What it’s like to be Muslim in the GTA

Haris Celic, 23, sales

The God the Muslims believe in is the same as the Jews and Christians, Muslims just believe another prophet came and built upon their books.

Celic was born to Bosnian immigrant parents and has lived his whole life in Etobicoke. An avid soccer fan, he works in the sales department at Coca-Cola. Outside of work he volunteers in his community, and in the past year has organized events to commemorate the Srebrenica massacre and to raise money for the victims of Balkans flooding.

What’s your favourite thing about living in the GTA? Your biggest frustration?

My favourite thing has to be how diverse the people and places are. Each neighbourhood is different, wherever you go has its own feel. You can find restaurants that serve the foods of so many different cultures: Rexdale has Jamaican, Hakka and plenty of Bangladeshi foods, in Brampton you can find tons of Southeast Asian places, and Toronto has a blend of all kinds of cultures including my own, Bosnian.

Have you ever faced discrimination at work/school or seen it in action?

I have never been on the receiving end of discrimination because I am Muslim. The people that I have seen being discriminated against, usually it’s because their ethnicity. It’s just racism at its finest. Just because I’m white, they just assume that “this guy’s one of us.” The ethnic background makes a huge difference.

How do you deal with people’s negative attitudes and perceptions around your faith?

Usually people are surprised when they notice I am white and Muslim. The first question I get is “but how?” and I have to politely explain that you can chose to be Muslim and that Arabs aren’t the only Muslims in the world.

I don’t really mind answering questions because usually they’re kind of silly, like “What god do Muslims believe in? What can you eat?” If you don’t answer them that’s where you get problems, a lot of negativity. It’s not frustrating, I see it as a good thing.

What do you think non-Muslim Torontonians need to know about Muslims?

That we are the same as everyone else. The God the Muslims believe in is the same as the Jews and Christians, Muslims just believe another prophet came and built upon their books.

What are your hopes or fears for the future of Canada?

I fear Muslims will come to Canada and not try to integrate into society. I hope to see Muslims of all backgrounds start reaching out to Canadian communities and opening their events to the public, so people can learn from each other and create an understanding of the Muslim faith. That would reduce the tension and potential for hatred (between Muslim and non-Muslim groups).

What do you hope people will take away from the Star’s feature on Muslims in the GTA?

I hope the readers will take away the message that Muslim people and people of any other faith are similar. Ultimately, we are all human and the only difference between the faiths is how we go about our days.

– Ben Spurr

Selma Djukic, 48, business owner

Muslims have the same hopes and dreams like every other fellow Canadian.

Djukic is a self-made woman, who was born in Toronto “the last year the Toronto Maple Leafs won the cup.” Her parents immigrated from Bosnia and Hercegovina in the 1950s. She lives in Oakville with her family and owns a small pharmaceutical and biotechnology consultancy company.

Practicing/non-practicing?

I am a person who happens to find peace through a particular faith and who is continuously attempting to embody its empathetic teachings within her daily life.

How would you describe yourself?

I am a strong, independent, socially conscious entrepreneurial woman who is in a perpetual state of learning, growing, assisting. I wear my heart on my sleeve.

How would your friends describe you?

I would like to hope that my friends see me as I see myself.

What is something people find surprising about you?

I am the proud daughter of a veteran soldier. My father, 88, was a soldier in the Second World War, fighting with the allies.

What’s your favourite way to spend a Saturday afternoon in the city?

Hands down, Kensington Market is one of my favourite places in the city. From there I love to walk down to Queen Street, over to Ossington, having coffee and looking for hidden treasures among the shops.

What is the biggest concern for you as a Torontonian?

The level of poverty and its associated issues: hunger, poor health and accessibility to quality health care of all kinds. These are the issues that weigh heavily on my mind and heart.

What’s your favourite thing about living in the GTA? Your biggest frustration?

I have been extremely fortunate to travel to all kinds of incredible places in the world. What is wonderful about the GTA is that it’s truly a multicultural atmosphere. The GTA, for me, is like a vortex of people from all corners of the world and offers up countless opportunities to meet and learn from such a diverse cross-cultural representation of the world.

However, one of my biggest frustrations lies within my professional area. We have such incredible talent in the science and technology field and yet the opportunities to grow the industries within these areas are limited. Unlike many others who left, I consciously made the decision to stay in Canada, and in the GTA, to be part of the science and tech industry because I believe in it and see the possibilities. I wish sometimes others saw the same.

Have you ever faced discrimination at work/school or seen it in action?

I can honestly say that my experiences have generally been positive. However, sadly there have been instances where I have been both a recipient of and witness to discrimination, usually in the form of verbal commentary or a sort of distancing of that person.

How do you deal with people’s negative attitudes and perceptions around your faith?

I’m not sure “dealing” is terminology I would use. I don’t feel like I have to deal with anything as I am confident in the knowledge of who I am. However, it makes me sad that racism and xenophobia are part of our context and I do seek to spend time with people who are kind and open-minded.

What do you think people misunderstand most about Islam/Muslims?

I think people forget that Islam is simply a faith and that people who subscribe or identify with the faith, or Muslims, are really just regular Canadians, like everybody else. They have the same hopes and dreams like every other fellow Canadian.

What are your fears/hopes for the future of Canada?

To me, there is something truly special about Canada. It is one of the best places in the world. I am a diehard, proud Canadian. My hopes are that as a nation, she looks inward and acknowledges the depth of opportunities that lie within her borders.

Further, I hope that Canada finds the somewhat neutral voice that she has been renowned for on both domestic and foreign issues, that she once again leads the world in positive endeavours that help not just Canadians, but humanity as a whole.

What do you hope readers take away from the Star’s feature on Muslims in the GTA?

My hope is that people in general, irrespective of race, religion or creed, recognize and embrace the beauty in the diversity that makes up our Canadian mosaic. That we truly begin to engage with, learn from and ultimately respect one another with empathy and love.

– Noor Javed

These interviews were edited for length and clarity

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