What an all inclusive mosque means for queer Muslims

[Troy Jackson and El-Farouk Khaki have created an all inclusive space for LGBTQ Muslims in Toronto]

I was recently invited by El-Farouk Khaki to break fast for Ramadan at Unity Mosque in downtown Toronto, a safe space for LGBTQ Muslims and those of all faiths to pray.

Khaki is a human rights lawyer and co-founded the mosque with his partner Troy Jackson and activist Laury Silvers.

I’ve never experienced Iftar, but immediately felt welcomed by the diverse crowd attending the Unity Mosque on Friday evening. The 14th annual Peace Iftar began with a First Nations smudge ceremony, followed by Troy and Khaki welcoming the hundreds that showed up.

Khaki doesn’t stick to tradition. Men and women are invited to pray together and women are not required to wear a veil if they do not wish to do so.

The feeling of being out of place quickly subsided as I watched people around me go up to the front of the cafeteria-style hall for prayer. Men, women, some in hijabs, others not, sitting side-by-side. We were told to be quiet during prayer but during the meal, people were encouraged to speak to their neighbour.

“I think it is a very important space for healing, breaking bread together, praying together and laughing together. It’s a space where all kinds of Muslims – Shia, Sunni – come together, which does not happen often,” Khaki said.

Khaki’s message of unity is that much more important this week following the weekend shooting in Orlando that claimed the lives of 49 people from the LGBTQ community.

Catching up with the mosque’s co-founders after the tragedy, Troy said that a lot of people in their community have come to them that need healing.

“There are a lot of people that are traumatized. We are going to get in contact with a psychologist so they can handle people that need ongoing counseling,” Troy said.

As for the community in Toronto, they are just trying to make sense of what happened.

“The more and more I learn about the shooting, the more disturbing it becomes. My initial thought is that it has nothing to do with Muslims and Islam. And that’s the common thing you’ll hear from the Muslim community,” says a queer Muslim who wishes to go by her initials, N.J. She hasn’t come out to her family yet.

She hopes that some good comes out of the tragedy.

“I hope it brings a level of awareness and that queer people who are Muslim feel more accepted,” she said Tuesday evening in a phone interview.

Khaki and Troy’s work spans across Canada and beyond. They have counterparts in Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, Boston and Atlanta.

As for their work in the city, they are looking to add more programs to their roster.

“We are going to be moving into more youth programming so we can help them tackle coming out to their parents or how they can take care of themselves even if they don’t come out,” Troy said.

It was N.J.’s first time at Unity Mosque on Friday but she says it was more than what she expected.

“It was really the essence of what Islam is. It’s this principal or these practices that are supposed to bring you a level of enlightenment and peace that’s non-judgmental. And that’s what Unity Mosque allows for,” she said.

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