Originally written for MuslimMatters
In the midst of the Islamophobic outbursts of 2010, a time when the future looked bleak and our aspirations suffered a blow, this inspirational story of a small Muslim community in the Arctic captivated hearts and gave us hope.
While most people were preoccupied with the Park51 debate and the American Muslim community battled a slew of Islamophobic attacks, a different story, a more hopeful one, developed north of the border. Quite a bit north actually, about 4000 kilometres north to be more specific. This is the story of a new chapter in the lives of the Muslims in Inuvik, Canada.
Inuvik is an arctic town in Canada’s Northwest Territories with a population of about 3500 people. It’s located right at the tip of North America facing the Arctic Ocean. With a polar climate and harsh living conditions, one wouldn’t expect to find a town there, let alone a town with Muslims. But there is a Muslim community there and a growing one, too. So much so that the trailer that was being used as the mosque ran out of room and this community now needed a new mosque.
Building a mosque in the Arctic, however, is far more complicated than it is anywhere else. The scarcity of skilled labour and material makes the cost of such a project skyrocket and this undertaking is simply impossible for a small community of a 100 people. Their situation is akin to that of the Muslims in Edmonton, who despite all odds managed to erect Canada’s first mosque in 1938. With faith in God anything is possible. At a time like this, the Inuvik Muslims could have simply prayed for a mosque to be shipped over. And that’s exactly what they were about to get.
Enter, the Zubaidah Tallab Foundation. The Zubaidah Tallab Foundation is a charity based out of Manitoba. The remarkable individuals at this organization decided to give the Inuvikans a hand and took it upon themselves to ensure that the mosque got built. After evaluating the cost of locally building the mosque, they came up with a plan which at first sight would easily be dismissed as insanity. Build the mosque in Winnipeg and ship it 4000 kilometres away to Inuvik in the Northwest Territories.
As insane as that may sound, this was the most economical way of getting the mosque built. Part of the mosque’s journey was going to be on roads (2400km) and part on water (1800 km). The goal was to get the mosque on to the last barge heading towards Inuvik for the season. Not only was this going to be a logistical nightmare but it was to be a race against time as well. With receding water levels in the Mackenzie River, the shipping company decided to push up the departure date by 3 weeks.
The 1500 square-foot mosque was built in Winnipeg and started its journey on a semi-trailer. The over-sized trailer made its way through back roads and country highways, struggling to make it to the barge in time; it was delayed further by Labour Day celebrations and highway regulations. To complicate matters even more, the bridge across Reindeer Creek proved too narrow for the trailer. The driver had to remove the back wheels and a second truck was brought in to balance the back of the flatbed as the mosque was moved carefully across bridge. But this wasn’t the biggest scare. All hopes and dreams came close to being shattered when the mosque almost fell off the trailer into a creek near the Alberta border.
The organizers managed to request the shipping company to hold the barge for two extra days and perhaps by divine intervention, the barge was delayed further due to poor weather. With lots of prayer and a little bit of luck, the trailer managed to get to the barge just in time. The mosque was loaded on to the barge and set off for its journey towards the North Pole.
The barge arrived in Inuvik, on September 24th2010. After an excruciating 3-week journey, the little mosque arrived at its destination; all in one piece. The Inuvik Muslims gathered around the port to witness the historical event. They chanted prayers to praise and thank God as they waited. Some jumped around with joy while others were overwhelmed with gratitude and came to tears.
Numerous finishing touches needed to be added and it took about a month to get the mosque ready for use. Fathallah Fargat, a carpenter from St. Catherines, Ontario was inspired by the story and traveled all the way to Inuvik to help set up the mosque. He even helped build a 10-meter minaret to accompany the newly erected mosque. The Midnight Sun Mosque, as it is now called, was inaugurated on November 10th 2010 to become North America’s northern most mosque. All in all, the entire project cost about $300,000. The Zaid Tallabah Foundation, which still has outstanding payments to make, is looking to raise another $21,000.
The Inuvik mosque is a stellar example of what can be accomplished by unity, hard work and faith in God. For those let down by the petty attacks on mosques around the West, this story should rejuvenate your spirit and give you hope. If people can manage to build a mosque in the Arctic, then building one anywhere else should be far from impossible.
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BloomingPeaches - Sit. Think. Imagine 
January 18, 2011 at 8:50 pm
Jazak’Allah khayr for writing it and sharing it with us on Muslim Matters.
January 18, 2011 at 9:46 pm
wa’iyyakum. Thanks for accepting and publishing it Ify 🙂
July 25, 2011 at 6:27 pm
In the same spirit of religious tolerance, I’d love to build a Church in Saudi Arabia. Can you help me fund such an activity and publish an article relating to my success ?
God Bless 😉
July 25, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Hi Victor,
I wouldn’t be of much help with the funding but I’d certainly publish an article for you after you’ve built that church 🙂
Waleed
July 27, 2011 at 8:22 am
Hello Waleed and thanks for your reply and good will.
My prospect of having (or even attending) a church in Saudi Arabia was stopped in it’s tracks after a few clicks of the mouse. Indeed, according to several sites (notably http://www.persecution.org/awareness/persecuted-countries/) , it’s a criminal offense to even consider such a thing. Aren’t you happy that the Canadian society can make room for people of all beliefs (as long as those beliefs do not hinder other’s)?
I’m deeply saddened by the non reciprocity and arrogance of many countries who go as far as to criminalize judeo-christian beliefs (in spite of the beliefs of it’s minorities) : as if men can determine what God wants in a political system … Christian teachings warn us to beware judging and imposing upon others for that reason and the Holy Gospels invite all men to love of others, regardless of creed, enemies and all and to think before acting. After all, as a jewish friend once told me, if God gave us a brain, doesn’t he expect us to use it in all matters ?
I call upon all muslims of good «faith» to put an end to this tribal way of doing things by pressuring these rogue governments into legal acceptance of others as we do in the Western World.
God Bless 😉
Victor
July 27, 2011 at 11:40 pm
I am certainly grateful for the religious freedoms granted by our Charter here. I too hope that people in all nations are granted these freedoms as well.
Having said that, it is not fair to box the Western world as this super tolerant place while characterizing the Muslim lands as a draconian place where there is no tolerance. Saudi Arabia (and maybe Iran) is probably the only country having such strict rules out of all the Muslim majority countries. In fact, churches have existed for over a millenia in Muslim lands such as Iraq, Egypt and Turkey.This was at a time when being non-Christan in Europe was criminal (something that existed till the 19th century…Islam on the other hand has always recognized other faiths and grants people freedom to worship)
There also a movement in Western countries to restrict prayers for Muslims. Switzerland has already banned the minarets while France banned headscarves in public institutions. Just recently there was the debate here at home about Muslim prayers at school.
Bottom line is, don’t treat either the West or Muslim majority countries as monolithic entities. People’s tolerance levels change with time. We don’t know what the future holds for either parts of the world. Lets just hope people of religion are allowed to practice where ever they please.