Canada’s Vancouver, diversity of religions and tolerant Sufism

Nahla Abdel Moneim

Although on the Pacific coast, where the series of  mountains in the far north of the world are always icy, Vancouver, Canada’s third-largest city, keeps its ports warm for most of the seasons. It brings to the country multiple cultures that harmonize with each other.

According to latest official statistics issued by the state, the major religions in the city of 2 million people – is Christianity and Islam.

While the various research centers are concerned about the population of Muslims in Vancouver, Southwest Canada, the statistics authority predicts that the city will embrace many Muslims, with high numbers of Sufis, in the years to come.

A recent study entitled “The future of Muslims in the world” published by the Center for American Studies “Pew” shows that the Muslim community in “Vancouver” is unlikely to turn to violence or radicalism, noting that the number of Muslims exceeds 100 thousand people, most of them are Iranian Muslims who have fled the mullahs’ regime, along with a number of other migrants from the Middle East conflict countries, with fewer Canadian citizens.

The Canadian Institute for the Study of Sufism says that more than half of the Muslim population in the city adopt the Sufi approach, even that international institutions that have multiple Sufi institutions chose Vancouver to be its spiritual capital in Canada.

One of the most prominent Sufism centers in the city is the Inayati Order, an international organization dedicated to the Sufi Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan. It is affiliated to International Movement of Sufism, and dedicated to the teachings of Indian musician Inayat Khan (1882-1927) who traveled from India to establish the Sufi movement in Western countries. He chose Vancouver as it is the most important city to Canada.
This movement recognize that Sufism is not a method that is only restricted to anyone, any religion or race. Rather, it is a spiritual practice that aims at strengthening the relationship with God, purify the soul from evil and unite with the values ​​of humanity, tolerance and acceptance of the other.

In fact, the movement has two other centers in Canada, but the most important one is based in Vancouver, which presents itself on its official website as a spiritual group rather than the “religious group”. It welcomes everyone to share their mystical practices through meditation, readings Sufi stories and poetic verses.
In addition, the Vancouver Center is known as the “Love Caravan”. It is more interested in messages of love and brotherhood than any other concept.

“The Threshold Society” is also a non-profit educational foundation with the purpose of facilitating the experience of Divine Unity, Love, and Truth in the world through the dances, poetry and teachings of Jalaluddin al-Rumi, the founder of the Mellouiya.

The Center also supports the interdependence of individuals, harmony and peaceful living, through educational programs specializing in psychology and spiritual practice, as well as publication of books and periodical publications that promote these purposes.

Another special Sufi center in Vancouver is the Sufi meditation center. It adopts the Naqshbandi method belongs to Uzbekistan’s 14th century Sufi Hazrat Muhammad Bahauddin Shah Naqshband. It offers spiritual treatment in an unmatched way. It mainly offers meditation sessions to promote Sufism.