Fraserview Muslim Community Services

Introduction:

The South Vancouver area in Lower Mainland of British Columbia, province of Canada has always been an attractive district for immigrants from all over the world; particularly immigrants from Southern Asia and Middle Eastern countries. Due to the rapid growth of Muslim population in this area, the need of a Muslim community centre/masjid has been growing for the past many years.

Fraserview Muslim Community Services (FMCS) was registered as non-profit organization under the society’s act of province of British Columbia, Canada in April, 2008. Currently FMCS is renting a temporary hall in a basement located at 6436 Fraser Street in Vancouver to serve local Muslim population for their 5 times prayer needs and other community events. This facility can only accommodate about 150-200 people at a time. On Jumma/Friday prayer this space is not enough and we borrow the adjacent parking lot to accommodate the worshippers. Currently, in other services, FMCS provides food to needy families, immigrant related services, Nikkah services, funeral services and in the month of Ramadan, daily free Iftar dinner to everybody.

Muslim population in this area growing rapidly and the society needs a proper and bigger place for 5 times prayers, Quran Classes and other community events. FMCS is committed to serve the local Muslim population and have been looking for a land or pre-built facility to accommodate about 400-600 people

at a time . Fortunately we have found a land comprised of three old houses in the same neighbourhood. This land is located in the city of Vancouver public assembly zoning area. FMCS is very keen to acquire this land and build a full service community centre and Masjid. Approximate cost of the facility is estimated at $CND 7,000,000.00 including the land and construction. Local Muslim community in the area are unable to ``raise such a huge amount. Therefore, Brothers and sisters, FMCS is appealing you to participate in this noble cause, and contribute generously, so we can bring this dream to a reality. We

will have full-time staff to co-ordinate all our activities and be accountable to you, our sponsors, supporters & donors.

Activities and Programs of the centre:

This community service center will be a full time service and learning facility operating in Vancouver. Having all necessary requirements in place, this center will have full time Masjid and a singular focus on providing a unique atmosphere of learning for kids, youth and adults. Having a thriving center full of activities, many other programs will be offered for the adults and seniors. Furthermore, The Fraserview Muslim Community Services is committed in providing creative programs geared to attract our youth and adults alike.

Quran Lessons: At The Fraserview Muslim Community Services , We realize that educating our youth and adults is also an important need for our growing and diverse community. A healthy learning environment for a child is where the adults themselves are involved in educating themselves and thus provide a cordial learning atmosphere at home. This program will be specially designed for the youth and adults who would like to further enrich their Islamic knowledge, or start at an entry level and continually progress at their own pace. We all know (and preach) that the Quran has all the answers.

This program will offer insights into the miracle that The Quran actually is. The adults will be institutively challenged and their curiosity constantly aroused in this exciting learning session with the teachers who are fully versed in the Quran and a North American perspective.

The outline of the academic as well as other programs, which will be developed and offered, are outlined in this brochure:

Full time Masjid: Five time prayers will be offered by a certified Aalim.

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An in depth Quran study program:

This will include a series of subjects pertaining to religion and worldly affairs that will prove beneficial to the youth and will foster a spirit of learning and sharing of knowledge. Students will also enjoy a “Canadian Muslim” perspective and will be taught in such a manner that the child can take greater interest and responsibility in dealing with his own community as well as at local and national levels. Students will enjoy many extracurricular activities such as various field trips, swimming and more, with an emphasis in maintaining an Islamic environment.

Youth Programs / Sports:

Among many other things, this program will enhance teamwork, and communication among youth. The first program will be launched under the name of “Naseeha” (counselling) and it will be on one-on-one base by a qualified counsellor. Other activities will include physical games, such as cricket, basketball, table-tennis, etc. to attract the youth in a fun filled learning environment. The center will create an environment where “role-model” and “mentor” type youth will be of incredible use in shaping the behavior and actions of our youngsters.

Islamic Awareness Program - Dawah:

This center will leverage the life-experience of new Muslims and other creative “Islamic-Marketing” concepts to promote Islam to our larger community. A full-time staff member will administer this program. We have all heard so many times that Islam is the fastest growing religion on the planet. As Muslims, we take pride in this fact. But how often do we think back and ask ourselves this question, “What have I done to propagate Islam”? We read in the papers or watch on TV about many incorrect and absurd things that the media ties in Islam and Muslims. Like most people, we get upset and mad about these false accusations. And moments later, we flip the page or the channel and carry on, not bothering to instigate a change. Below are some of our program overviews that will be highly productive with the community’s involvement.

• Leverage Holiday Season (Eid) programs with neighbours.• Door to door concussing and distributing Islamic literature.• Community volunteer work at Hospital, Food Banks, working with other mainstream

organizations in getting the names (and values) of Muslim volunteers out to the public.• Website and internet technology for easy access to marketing.• Toll free calling numbers for providing quick information.• Interfaith dialogue.• Islamic information sessions (Dawah activities) at shopping malls, libraries, etc.• Other creative means of reaching out to the Canadian public such as TV ads, radio, sponsorships

and print advertising.

At The Fraserview Muslim Community Services, we are striving to provide leadership in the field of creative Dawa programs. We have a full-time staff to give undivided attention to this very important part of Islam.

Elders To The Masjid:

All too often those who have spent their lives tending to us in childhood are neglected as they grow older. We strive to turn this around and offer a series of activities designed with them in mind. This program is designed to bring the elders of the Muslim community together in a laid back, low impact environment. This program will be designed to enhance community spirit and to show respect and reverence for our elders. The first phase of this program helps provide transportation for our elders to the masjid and for Jummah prayers. Subsequently, we will be launching other programs based on our elder’s community needs and feedback.

Bookstore/Library/ Internet Cafe:

Our facility will be large enough to have a comfortable atmosphere for drop-in members of our community. An onsite library and bookstore will have books for all types of readers. A café will serve snacks, tea and coffee to add to the ambiance of an enjoyable place to sit back, relax and read your favorite books. Our internet cafe will provide a place for web-surfing, homework & employment searches. The Fraserview Muslim Community Center is gearing up to include a huge collection of books on every aspect of our learning curve. From traditional Islamic works to more modern works by western authors, this center will have books for all ages.

Our intention is to have diverse selection so that people can find their favorite title with ease. Many creative marketing programs will be launched to encourage our community to bring their kids and encourage in reading.

Membership to our library will be available to all members of our community.

The Community Benefits:

• Full-time staff will manage the facility.• Open 7 days a week.• Huge selection of reading materials.• Video and CD selection• Membership• Books in English, Arabic and Urdu.

Kitchen :

Keeping in the theme of a unique environment and experience, The Fraserview Muslim Community Services will also have a fully equipped Kitchen for the enjoyment of our guests and events.

• Tea, coffee, cold drinks• Sandwiches & samosas• Comfortable seating area• Family environment (Girls & Boys Separate)• Lunch and dinner also available.

The QURAN Academy (Girls Program ):

We feel that empowering our young girls with Islamic knowledge is the first step towards helping our community benefit from the immense energy and organizational capabilities of our future mothers. The Quran Academy Girls program is aimed at young girls from grades 8-12. This program is specially formulated to strengthen the Islamic belief, providing a practical guide to the years ahead of them and positively reinforcing their role in society. The driving force behind any civilization is the participation of its women. Both the Quran & Sunnah have referred to many instances where female involvement has been given high importance. Yet we find that our sisters are either not encouraged or welcomed to participate in shaping our community. Our community has many examples of centers & institutions that discourage female participation; either by restricting the access or creating useless rules that are bound to produce inactivity.

In this regard The Fraserview Muslim Community Services will be starting a girls program aimed at strengthening the Islamic belief, providing a practical guide to the years ahead of them and positively reinforcing their role in our community.

Highlights of the Program:

• Female-only environment• Qualified & experienced teachers.• Curriculum related materials (Library)• Creative programs• Tafseer• Hadith• Fiqah• Seerah• Early childhood Education Program• First Aid training

Muslim Youth Help Line:

Naseeha (counselling) will be a Telephone advice and support service for teens. This important initiative is a result of our community’s realization that our youth are our future and they face similar issues and challenges as other canadian kids. Youth Help Line will be at telephone advice and support service for teenage boys and girls on every question about life. Our youth have all kinds of questions that they do not feel comfortable asking a parent. Our specially trained staff will provide assistance on a one-on-one basis to guide them and provide answers and that the callers can relate with. In addition to networking with the youth Naseeha will also be at the forefront of other youth activities:

• Organizing seminars and workshops on youth related issues.• Providing an Islamic referral service.• Building relationships with various youth organizations.• Setup resources to provide statistical data for issues related to our youth.• Sponsorship for school graduation scholarship program.

Leadership Training and Coaching:

Creative and new idea based leadership-training programs and camps will be organized by The Fraserview Muslim Community Services for our senior youth on an ongoing basis. A Camp-like environment will be selected to provide some of these programs and industry experts will be among the session leaders. The idea here is to empower the youth with real-life leadership skills so they can excel in life as a worker, business person, community activist and at home.

Role Model and Mentorship:

The center will create an environment where “role model” and “mentor” type mature youth will be of incredible use in shaping the behavior and actions of our children.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We believe these programs will be of benefit to our community and children. Many thanks for your time and consideration. May Allah (swt) bless us all.

As you can see from the above efforts of this center, we are very committed to providing our children and adults with the best Islamic education so they can confidently pursue their career and life path. This is a large undertaking and since our children’s education is the main focus, we will carefully select our team to lead the programs. We are very confident that, Insha Allah, your child or a loved one will benefit from this center. We strive to provide the excellent programs, a good environment and qualified staff. All these can only be implemented successfully with your support. Please take a moment to carefully reflect on where you want your donations to go. We believe that investing in our children now will ensure that our Mosques will remain filled and vibrant in the years to come.

May Allah accept our humble efforts and shower His mercy and blessings on all of us. Ameen.

For additional information, please contact:

The Fraserview Muslim Community Services 6436 Fraser Street, Vancouver, B.C, V5W 3A4CANADA

PHONE: 604-351-2777 604-780-9121

Fax: 604-215-9211

Email: thefmcs@yahoo.ca www.thefmcs.ca

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The Fraserview Muslim Community Services

6436 Fraser Street, Vancouver, B.C,

CANADA, V5W 3A4

Email: thefmcs@yahoo.ca

Website: www.thefmcs.ca