Raheel Raza

Sometimes commitments in my day book come only to my conscious attention when I peruse the listings for the day. Others will hover in my consciousness for days in advance because of the excitement generated by the importance I have given the engagement. The appointment I had to meet with Raheel Raza was one of those enjoyably anticipated events.

We met in the coffee shop of First Canadian Place at 100 King Street , Toronto . The ground floor is an expansive open space, bustling with activity, yet pervaded by a sense of solidness. So too the nature of the woman I was to meet.

In exploring her website and by observing her at various Interfaith events I could not help but note the expansiveness of her ideas and the openness of mind she holds for others and for their ideas. Her life is full of activity and the activity flows from the strength of her own character and the firmness of her beliefs.

Meeting her in person did not take away from these initial observations. She is a gracious woman, full of energy, certain of her beliefs, and firm in trusting the direction of her life.

“What I want people to know about me is that I am a builder of bridges.” She said without being asked. And so she is: a committed activist in the Interfaith Movement; she hold firmly to her beloved Islamic faith and practice. All the while she is opening herself to the 'banquet tables' of the other world faiths which have found root in Toronto .

As a devout Muslim she gives a voice to the Moderate Muslims, who are, she says, well and active, despite some public questioning as to their existence.

As a proud Canadian she works towards that day when we will move from "tolerance" to "acceptance". That day when we are all connected through love, yet remaining whole within our own belief systems.

She is the author of Their Jihad... Not My Jihad!

Concerning which one reviewer says:

"That Jihad has multifarious meanings and interpretations is clearly brought out in the book ' Your Jihad....not my Jihad'. Raheel Raza's analysis of the struggle and striving of man in fighting the evil, of both within and without, clearly reveals the normative and contextual side of a very fundamental human emotion. She goes into the effects of the defects of taking the political manifestation of Jihad to extremes. She emphatically states that:
" Suicide bombings challenge two fundamental principles of Islamic ethics: the prohibitions against suicide and the deliberate killing of non-combatants. The Qur'an states clearly that killing one person is like killing all of humanity and taking your own life is a sin."

She tackles the various types of Jihad's like 'the political jihad',' the gender jihad', and ' Spiritual Jihad' in ample detail, giving relevant examples. There are two predominant scenarios Raheel has deliberated upon, her country of origin - Pakistan , and her country of adoption - Canada , and dwells on bridging the gap between the East and the West. She practices the method of 'One on One' for both reproach and approach, and promotes it through her direct contact with people of various faiths and ideologies.” (Review by Ziauddin Ahmed)

A short biography follows on the next column, it is taken from Raheel’s website. I also invite readers to read a full profile of Raheel on her website by following the link at the end.

Raheel Raza

ABOUT

RAHEEL RAZA

(excerpt from her website)

“Raheel Raza is an award winning writer, professional speaker, diversity consultant and interfaith advocate.

Raza bridges the gap between East and West, promoting cultural and religious diversity. She has appeared in print, on television and radio to discuss diversity, harmony and interfaith. In a presentation to Members of Parliament and international diplomats at the House of Commons, Raza received a standing ovation for her speech called "Celebrating our Differences".

Raza has received many awards for her work to build bridges of understanding. She is a recipient of the City of Toronto ’s Constance Hamilton Award and is the first South Asian woman to narrate a CBC documentary on “Passionate Eye”. A fervent advocate for human rights, Raza is the first Muslim woman in Canada to lead mixed gender prayers.

Growing up in a culture where women were supposed to “be seen and not heard”, Raza turned to writing at a young age and is a freelance journalist. Travelling extensively throughout the world, Raza brings a fresh global perspective to her mandate “there is unity in diversity”.

In Canada Raza has spoken at places of worship, the private sector, the Justice Department, School Boards and government institutions. She has also been invited to speak at Universities in USA and Canada , including Harvard and Columbia .”

Raheel Raza, Detailed Profile