Muslim Association of Canada

Muslim Association of Canada
Type Non-profit organization; association
Legal status Active
Purpose Provides religious and educational services for the Muslim community in Canada.
Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario
Location
  • 11 Canadian cities.
Region served
Canada
Official language
English
French
President
 Dr. Wael Haddara
Affiliations Islamic Circle of North America[1]
Website Muslim Association of Canada

The Muslim Association of Canada is a non-profit organization which provides religious and educational services for the Muslim community in Canada.

MAC operates in 11 Canadian cities, with a vision to establish an Islamic presence in Canada that is integrated within the social fabric and culture of Canada. MAC works to achieve its mission by building Muslim individuals through educational, who are spiritually connected, strongly grounded in their own faith, with an understanding of what Islam means in the modern world.

The association holds a joint annual conference with the Islamic Circle of North America.

In 2015, MAC was identified as a front for the Muslim Brotherhood organization in Canadian Senate testimony.[2] The latter organization is designated as an terrorist group by Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

Edmonton

Edmonton, Alberta's main MAC resource is the MAC Islamic Center or Rahma Mosque, located in Southwest Edmonton. The mosque and center has a preschool, a Sunday school and a youth center. In May 2012, led by the MAC Islamic Center, MAC held a three-day convention that also included a concert given by Dawud Wharnsby.

They also run a private school in northwest Edmonton, the MAC Islamic School[3] which covers pre-school to grade 4, and a preschool in north Edmonton, the Creative Minds Preschool.[4]

Toronto

Located in Toronto, Ontario, MAC Toronto is a branch of MAC, providing religious and educational services for Muslims in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).[5]

MAC Toronto offer programs for communities in Toronto such as leadership training, Campus Halaqas (Religious circles), Islam awareness week Training and MYVoice - a quarterly magazine aimed at engaging Muslim youth.[6]

MAC Toronto centers and mosques in Toronto

[7]

  • Masjid Toronto at Dundas
  • Masjid Toronto at Adelaide
  • MAC Education Centre
  • Kitchener Masjid
  • Islamic Community Centre of Ontario

MAC Toronto schools in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area)

[8]

  • Al-Huda Islamic Schools – Ajax Campus
  • Al-Huda Islamic Schools – Milton Campus
  • Al-Huda Islamic Schools - Applewood
  • Al-Huda Islamic Schools – OGS Campus
  • Olive Grove Islamic School
  • MAC Maple Grove School
  • MAC Islamic Preschool and Childcare

MAC Montreal

Located in Montreal, Quebec, MAC Montreal is the largest MAC chapter.

MAC centers and mosques in Montreal

  • Al-Rawdah Masjid[9]
  • Centre Communautaire Laurentien (CCL)[10]
  • Centre Islamique de Verdun (CIV)[11]

Controversies

The RCMP recently invoked in an investigation that the Muslim Association of Canada donated $296,514 to IRFAN-Canada, an organization with known ties to Hamas.[12] During this time period, IRFAN-Canada transferred over 14.6 million dollars to groups that have ties with Hamas, and was dubbed a terrorist group by the Canadian Government on July 29, 2014.[12] MAC claims all donations stopped once "the allegations that led to its delisting as a charity by the Government of Canada in 2011".[13] However RCMP surveillance documents allege it is possible MAC were still donating to IRFAN-Canada in 2014.[14]

Ties to Muslim Brotherhood

MAC has not shied away from its respect for the Muslim Brotherhood, and in 2015 the non-profit was identified in Canadian Senate testimony as a front group for the Brotherhood, whose motto is:[15]

“Allah is our objective; the Prophet is our leader; the Quran is our law; Jihad is our way; dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope.”

2015 Senate testimony

In May 2015 Canada Senate testimony, Dr. Lorenzo Vidino, “academic and security expert who specializes in Islamism and political violence in Europe and North America, stated:[2]

“You have organizations created by individuals who have personal ties to different branches of the Brotherhood back in the Middle East and who have personal, financial, organizational and ideological ties to the movement.

The Muslim Association of Canada would be the first name that comes to mind. There are clear links there where you have prominent individuals that for 20 or 30 years have been involved in Brotherhood groups both in Canada and in the United States. What used to be called CARE Canada, it’s the same thing. There are charities like Islamic Relief. Irfan is gone but it was part of that.”

Proclaimed roots to Brotherhood

An older version of MAC’s website contained the following statement about its roots tracing back to the Muslim Brotherhood:[16]

“MAC’s roots are deeply enshrined in the message of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him). Its modern roots can be traced to the Islamic revival of the early twentieth century, culminating in the movement of the Muslim Brotherhood. This movement influenced Islamic activities, trends and intellectual discourse throughout the world including those of Muslims who came to Canada in search of freedom, education and better opportunities. MAC adopts and strives to implement Islam, as embodied in the Qur’an, and the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and as understood in its contemporary context by the late Imam, Hassan Albanna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. MAC regards this ideology as the best representation of Islam as delivered by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).”

Director Jamal Badawi

Around 2007, Canadian national and former professor, Dr. Jamal Badawi, was listed on MAC’s website as director of the organization.[17][16]

In 1992, Badawi’s name was listed in a Muslim Brotherhood directory.[18]

He has also publicly declared his support for “combative jihad” and has referred to members of Hamas as “marytrs.”[19][20]

In a 2004 interview, Dr. Badawi stated, “I have read many books, but Hasan Al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, has been the most inspirational.”[21]

References

  1. ↑ Canada, Senate of. "Senate of Canada - Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence". Senate of Canada.
  2. 1 2 "500". www.sencanada.ca. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  3. ↑ "MAC Islamic School". Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Creative Minds Peschool (North)". Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Our Vision and Mission". Muslim Association of Canada. 2012.
  6. ↑ "Services in Toronto". Muslim Association of Canada. 2012.
  7. ↑ "Centers and Mosques in Toronto". Muslim Association of Canada. 2012.
  8. ↑ "Schools in Toronto". Muslim Association of Canada. 2012.
  9. ↑ "Centre Communautaire Laurentien/Mosquée AlRawdah". alrawdah.ca.
  10. ↑ "Centre Communautaire Laurentien". alrawdah.ca.
  11. ↑ http://www.verdunmuslims.ca/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Islamic-Center-of-Verdun-Canada/345796632097538
  12. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-30. Retrieved 2015-01-28.
  13. ↑ "A Statement by the Muslim Association of Canada" (PDF). Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  14. ↑ "Canadian Muslim group funnelled $300K to Hamas-linked charity: Documents". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  15. ↑ Ali, Ayaan Hirsi (2011-02-18). "'The Quran Is Our Law; Jihad Is Our Way'". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  16. 1 2 "Muslim Association Of Canada". The Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Watch. 2013-04-29. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  17. ↑ "CAIR-Canada Directors Praise Muslim Brotherhood". Clarion Project. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  18. ↑ http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/1083.pdf#page=2
  19. ↑ "Home". Clarion Project. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  20. ↑ "Jamal Badawi: Enduring Link to ISNA's Radical Past". The Investigative Project on Terrorism. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  21. ↑ "On Mount Nur With Dr Jamal Badawi | Feature Articles | Features | Mar / Apr 2004 | emel - the muslim lifestyle magazine". www.emel.com. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
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