In city built by Mennonites, growing Muslim community connects, finds support through weekly prayers

When Fezan Hasham kneels on a prayer mat in the gym of a local seniors' centre and closes his eyes, the newcomer to Canada feels at peace.

"I come here, close my eyes, and I see children playing," he recalls.

"I turn around, I think my dad will be there. That's how good it feels. It feels like I'm at home exactly."

It's a sentiment Hasham, who moved from Kenya two years ago, didn't imagine feeling in Steinbach, Man., a small faith-based city of 18,000 people with more than 20 churches serving the community.

There was a belief among local Muslims there wasn't enough of them in this fast-growing southeastern Manitoba city to host regular prayers. They'd have to travel to Winnipeg, about 50 km to the northwest, for the closest mosque. 

But in February, they set up their own prayers anyway — and not only are people showing up, they're renting a bigger room to accommodate everyone. 

"It feels really good," Hasham marvelled after a recent prayer, the first Friday on which they rented the gym of the Pat Porter Active Living Centre, rather than a room in the facility.

A pilot in training, he thought of moving to Winnipeg to be closer to a place of worship. He doesn't think about that anymore.

"Usually you feel lost when there's no mosque around, but with the mosque you feel really good," he said. "I hope it becomes a big thing."

Serious discussions around starting prayers began in 2019, but were derailed by the pandemic, said Saif Asi, 28, who moved to Steinbach five years ago as a Syrian refugee.

Asi organized the start of Friday prayers at the seniors' centre. The Jumu'ah prayer, the weekly sermon and congregational prayer every Friday afternoon, is obligatory for all Muslim men to attend. Women and children are welcome to attend, but it's not obligatory for them.

"The first time we did it, we saw so many new people. We didn't know each other before," Asi said.

Around 30 to 35 people attended the first two prayers. The third prayer was open to women and children and more than 60 people showed up.

At the beginning, Fahim Din expected to see maybe 10 Muslims — that's the number of Muslims he knew in Steinbach, all of whom he met through soccer.