The Relevance of Islamic Identity in Canada

Literary Nonfiction. This volume examines, from widely diverse perspectives, what it can mean to be a Muslim in Canada. Does an Islamic identity make sense in a secular democracy such as Canada? Shouldn't religious faith be private, in the sense that we don't ask our neighbours or workmates what faith they belong to? Under what conditions can the Islamic identity survive here, while facing the suspicions and hostilities that have emerged post- 9/11; what alterations in social and religious practice and what re-thinking of interpretation can one envisage in its evolution? How does the Islamic identity relate to national, cultural, ethnic, and racial identities; does it necessarily erase historical memory and culture? Is Islamic identity inherited?