This was an editorial I wrote regarding Muslim charities in Canada and how they are being treated by the Canada Revenue Agency. It was published by the National Post and can be read over here.

The CRA’s approach to countering radicalization jeopardizes the effectiveness of the government’s overall efforts and is at odds with Canada’s national strategy on countering radicalization to violence, which recognizes the significance of empowering faith communities as a vital component of countering radicalization.

As an imam with over a decade of experience in this area, I have assisted my community to directly work with CSIS and the RCMP. I have dedicated countless hours to guiding young people in celebrating Canada as their own and stress to them that they are just like everyone else, and are thus deserving of the same rights and opportunities. I have witnessed thousands of young individuals become proud, contributing members of Canadian society. Yet I have also seen a few lose their way and struggle to fully connect with their identity as Canadians.

The CRA’s actions are causing profound harm to Muslims in Canada by treating the community as the “other.” The reality is that the revocation of the charitable status of Muslim charities only serves to alienate Canadian youth, which undermines the government’s efforts to advance integration and prevent radicalization to violence.

This is a paper I wrote with Dr. Stephanie Carvin from Carleton University. It was published by the Organization for the Prevention of Violence and can be read over here . If you’d like a PDF copy you can download it from here.

From the Introduction

Hate, unfortunately, has a home in Canada. Over the course of the last several years there has been a surge in hate crimes, many of which target the Muslim Community.

In January of 2017, six individuals —Ibrahima Barry (39 years old), Mamadou Tanou Barry (42 years old), Khaled Belkacemi (60 years old), Aboubaker Thabti (44 years old), AbdelKrim Hassane (41 years old), and Azzedine Soufiane (57 years old)— were shot and killed, and 19 others wounded in an attack on a mosque by Alexandre Bissonnette in Quebec City.

In September of 2020 International Muslim Organization Mosque caretaker Mohamed Aslam Zafis (58 years old) had his throat slit outside of the Rexdale area mosque in Ontario.

Then in June of 2021 the Afzaal family in London, Ontario, was struck by a pickup truck while taking a leisurely walk. Salman, (46 years old), Talat, (74 years old), Madiha (44 years old), and Yumna (15 years old) were all killed. Fayez (9 years old) survived the attack, having lost his father, mother, sister, and grandmother.

There have been ongoing hate crimes against Muslims, such as a series of attacks against hijab wearing Black Muslim women in Alberta. The pandemic may have accelerated this worrying trend, with Statistics Canada data indicating that police-reported hate crimes rising 37% in 2020.2

The purpose of the paper is to provide an overview of the far-right extremist ecosystem in Canada that can serve as a resource for the Muslim community, as well as other groups and individuals who seek to better inform themselves for the purpose of countering this threat. It also seeks to advance ideas for how to counter this threat, while appreciating the complexity of the phenomenon.

It provides an overview of far-right extremism, a history of these movements in Canada, an overview of far-right movements today and policy ideas that may further action by all levels of government, and communities themselves.

With 20 years having passed by what lessons can we learn in the Canadian context. I was fortunate to join former ambassadors Kerry Buck (NATO) and Sabine Nolke (Neatherlands), as well as Tabassum Akseer from the Asia Foundation.

Watch here.

One of my first Media interviews in 2015 where I address why some Canadians joining DAESH and going down a path of violent extremism. I address the importance of having purpose and meaning in life, as well as taking a whole society approach.

Watch here.

This was an editorial I wrote with Dr. Stephanie Carvin from Carleton University. It was published by the Globe and Mail and can be read over here.

Meaningful discussion about the impact of national security practices could also go some way toward establishing or building back trust in the places where it has been damaged. Trust continues to be the social license that national security agencies in democracies require, and while some may hope that time will simply heal all wounds, the process cannot begin without sincere efforts at understanding.

I was interviewed by Dr. Stephanie Carvin for this episode. Where we spoke about about the double standards, the use of language, and how do we counter Islamophobia in the Canadian National Security Context. You can listen to it here