05 April 2026
17 Shawwal 1447
17 Shawwal 1447
Long before the Al Rashid Foundation of Canada was established, there was a vision, a vision born not out of convenience, but out of necessity: a place where Muslims in Edmonton could gather to pray, support one another, and preserve their faith and culture in a new land.
In the early decades of the 20th century, Canada’s Muslim population was small and widely dispersed, but growing steadily. By the 1930s there were roughly 700 Muslims in the entire country, many of whom lived in and around Edmonton, drawn by economic opportunity and the city’s role as a gateway to the West. They worked as merchants, tradespeople, and labourers, and they brought with them deep commitments to community and worship.
Amidst this emerging community stood Hilwie Hamdon, a woman of quiet determination and clear purpose. Born in Lebanon and settled in Alberta with her family, Hilwie recognized that for faith to thrive, it needed a home, a dedicated place for prayer, learning, and community life. She stepped forward with courage that was unusual for her time. In an era when few women held public leadership roles, she petitioned Edmonton’s mayor for land, rallied her neighbours, and led fundraising efforts that would change the course of Canadian Muslim history.
The community responded. Muslim families contributed what they could, neighbours of other faiths offered support, and through bake sales, door-to-door collections, and personal gifts, including contributions from Indigenous, Christians and Jews, enough funds were gathered to make the dream real.
On December 12, 1938, that dream became tangible. The doors of Al Rashid Mosque opened for the first time as the first purpose-built mosque in Canada and one of the earliest in North America. It was more than a building; it was a declaration that Muslim life had a rightful place in the Canadian story. Its single dome and simple architectural lines, influenced by the backgrounds of those who built it, reflected both the community’s humility and its aspirations.
For decades, that mosque was the beating heart of Muslim life in Edmonton. It served as a centre of worship, of solidarity, of identity, and of education. Over time, as the Muslim population grew, especially after immigration reforms in the late 1960s and 1970s brought new arrivals from South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond, the community’s needs expanded.
By the 1970s and 1980s, Edmonton’s Muslim community had outgrown the original mosque. A larger mosque was constructed to serve daily prayers and communal gatherings, while the original building stood as a reminder of humble beginnings. When urban development put the original structure at risk of demolition, community leaders once again stepped forward. Mobilized by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, volunteers and advocates worked to preserve the building for future generations. Their efforts moved the historic mosque to Fort Edmonton Park in 1992, where it stands today as a testament to perseverance, cooperation, and shared heritage, not just for Muslims, but for all Canadians to understand and appreciate.
As the original mosque became a symbol of heritage and interfaith understanding, the broader community continued to grow and evolve. Edmonton’s Muslim population expanded in size and diversity, reflecting dozens of cultures and languages. New institutions emerged to meet emerging needs: schools where children could learn both faith and academic excellence, community centres offering social services and support, and programs that nurtured youth, supported families, and engaged seniors.
Over time, this constellation of institutions developed organically, shaped by community volunteers, leaders, and families who cared deeply about both their faith and their place in Canadian society. Recognizing that this growth needed leadership, vision, and stewardship, community leaders came together to establish the Al Rashid Foundation of Canada. The Foundation was created not as a departure from the mosque’s legacy, but as its natural extension, a structure that could guide, support, and sustain institutions rooted in that legacy, while enabling them to serve the evolving needs of the community with coherence, accountability, and impact.
Today, the Foundation’s story is inseparable from the people it serves. What began as a single place for prayer has become a network of faith-centred institutions that educate children, support families, empower leaders, and contribute to the social fabric of Edmonton and Canada. The spirit that drove early pioneers like Hilwie Hamdon, the spirit of courage, collaboration, and service, continues to define the community’s growth and aspirations.
Together, these milestones tell the story of how Al Rashid grew, steadily, intentionally, and always rooted in service.
1830s–1840s – Mahommah Gardo Baquaqua, a West African Muslim, passed through Canada after escaping enslavement in the Americas. He was literate in Arabic and practiced Islam, representing one of the earliest recorded Muslim presences connected to Canada.
1854 – Sheikh Abdullah, recognized as the first recorded Muslim immigrant to Canada, settled in London, Ontario.
1871 – The Canadian Census recorded 13 European Muslims living in Canada, including European converts to Islam.
1901 – The census reported 47 Muslims living in Canada, including Ali Hamdon, who later moved to Edmonton in 1907. His wife, Hilwie Hamdon, joined him in 1922 and later became a key fundraiser for the original Al Rashid Mosque.
1905 – Sine Kassim Chadi arrived in Canada after hearing about the Klondike Gold Rush while living in Lebanon.
1930 – The Muslim community in Edmonton began fundraising to purchase land for what would become Canada’s first mosque, led largely by women and supported by the wider community.
1931 – The census reported 10,070 people of Arabic origin in Canada, 645 of whom were Muslim. Al Rashid’s first imam, Najjib Ali al-Hadjar (James Ailley), later settled in Edmonton.
1938 – On December 12, Al Rashid Mosque officially opened, becoming the first purpose-built mosque in Canada and one of the earliest in North America.
1941 – The Arabian Muslim Association was registered as the first formal organization representing Edmonton’s Muslim community.
1946 – The original Al Rashid Mosque building was relocated to accommodate the expansion of Victoria High School.
1962 – Abraham Hussain Faris was credited with holding the first car cell phone in Canada, and Lila Ghanem Falman became the first Muslim woman to earn a university degree at the University of Alberta and later the first woman in Canada to earn a PhD in Psychology.
1963 – Al Rashid Mosque marked its 25th anniversary with a celebration attended by the Ambassador of the United Arab Republic to Canada.
1975 – Edward Saddy was appointed Canada’s first Muslim judge, and Larry Shaben became Canada’s first Muslim cabinet minister.
1978 – Planning began for the design and construction of a new Al Rashid Mosque to serve future generations.
1980 – Construction of the new Al Rashid Mosque began as Edmonton’s Muslim population exceeded 20,000.
1982 – A larger Al Rashid Mosque officially opened, establishing Al Rashid as the Mother Mosque of Canada and serving as a foundation for grassroots initiatives nationwide.
1983 – World-renowned boxer Muhammad Ali visited and celebrated with the community at the new Al Rashid Mosque.
1984 – Canada’s first mosque minaret was added to Al Rashid Mosque, and the Muslim Youth Club (MYC), Alberta’s first Muslim youth organization, was established.
1987 – The Edmonton Islamic School Society was formed, launching an accredited private school program with 15 students.
1992 – The original Al Rashid Mosque was preserved and relocated to Fort Edmonton Park, and the Islamic Funeral Society was established.
1993 – Mana Ali became the first Muslim social worker to serve the Edmonton community.
1996 – Al Rashid Mosque celebrated its 60th anniversary at Fort Edmonton Park.
1997 – The Al Rashid Cultural Association (ARCA) was established, now known as the Al Rashid Banquet Facility.
1998 – The Edmonton Muslim Cemetery was purchased, preserving Islamic burial traditions across nearly 100 acres.
2003 – Helping Hands Ladies Society was formed, continuing a legacy of women-led community service.
2004 – Groundbreaking took place for the Edmonton Islamic Academy, the first state-of-the-art private Islamic school built in North America.
2007 – Edmonton Islamic Academy officially opened, serving as both an educational institution and a community hub.
2011 – Imam Al Shatibi Quran Institute was founded, expanding access to lifelong Quranic education and certifying over 100 hafiz students.
2012 – Al Rashid Mosque celebrated a major financial milestone by closing an $11 million loan and launched the national outreach campaign “Muhammad ﷺ: You Deserve to Know Him.”
2013 – The Al Rashid Educational Foundation was established, and Canada’s first Islamic Senior Society was registered.
2015 – Edmonton Islamic Resource Centre, now known as the We Care Unit, was established to support newcomers and vulnerable Edmontonians.
2017 – The Al Rashid Childcare Society was established and later expanded into a full Early Childhood Development Centre.
2024 – A major restoration of Al Rashid Mosque was completed, preserving its historic legacy while enhancing its capacity for the future.
The creation of the Al Rashid Foundation of Canada marked a new chapter, not a departure from the past, but its natural continuation.
After decades of organic growth, community leaders recognized the need for long-term stewardship: a structure that could provide governance, alignment, and sustainability while honouring the independence and purpose of each institution. The Foundation was created to carry forward what generations had built, ensuring that services remained strong, accountable, and responsive in an increasingly complex world.
Today, the Foundation exists to safeguard a legacy nearly a century in the making, so that future generations inherit not only buildings and programs, but a community grounded in faith, service, and responsibility.
Our story is not finished. It continues with every child educated, every family supported, every elder cared for, and every act of service rooted in faith and compassion.
What began with courage, cooperation, and belief continues today with intention, leadership, and care, guided by the same spirit that opened the doors of Canada’s first mosque nearly one hundred years ago.
