Report: Naeem ur Rahman, Mississauga

Photos: Zahoor Hyder

On July 15th, a Haya Day Rally was held at Celebration Square in the city of Mississauga, Canada, in which a large number of people from the Greater Toronto Area participated. The majority of participants in the rally were Muslims, but Christians and people of other faith groups also took part. This rally was a protest against the increasing sexual disorientation and gender apostasy, particularly the promotion of gender confusion among children in schools. The rally was organized by the Seerah Education Foundation.

"Our children, our Choice; Our Religion, Our Choice, Gender Is not a Choice" echoed in the rally.

Jawed Anwar, the president of Seerah Education Foundation, said, "In Canada, through the promotion of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) in schools, children are being misled, and efforts are being made to corrupt their gender and sexuality. There are systematic attempts to make boys behave like girls and girls behave like boys. The entire school system has been transformed in this manner. Over the past 20 years, through different bills passed in the assemblies and legislation at the provincial and federal levels, the rights of parents and religious families who uphold these values have been taken away. Unfortunately, Muslim organizations and their leaders did not pay attention to this issue during all these periods and remained entangled in their internal affairs. But now, the tide has turned. Haya Day is, in fact, a public proclamation of the message of modesty in Islam and against all forms of sexual deviance and gender apostasy/confusion."

Hafiz Prof. Fazil Ali, the Vice President of Seerah Education Foundation, said that Haya Day is, in essence, the beginning of our Quranic responsibility to command good and forbid evil.

Naeem ur Rahamn, an active member of the Haya Day organizing committee, said that despite the extremely irresponsible and threatening statements made by Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie against the rally, we have announced our participation in the rally on a large scale. We are not deterred by your threats. In this country, we have constitutional rights to practice our religion and freely express and propagate it. In Shaa Allah, we will hold Haya Day Parade here every year in the month of June.

The slogans and placards of the rally:

Haya Is My Pride, Haya: A Reflection of Inner Strength and Dignity, Haya is My Strength!  It Empowers Me! I am Confident!, Haya and Hijab: Our Symbol of Modesty and Respect, Stop SOGI, Stop Indoctrination, Haya: Adorning Our Hearts and Actions, Haya and Hijab are Our Pride, STOP Indoctrination of Children in Schools, Stop SOGI, Stop Indoctrination, Stop Bullying Parents, Don't Deprive Parents; They Have Rights over Their Children, Separating Parents and Children Destroys Families and Society, Parents are the Rightful Owner of their Children Not other Institution,, Don't Mess with Our Children, God Sent Me with a Gender   Don’t Confuse Me, Protect Innocence Preserve Childhood, Educate   Not Indoctrinate, Say No to New Gender Beliefs!, Stand Strong, Keep Children from Wrong!, Protecting Childhood: Shielding Innocence, Haya: Preserving Our Honor and Integrity, Modesty Reflects Inner Beauty: Let Haya Shine, Students have the Right to Hold and Manifest Religious Beliefs.