"And who is better in speech than he who calls mankind to Allah, does righteous deeds and says: I am one of the Muslims." Translation of Meaning of the Qur-an, Sura Fussilat, Aya (33)

Narrated by Anas ibnou Malik that the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) said:

"Seeking knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim." Sunan Ibnu Majah

THE ISLAMIC INFORMATION CENTER

In the Summer of 1995, a group of concerned Members of the Greater Vancouver Muslim Community, started conducting feasibility study on the establishment of a Dawa Center, to cater for the needs of Muslims and to invite non-Muslims to the true Religion.

Considering the fact that there was no Islamic Center in New Westminister, Burnaby, North or East Vancouver, this led to a series of discussions and meetings, and the search started for a highly visible and centeraly located place.

In October 1995 a suitable place was found in East Vancouver on busy Kingsway, bordering Burnaby, New Westminister and North Vancouver. An agreement was signed to lease the upper floor for three years. After extensive renovation, The Islamic Information Center opened its doors to all Muslims in the Lower Mainland, November 01st, 1995.

Friday November 3rd, 1995 the Athan for the first Juma'a prayer at the Islamic Information Center was proclaimed, and little over 40 Muslims attended; But after few months, the place was so crowded that the lower floor was rented as well, to keep up with the growing number of Muslims and to keep up with the Center's activities. Later the place was purchased.

If we wanted to mention all the activities that have been organized by the Islamic Information Center, that would take too long, instead we will list some of the services that are offered by the Islamic Information Center:

" Daily prayers

" Jumu'a prayer

" Taraweeh prayer

" Eid prayer

" Iftar in Ramadan

" Lectures, seminars and workshops

" Camps

" In door and out door sport activities

" Swimming

" Weekly Qur'an and Arabic classes

" The famous: Introduction to Islam. Through this course tens of non-Muslims turned to Islam.

" Counseling

" Seminars on Islam for students in public schools

" Weekly Halaqa in different languages

" A library with a large number of Islamic books and tapes in several languages

The list can go on and on, and all this is due the blessing of Allah subhanahu wata'ala and then to the hard work of many volunteers.

The committee that established the Islamic Information Center and the Iqra Islamic School in Surrey, BC is assessing the present state of affairs and planning for the future to keep up with the need of the ever-increasing number of Muslims in this part of the world.

Dear brothers and sisters, yes the Islamic Information Center is debt free, but we still need your assistance to maintain the center and to pay the ongoing bills, we need your dua'a and your continual support, financially and physically, to enable us to carry on with our mission:

THE DAWA TO THE TRUE RELIGION, ISLAM

Wassalamu alikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.