SYED JAWED ANWAR

A LARGE number of Muslim community members living in North America considers building a Masjid as the greatest rewarding deed on this earth. They spent millions of dollars in building and hundreds of thousands of dollars in decorations and erecting high minarets. They spent hundreds of hours in volunteering for these Masajid. However, does any one of them ever think for a second whether the second or third generations would be able s to pray in these Masajid? A group of the Muslim community also looks very active in charity organizations. However, the question is, can these charity organizations help their next generation to protect their Eiman (faith)? There are some other Muslim groups, political activists, and so-called intellectuals issuing fatwas that enter into mainstream politics by joining secular-liberal political system and parties and casting votes as the most important factors to enter into “Jannah” (Paradise).

It troubles me when I see that not a single group/organization/Masjid shows any serious concern to the 99.5 % children who are going to public education system. Can you predict the final product (personality) that the machine of public education system, curriculum, and the environment will produce? Do you know what kind of life styles your most loved ones are going to adopt? Do you know how far or close they will be from their deen, values, and moral systems? Do you know what percentage of eiman (faith) your dearest ones can salvage after passing through this education system? Can you forecast the level of faith in your third generation from today? Can you feel and smell the poisonous spiritual winds flowing around you?

Let me discuss this poisonous wind.

When we (Muslims) fulfilled our “responsibility to vote” and earn a “ticket to Paradise” (pointing to one of the article of the political writers of the Muslim community published recently) in 2003 from Don Valley West, Toronto, Kathleen Wynne won the seat of Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Canada), and was elected as a MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament).

She was appointed parliamentary assistant  to Minister of Training, College and Universities, Mary Anne Chambers. In October 2004, she was appointed parliamentary assistant to Minister of Education, Gerard Kennedy. On September 18, 2006, she was promoted to Ontario Minister of Education.

She has many “credits” in her fold:

First, she is the province's first openly lesbian cabinet minister, and only the second openlyLGBT cabinet minister after cabinet colleague George Smitherman. It should also be noted here that when Smitherman was the Mayoral candidate in 2010 Toronto City Election, several Muslim leaders, Imams, Presidents of Masajid, openly supported and appealed Muslims to vote George Smitherman.

Second, Kathleen Wynne and George Smitherman  both has credit to coin the idea of legislation of same-sex marriage for the first time in Canadian history, and latest phenomenon in the world history. Homosexuality has been first time known in the history thousands of year ago in the era of one of the messengers of Allah, Lot (Lut, peace be upon him). Lot (a.w.) was sent to the nation to stop this practice.

Al-Quran: 029.028-29 And (remember) Lut: behold, he said to his people: "Ye do commit lewdness, such as no people in Creation (ever) committed before you. Do ye indeed approach men, and cut off the highway?- and practice wickedness (even) in your councils?" But his people gave no answer but this: they said: "Bring us the Wrath of God if thou tellest the truth.”

Al-Quran: 026.165-166 "Of all the creatures in the world, will ye approach males, And leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay, ye are a people transgressing (all limits)!"

Al-Quran: 027.055 Would ye really approach men in your lusts rather than women? Nay, ye are a people (grossly) ignorant!

However, even those extremely ignorant, perverted, and transgressors of the past never thought and asked for “same-sex marriage” legislation. For this, “kudos” goes to modern perverts and Ontario ministers.

Due to aggressive and pro-active effort of Kathleen Wynne and George Smitherman, On February 24, 2005, Bill 171, An Act to amend various statutes in respect of spousal relationships[2] (same-sex marriage) was passed in the provincial legislature. However, same-sex marriage was legally recognized in the Ontario province on June 10, 2003.

On July 20, 2005, in Liberal era, Canada befalls the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas  to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition. Court decisions, starting in 2003, each already legalized same-sex marriage in eight out of ten provincesand one of three territories, whose residents comprised about 90% of Canada's population. Before passage of the Act, more than 3,000 same-sex couples had already married in those areas. Most legal benefits commonly associated with marriagehad been extended to cohabiting same-sex couples since 1999.

After being victorious in same-sex marriage and spousal legalities, when Kathleen Wynne returned her riding Don Valley West as an incumbent candidate for 2008 Provincial Assembly Election, the management of the Masjid in Thorncliffe Park opened their hearts and warmly welcomed the lady. Several Imams, Muslim Political commentators/writers, Liberal members of the Islamic groups, and the Muslim community as a whole with few exceptions largely supported and voted Kathleen Wynne.

She was proud with the level of full and active support rendered to her by the religious community particularly the Muslim community.

After the legislation of same-sex marriage and after appointed as the education minister of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne has vision to see the children of all colors and communities to adapt the life style which she and her son chose.  To promote any life style, it is important to inculcate it into the education curriculum and school culture. Hence, within three years the Ontario education ministry prepared new sex curriculum. To avoid the possible outbursts from the parents, the “clever” minister changed her ministry and moved to the Ministry of Transportation on January 18, 2010.  In April, 2010 the new sex education curriculum was introduced in all Ontario boards/public schools.

The new sex education curriculum will teach 11-year-olds about oral and anal sex and eight-year-olds about sexual orientation and identity. Children in Grade 1 will be taught to identify male and female genitalia, where the previous curriculum referred only generally to body parts. In Grade 3, students will learn about visible differences and invisible differences between people, such as learning abilities, gender identity and sexual orientation. To little eight-year-olds, they're going to be taught they look one way on the outside but they may be the opposite on the inside. In a simple word they are going to corrupt and instigate your innocent and clean children to adopt LGBT life style. This curriculum introduces possible "teacher prompts" that, although not mandatory, suggest how instructors can address issues such as same-sex parents and masturbation.

After introducing new sex curriculum in 2010, the Ontario government forecasted the natural, possible, behavioral problems among those children who will pervert and adopt this new sex life style. They smartly coined the word “bullying” and started hues and cries from the beginning. The purpose was very clear; in the name of bullying and protecting the children, they have to facilitate the children to adopt new sex life without any shame and with full confidence and pride.

To promote the shameful sexual behavior and pride in the children and youth, the bill 13 which includes Gay-Straight Alliance clubs in all schools, including Catholic schools, has passed third and final reading in the Ontario legislature with a vote result of 65-36 on June 5. The Liberals and NDP voted in favour of it, while the Conservatives voted against it.

The Government and the liberal media say it is an “anti-bullying legislation.” However, simply, it is gays and government bullying against parents. We parents of Ontario have to struggle hard now to protect our children from gays bullying, the poisonous forced shots, and extremely polluted spiritual environment of our schools after bill 13.

I am suggesting Parents of Ontario take the following actions:

Short-term

1. Write and submit applications to the Principal and the class teacher of your child to exempt your child completely from the sex-education of Health and Physical Education. Protect them from the bill 13.
2. Bring the issues in your School Council meetings repeatedly, write down the minutes and post at your school websites.  The School Council (the body of the parents in the school) has right to debate and post it on the school website.
3. React with your concern by sending e-mails, making phone calls to your MPPs, School Trustees, the Ministers and the Chief Minister.
4. Start a mass campaign against sex curriculum and Bill 13 with all faith/non-faith groups. Boycott all those politicians who supported and favoured the sex-curriculum and bill 13. Make it clear to them that we may not have any option other than withdrawing our children from the public school systems.

Long-term

1. Explain to the government that it has completely failed to provide an education system that fulfills the aspiration of the parents. Insist that the government retire itself from this task and allow all the faith groups and communities to build and develop their educational boards and schools. The government should give us back our tax money so that we can manage our own boards/schools. Government should allocate funds on per child basis to each board/school. It is better to shut down Ministry of Education in long run.
2. Muslims and other faith groups must take some revolutionary steps to get back the education system under their own control. In the first step, we should take KG to 8 and in the second stage grade 8th to 12th.

We Muslims must know that to get back education system in our hands, it must be free and qualitative. We can use our Masajid where, from Fajr (early Morning Prayer) to Isha (night prayer), the premises might be used in education and teaching, and learning activities. We have to bring back our centuries-old tradition of unification of Masjid and school. Acquiring knowledge/education is mandatory in Islam and compulsory fees can’t be charged in any obligatory deeds.  As Masjid is open for all, donors and non donors, the school must be open to all children and without mandatory fees.  Before colonial period we were doing it everywhere; free quality education, with or without support of the governments.

As the barkah (blessing) comes in building Masajid with good intention, the same blessing will expand to the school/education projects. Good intention and clean heart are the only precondition.

(Syed Jawed Anwar can be reached at jawed@seerahwest.com)