Arif and Samantha: Love in the Six

Arif and Samatha

The unspoken love

Between Arif and Sam

That be-squeak the passion of a Rapturous fan!

That union of two hearts

That joined West Coast Demerara with Skeldon

It is the quietness of Arif

The energy of Sam

When placed on the altar of God's blessings

Make the love story of Ali and Fatima alive

So many want to renew their vows

So many in the house that I joined their hands

They look so beautiful today

Wishing to renew their vows

Inspired by Arif and Sam

So let this love be eternal love

For we will not hear

With death do you part

However, we will hear the angels sing

In heaven will see you dance!

Khan and Dookhoo families

At the hallmark of cultures

Are bonded by our ancestral roots

And from today onward

We know this will be quite a party

For, by God, love knows no barriers nor timings

Love is love

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Khan!

Eid by the Lake media release 2019

Media Release                                                          Dated: 2019-07/27

One Love Media and Friends Indeed Canada present the 4^TH Eid-by-the- Lake Festival in the Durham Region.

Eid by the Lake: The Sacrifice

The One Love media group and Friends Indeed Canada continue to promote positive and inclusive events in the Muslim community, collaborating with interfaith leaders and community organizations to provide inspirational messaging in the Greater Toronto area.

It is the fourth Annual Eid-by-the-Lake celebration for Eid ul Adha. Muslims around the world celebrate this festival during the pilgrimage to Mecca.

The Eid-by-the-Lake festival will be commemorated at the Abilities Centre, 56 Gordon Street, Whitby, Ontario, on Sunday Aug 11^th from 11.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. with the Honorable MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes, once again and the executive member of the interfaith body, the Abraham Festival, Helen Thibert from Peterborough, Ontario.

Founded by the Patriarch of three Abrahamic Faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Hajj brings Muslims from all backgrounds internationally together. The Eid-by-the-Lake festival includes speeches, prayers, food, fun, musical performances, Interfaith messages and lots of time to socialise with family, neighbours and friends.

A number of Interfaith leaders as well as entertainers are in the line-up.

Awards Presentations include: the Hodan Nalayeh award for empowering girls in Africa and the nominee this year is Sauliha Alli for volunteering in Ghana.

The bazaar will include food vendors and other services in the Durham Region.

The charity of choice this year is "Service to Humanity" for their back to school program for the children in Guyana, South America.

Our main sponsor is the oldest Muslim charity in Canada Human Concern International serving Qurbani in thirty countries.

The Co-Chairs are Vaqar Raees and Anela Jadunandan.

This event is free and open to all.

Contact Habeeb at 416 823 1738 or bookhabeeb@gmail.com

Tribute to Hodan Nalayeh

Tribute to Hodan Nalayeh

#BeAWoman (was her buzzword)

Too soon oh peace warrior!

Too early oh Oprah of Africa!

Oh Princess of Black Panther

Your beauty exudes musk of Arabia!

Shot whilst shooting stories of their mothers

They thought they could out your light with their barrels of extremism

They even ask one sister to go home back

But the world celebrates your hijabiness, femaleness, Somaliness, Muslimness

We have worked together on the free Black Panther show

Children needed to see a black actress on the screen too

We have worked together on the youths in prison

We awarded you at the One Love Gala our mother’s Lyla Ali award

Because that is what we should do for our daughters of this Ummah

They deserve more for their humanitarian work without rewards

Burnt in the harsh sun of Africa

We will share your legacy to empower girls across the globe

One #NaagIskoDhig at a time!

God rest your beautiful soul and that of your loved ones!

Gone with the winds

But not forgotten!

Aleesha and Kesevan: A Love story of two cultures

Inset from right Chaplain Andrea Saul, Kesevan Paramanathan, Aleesha Paramanathan (formerly known as Aleesha Ally), Habeeb Alli.

July 26th 2019

Aleesha and Kesevan: A Love story of two cultures 

He would not give up
A boy from a single mom
A man inspired by the beautiful girl
A graduate who paid off his loan

Kesevan inspires youths out of the Six
He managed to up himself
With a condo, a passion and the love of his life
Never mind the Tamil curry burns your lips purple

The girl sitting by his side has burnt his heart red
The Princess from Oakville
Knows what she wants
Never traded her roots, traditions and aching heart

This union is blessed
Because one family lifted their hands
And held Kesevan and Aleesha
And tied the knot of cultures and faiths in one

Aisha was in love with the Prophet
Like when the snowstorm comes, you need your jacket
One cannot dismiss love
Because of the man-made barriers of the world

And so the determined, beautiful, educated daughter of Ally
Will sing to her children in Arabic and Tamil
The sweetness of her two mother’s love- Farina and Chandra
And by God will they taste some kothi roti, dhalpuri and mutton curry poutine in that

And so forever One Love!

#TheKesevans

Tribute to Aaron and Arianna: Father and Daughter slain

I pay special tribute to Tracey Waheeda’s husband Aaron and princess Arianna as they are laid to rest today.

The winds have passed under their wings

The beauty of their deeds

Have lifted their souls

Into Heaven, together with our mother Leila!

This a burden too shall pass

Like Jesus on the Cross

Such memories you have made

Such love you have given

A man whose heart was worn on his sleeve

Taken away by the greed of this world

A daughter yet to love

Snuffed away from the arms of her mother

God be with you, for in Him we trust, And those who love you!

https://newsroom.gy/2019/07/09/4-arrested-in-connection-with-robbery-murder-of-money-changer-and-daughter/

Farah and Chris: Cherish This Night

The love birds on God’s plan

Yes it’s Raptorsland

And we are celebrating the soulmates of Toronto

What better way than at the artistic Guild Inn

Farah a vegetarian and voracious humanitarian

She knows how to design the heart

With love and faith twisted in green and white

I don’t mean any heart- just Chris’s

And Chris the unbendable social justice warrior

He will give his shirt for you

And that’s why he fell in love with Farah’s faith

And the butter chicken too!

If this love story should be written on the walls of the Kaba

It would be Laila and Majnoo all over

Like the nightingale kisses the morning dew with couplets

Farah and Chris will be remembered for their divine union like every angel’s envy!

So while we enjoy the sunset

On the tapestry of nature’s birth

The twinning of two families, two faiths, two soulmates

We will dance away on the altar of our One God’s love!

Wudu Unit for Ablution installed in Canadian Prison for the first time!

Wudu Unit for Ablution installed in Canadian Prison for the first time!

Habeeb Alli

June 09 2019 Last Friday, June 7^th 2019, which happens to be both the Day of Juma and the day the Muslim inmates were celebrating Eid at Warkworth Institution, will be marked in Canadian prison history as the first time a wudu unit has been made operational. This is for ablution before prayers.

Muslims wash five times a day, called ablution, before prayers. This washing of the hands, face, and feet; and wiping the head necessitates dignity and grace- something all faiths warrant. However, having to make wudu inside one’s cell, where the toilet sits as well, and lifting one’s feet inside the sink to wash them in the presence of other cellmates, do not augur well for inmates relations nor dignity of religion to say the least.

At the One Love Gala 2017, an event aimed at celebrating the successful reintegration of inmates, proceeds of the gala were earmarked for the purchase of the wudu units and its installation within the Chapel of this particular Institution.
Thanks to the donors and well wishers as well as Correction Services Canada, their capable staff was able to see to the plumbing and building a base to mount the two units within the required standards.

The unit was purchased in the UK, thanks to the capable spearheading of the project by Site Base Chaplain Dr. Desmond Khanoo. He worked on this diligently for the past two years and was present at the opening on Friday.
Present at the official launch was Regional Chaplain Imam AbdurRasheed Michael Taylor, who shared his own experienced as the former Muslim Chaplain and the how far the journey has been that today such an accomplishment could be achieved. He emphasised Corrections’ commitment towards diversity.

Special gratitude is extended by the inmates for this facility and the fact that this can happen at one institution it can happen anywhere else.
This mobile type wudu units are common in the prisons and hospitals in the UK.

Like Jesus and Moses, Muhammad was ordered to wash up before prayer- Quran 5:6 “O you who believe! When you rise up for prayer, wash you faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads and wash your feet up to the ankles.”

Imam Habeeb Alli is thankful to being part of this history, from the beginning, as the Muslim Chaplain.

Spring to Easter celebrated

Spring to Easter celebrated

My father: My first boss!

                             Happy Father's Day!

My father: My first boss!
 

I remember
The apprenticeship
A gig that was short and telling
To hand him the pliers and then to run the wires

I was like 10
He was a big set guy
I was quick to quiver at his voice
I was paid enough for a Sunday matinee show at Gem

But many weekends and most evenings
I would learn to be an electrician whilst studying
From the country’s best, Rabbi, was Guysuco’s and DDL’s best
He taught refrigeration, generator repairs and wiring houses

To put a smile, God rest his soul!
I did run some wedding houses’ lights, like Aunty Inese’s
I did crawl in some ceilings to hide wires in Uncle Hydrali’s
I did not heed his venting or hammering

I wanted to be an engineer after leaving Queens
To follow the footsteps of my Granpa Wajid Ali
Who engineered the electrical wires from sugar factory to the seawall
But I turned my back and became an itinerant scholar from Enmore!

I learnt from my dad
To work hard and honest
To help someone in distress
And to be passionate, that would make life worth living to its best!

                          HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

whispersofkaieteur: Bibi Sanderson: a legacy of love and generosity

whispersofkaieteur: Bibi Sanderson: a legacy of love and generosity: This we know of mothers That Paradise is laid in gold beneath their tired feet A lifetime of life and laughter has been her lega...

Bibi Sanderson: a legacy of love and generosity

This we know of mothers

That Paradise is laid in gold beneath their tired feet

A lifetime of life and laughter has been her legacy

That Aunty Zee touched the hearts from Fiji to Canje

From the time I set eyes on her in Dawa Centre

And throughout the years through Mark and Sherry

The tree is known by the fruits it bears

Her children are all love and beauty

This single mother reminded me of Khadija

Living for her children while she prayed in silence

This teacher whose students are worldwide scholars

Reminds us that we too had a Mother Theresa

Once she sponsored the children of Skeldon

Once she would be there for those in Yemen

Yet another time it’s the masjid or iftar, the society, the humanity

Her generosity knew no bounds like her smiles

Let this not be the end of family and friends

Let not the party at Eid or Sundays or Holidays end

The glue to the life of the party has been the envy of many

Life itself envies death when death's desire is for God only.

Good bye Bibi Sanderson

Good bye our hero

Allah be with you always

And leave some breeze behind for your three angels!

Ramadan Mubarak:4th Annual Interfaith Iftar Gala 2019

Ramadan Mubarak!

Greetings!

I would like to profusely thank you for your continuous contributions and generous support towards our programs in the past year. We sincerely hope your Ramadan would be joyous and blessed!

As an extention of the annual One Love Gala we are continuing our mission in Ramadan by hosting our fourth Interfaith Iftar dinner. This is a continuation of the Canada Day Iftar that we started a few years ago!

See last year's event in the media here. https://torontocaribbean.com/ramadan-interfaith-gala-raising-funds-for-guyana-youth/

• Sponsor Skeldon feeding of 250 children per day for $220.00 through Service to Humanity feeding the children program.

• Sponsor the printing and distribution of educational brochures for $100.00 per 10000 every Juma/Friday in Georgetown by Shamal

• Sponsor the eye surgery for one man in Guyana- 2000.00

• Sponsor a child school books scholarship in Jamaica for one year for 300.00 through Albaster Gate Children Charity-http://alabastergatechildrenscharity.com/

• Support the prison program to help youths at risk -Think Twice founded by Ziya Brown- http://think2.org/

• DOORS OPEN AT 7:00 PM

PROGRAM: 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

• Welcome by Co-Chairs- Habeeb Alli

• National Anthem of Canada- Steel pan

• National Anthem of Guyana

• Quran Recital and Recitation Qari Sameer

• MC Introduction- Firaz Azeez

• Interfaith service- Rev Earl Smith and Rabbi Yossi Sapirman

• Think Twice- Ziya Brown- Award and Check http://think2.org/

• Dr Nadine Wong - Alabaster Children Charity in Jamaica

• Videos Presentation- Habeeb Alli- Service to Humanity in Skeldon and Shamal Islamic Brochures in Georgetown

• Fundraising- Dr Munir Elkassem

• Iftar- 8:42 pm

• Magrib Salat- 8:45 pm

• Dinner 9 pm

• Entertainment- Munir Mohamed

• Door prizes

N.B

Main Sponsor:

Human Concern International- a registered charity in Canada helping orphans in Yemen this Ramadan for 30.00 per month with your zakat, fitra and fidya - all tax deductible. www.humanconcern.org

Purchase tickets

One Love: An answer to New Zealand's terrorist attack.

One Love: An answer to New Zealand's terrorist attack. 

I know this is hard

To see the beautiful land called New Zealand

That produces our halal lamb

And the accent of the British and Aussie in one

Now to see slaughtered instead

Women, children, disabled men, whilst praying

In the House of God

On Juma was a shock; insane calculated Islamophobia it seem.

But to see how humanity came forward against evil

To watch a leader wear the hijab with her Irish colors

Ready to ban guns and get rid of bigotry

This is the type of leaders we want, not flattery.

It's easy to pray and easier to tweet messages of condolences

But to talk, to meet, to cry, to invite, to do something like save a life 

That takes courage which we lack

Didn't we learn from Taif? Or from the wife of the wheelchair husband?

I can hardly imagine what tears the mothers carry

What pain the fathers fetch

The hurt of  a young widow

The magnanimity of the husband to forgive the terrorist

But we will prevail

The love shown by the majority of the world

The brotherhood enjoyed by the many others so far

The tears we see on the faces of even murderers

That shit is real!

Don't make us feel like victims every time hate spills

Stand up against hate wherever you are like One Love

And that will bring down the House of White supremacy!

Habeeb Alli Bio

Habeeb Alli Bio

Habeeb Alli Bio

Habeeb Alli studied at Queen's College, Guyana, before he graduated with a Masters in Islamic Theology and Arabic Language from Deoband Islamic University in India. He also holds a Diploma in Journalism from Delhi.

Habeeb is the author of twenty-six publications on Canadian Muslims, Interfaith and Poetry including the recent Scaling Heights.

He is a member of the Canadian Council of Imams and served as Secretary for six years. Mr. Alli serves on Interfaith organisations like Abraham Festival in Peterborough Ontario and honorary director of Moeen Centre for persons with disabilities in Toronto.

Imam Alli has presented on Islam in many conferences over the past twenty-five years globally and is active on social media. The Junctian Network for Community Service recognized him in April 2017 and Vigor Humanitarian Award in 2020 and the Queen Jubilee Award and Humanitarian Award by MP Chaun Chen in 2022.

He presently serves as Executive Director of the One Love Family Services in Toronto- dedicated towards  humanitarian efforts in Canada and as a Federal Chaplain in Ontario with Correctional Services Canada and Spiritual Care Coordinator at Cummers Lodge, Toronto.

Habeeb had cofounded One Love Table food hampers program during Covid and the One Love podcast.

He has helped the charity called Service to Humanity in Skeldon – which was established to keep educated the laid off sugar workers children in Guyana

 

The Chaplain is the founder of the annual One Love Gala- in recognition of successful reintegration of multi faith inmates- onelovegala.org

The Poet and Author is the current President of the Pakaraima Writers Association.

 

He sits on a number of community boards and speaks several languages including Arabic and Urdu.

 

In Guyana, Habeeb helped start the Darul Uloom in Berbice and Diamond and the reestablishment of the Mosque in Golden Grove ECD.

 

Habeeb blogs at  https://whispersofkaieteur.blogspot.com/

 

He currently  resides in Toronto with his partner.

 

7th One Love Gala 2019 recognized, among many, Warren Abbey freed after eleven years a lifer!

7^th One Love Gala 2019 recognized among many Warren Abbey freed after eleven years a lifer!

It is not often you hear of someone whose life turned upside down due to wrongful incarceration but with faith and resilience against injustice he walked away free as well as a profile of tutoring maths and science and the Quran to fellow inmates!

That was the resounding story, among many others, on Saturday night at the beautiful Elite Banquet Hall where Warren Abbey was awarded the Malcolm X award for Black History month. Malcolm X fought against anti Black racism in America in the 6o’s and this injustice against Blacks continues even after decades, like todays’ racial profiling. Warren Abbey, among others, received an applause for fighting for their freedom after believing in their truths.

Inset from left is Warren Abbey, Eddie- TV host, Joseph, Motiar-except Eddie all are former inmates and awardees; for their impactful reintegration

The evening was graced by the Keynote Ahmad Tahera from Chicago- a North Western University Interfaith Chaplain and Hon Minister of Science, Dr. Kirsty Duncan, and MP for Etobicoke North- who both touched the beautiful audience with their thoughts and compassion.

https://twitter.com/EmmanuelColleg2/status/1091867115483746306

Inset Tahera Ahmad.

The charity of choice at this year’s One Love Gala was the Looking at the Stars Foundation- founded by Dmitri Kanovich- in order to share free classical music in the prisons of Canada- 25 sessions since 2015.

Inset from left Habeeb Alli, Tushar Unadath the Emcee, Dmitri Kanovich

The diverse social started some seven years ago by Chaplain Habeeb Alli and friends, when the former federal government threatened to end diversity chaplaincy programs in federal prisons.

OneLoveGala.org

One Love Gala 2018

One Love Gala 2019: Inmates Rehabilitation

Media Release

2019-01-06

Re: Apex Consulting presents the 7th One Love Gala

One Love Gala 2019: Rehab

The One Love gala was inspired by Bob Marley’s song one love!

Some seven years ago, when diversity chaplaincy was under threat, thanks to a Minister who thought otherwise, I was sitting distraught and this song was playing. I thought to myself that we must have an event that both celebrates our work with those incarcerated and advocates for the continuation of this crucial service. The name suited it so much as interfaith leaders and people from all walks of life joined us for an evening of much love! This year’s 7^th anniversary will be held on Sat Feb. 2nd at Elite Banquet Hall 1850 Albion Rd Toronto with Keynote by the American University female Chaplain Tahera Ahmed discussing the indispensable nature of diversity chaplains prisons!

A number of inmates and chaplains as well as entertainers are in the line up.

Awards Presentations include:

Malcolm X- the late-for fighting for freedom- Warren Gambino- freed after 11 years on wrongful expert witness

Tayyibah Taylor, the late, Chaplain’s award for Social Justice- Chaplain Orev Katz- Jewish Chaplain and inclusion and diversity advocate

Ghulam Sajan-the late, humanitarian award- successful inmate reintegration- Joseph Grmovsek-after charged for financial crime

Lyla Ali – the late, single mother award - Joey Twins- innocent Cree woman freed after 27 years

Carl Jadunandan- the late, baseball youth who inspires- for successful reintegration- Motiar Mohamed- charged whilst young

Charity of choice this year is Looking at the Stars foundation that take classical music into prisons for free.

Co Chairs-

Chaplains Habeeb Alli and Julianne Martin

Contact Habeeb at 416 823 1738 or onelovegala.org

Valentine

Valentine

They say Happy Valentine

The heart of a martyr of love

Is not of blood and roses

But the sacrifice to love even in death

They say only God is love

We forget Mother’s love is the greatest

Didn’t Muhammad, on whom be peace, love besides God?

Even the flowers and ants he protected

They say there should be chocolates and flowers for each day

But how can you forget your birthday?

They why not celebrate Eid everyday?

And stop having national holidays

This love that smiles over the moon

The widow alone in her tent too

Is on fire

Full of passion, waiting to hear I love you!

Life is a mystery

The fuel of life is love

Can’t you see the Divineness

When a man meets a woman after decades of desires?

How could a child not send greetings?

Or a student writes his favorite teacher a card?

And an orphan makes a heartfelt prayer?

On the Day of Love, all and however!