Can’t You See Me? A dialogue between History and Art on Muslim Spain with artist @studentAsim (author of Tyer of Ties) and Professor Adnan Husain (Queen’s University), starting at 7:30 p.m.
• October 14: Muslim in Kingston and Beyond: A Discussion with Murray Hogben on his book Minarets on the Horizon: Muslim Pioneers in Canada (Moderated by Drs. Shobhana Xavier and Adnan Husain), starting at 7:30 p.m.
• October 19: Between Popular Spirituality and Islamic Mysticism: Locating sufism in Canada with Dr. Shobhana Xavier (Queen’s University), starting at 7:30 p.m.
• October 22: (tentative): How Faith Drives Our Work. Perspectives from Indigenous and Muslim women (time and date to be confirmed)
• October 26: Tell a Story-Save a Life: A workshop on Islamophobia with artist @studentAsim, starting at 7:30 p.m.
• October 28: Reminders on the Path: In conversation with Sheniz Janmohamed, starting at 1 p.m.
• October 31: Muslim Youth speak to: Truth, Reconciliation and Islamophobia, moderated by Sawsan Mohammed (Kingston) and featuring Muslim high school students from across the nation, starting at 5 p.m.
• TBD: Healing from the Wounds of Colonialism through Faith

For additional information, visit www.facebook.com/IHMKingston, www.facebook.com/MSGPQU or www.kingstonmuslims.ca. For more information on this national initiative please see the Islamic History Month Canada Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/IslamicHistoryMonthCanada.