The conference will bring together a cohort of local and international Muslim figures, including Sheikh Yusuf, Suwaidan, Khaled, singer Yusuf and Khan

By Muneeb Nasir, IOL correspondent

TORONTO, December 23 (IslamOnline.net) – Thousands of Muslims are expected to descend on Toronto from across Canada and the United States on Friday, December 24, for the 3rd Annual Reviving the Islamic Spirit Convention.

The three-day event is held in the prestigious Toronto SkyDome and is shaping up to be one of the largest Islamic gatherings ever held in Canada.

The theme for this year’s convention is: “Legacy of the Prophet (peace be upon him)” and will run until to Sunday, December 26.

The program includes lectures from a wide array of local and international speakers as well as activists and local politician who will engage in dialogue around the issues of Canadian Muslim identity and the meaning of active citizenship.

Last year’s convention drew a crowd of 10,000 participants and a larger gathering is expected this year as the event falls during Christmas holiday break in Canada.

The event is been organized by Muslim youths from across the Greater Toronto Area.

Their efforts in organizing the largest convention of Canadian Muslims over the past two years have won the praise and acclaim from Muslims across the country.

Prominent Speakers

The event brings in a cohort of local and international Islamic scholars, according to the Web site of the convention.

Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, South Africa, will speak on defending prophethoood in a secular age while Dr. Jamal Badawi will give a lecture on “Islam today: Canada and the United States.”

Amr Khaled , a London-based prominent Egyptian preacher, will speak on the legacy of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Dr. Umar Abd’allah and Sheikh Hamza Yusuf - Muslim scholars from the US - will recite poetry in honor of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Dr. Tariq Suwaidan, Kuwait, will elaborate on “Lessons For the Modern Age: Great Events in the life of the Prophet.”

Sheikh Suliman Mulla, South Africa, will talk about the last moments in the prophet’s life.

Sami Yusuf, the British Muslim nasheed singer, whose recent album, Al-Muallim (Teacher), has taken the Muslim world by storm, will also be performing a concert on Saturday evening. 

In addition to the international panel of speakers, well-known Pakistani cricket legend and personality, Imran Khan, will be making a special appearance. 

Unique Youth Effort

The conference is seen as a unique youth effort.

“This effort is supported by various youth organizations and individuals across Canada. It is our hope that through efforts such as these we, the youth, could make a difference,” according to the Web site of the convention.

The 2003 round drew an unanimous praise for the group of students who organized the event.

They were able to pull off an event that brought together 3,000 Muslims to listen to speeches from an assortment of speakers, mainly from North America, but which also included a few internationally known public figures.

The media said the university students instilled into the event youthful dynamism, exceptional organizational skill, and a genuine sincerity for their religion that pleasantly surprised everyone.

“The effect was that the event had an organic feel to it and was devoid of the corporate layers that usually characterizes organizationally run Muslim conventions,” reported the Toronto Star after last year’s convention.

The first round was meant to address confusion within the Muslim community after the 9/11 attacks and building bridges outward to the wider Canadian society.

Major Venue

The event will take place in one of the major venues in the city, the Toronto Skydome, which is located in the heart of downtown Toronto right beside the CN Tower.

Toronto's SkyDome is home to the two-time baseball World Champion Toronto Blue Jays. The SkyDome’s world famous retractable roof makes it an all season, all weather world class stadium.

The city of Toronto is home to the largest concentration of Muslims in the Canada.

The number of Canadian Muslims has increased dramatically over the last decade, according to a national census. With approximately 600,000 Muslims in the country, Islam became the number one non-Christian faith in Canada.

The census attributed the increase to immigration from South Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.