The Airdrie Food Bank received 530 pounds of food last week from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women of Airdrie, as part of Islamic Heritage Month in October.
The group has held its Ramadan food drive in April for the last four years, but this is the first time they’ve done a food drive during Islamic Heritage month, said Sairah Khan, the volunteer organizer for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women.
“Islamic heritage month is a time to celebrate, inform, and engage with the Islamic history and culture,” Khan said. “And the contributions that Muslim people have made in Canada.”
Khan said the group saw the plea from the Airdrie Food Bank in early September about low donations, and decided that a food drive would be in line with the islamic teachings.
Those teachings are about helping neighbours, helping the community, and feeding those in need, she said.
By going around to pick up donations and having people within their community drop off donations, they were able to collect 530 pounds of food, which is what they were aiming for.
Sharing their peaceful message with schools and businesses was also part of Islamic Heritage Month, Khan said.
“We were able to do a display [at the school] in Hillcrest and we've been able to do a presentation at Bert Church [High School] as well to present the teachings of Islam,” Khan said. “As well as at the Airdrie Public Library at the beginning of the month– we had a week-long display there on Islamic heritage artifacts.”
One event held at the Airdrie Public Library was called “Ask an Imam,” where the public could come in to ask questions about Islam, talk about what they’d heard, or clear up misunderstandings.
An Imam is a religious leader in the Islamic religion and the person who leads prayers in a mosque.
October was first declared Islamic Heritage Month by the federal government in 2007, but was also recognized in Airdrie.
Mayor Peter Brown proclaimed October in Airdrie as Islamic Heritage Month during the Oct. 16 council meeting.
Khan said the public is welcome to find out more about the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women of Airdrie or the Islamic religion in general by contacting the group. Find the Airdrie Islamic Centre on Facebook.
