Welcome to Islamic Organization of North America Canada
A Message From the Ameer of IONA
In the name of Allah, the
Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah (SWT) and may His peace and blessings be upon His
Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (SAW). To proceed,
IONA identifies itself with the slogan “Repentance, Revitalization of Faith,
Renewal of Covenant.” A slogan is a catchphrase that puts in a nutshell what
the organization is all about and what it stands for. This is not to equate the
slogan with the higher calling of a mission, Iqamatuddin.
Repentance: This suggests that the members of IONA have given up the
major sins and are extremely cautious about minor ones. Through the internal
struggle, they have transformed themselves into pious, righteous, God-fearing
individuals who are constantly conscious of their Creator. They are the ones who
have turned towards their Lord and never look back. Their attitudes are those of
a true believer and they strive to reach the highest standard of moral conduct.
They constantly seek forgiveness of their Lord and struggle to earn His good
pleasure.
Revitalization of Faith: It is through this internal struggle and the
transformation of attitude that good behavior becomes manifest and noticeable.
IONA members become, according to the Qur’anic term, Ibadur-Rahman,servants
of the Most-Merciful. They draw themselves nearer and closer to their Lord
through their faithful obedience to His commands. The basic modes of worship
become for them the spiritual exercise that rejuvenate their soul and intensify
their love for their Creator. The spiritual pleasure they receive in performing
Tahajjud, nafl fasting, Infaq, and other acts of sincere devotion
help them move towards a higher level of worship, the level of Ihsan.
Renewal of Covenant:These pious and virtuous acts of the believers will
result in a collective effort for the eradication of evil in the society they
live in. Their deep rooted faith in their Lord gives them the much needed
strength and courage to ordain what is good and wholesome and forbid evil, with
the aim and objective of establishing a system based on justice and fair play so
that the Lord, the Master of the universe, becomes truly supreme. It is only
through this collective effort of struggling to re-establish the limits and
boundaries of Allah (SWT) that one may say that one had tried his/her utmost
best to fulfill the covenant of Alast, the primordial covenant that Allah (SWT)
took from all the human beings (5:127).
According to surah al-Tawbah (9:111), Allah (SWT) has indeed purchased
everything from the believers in exchange for the priceless Paradise. The
very next ayah outlines the actual contract between the believer and Allah
(SWT), which has been summarized in our slogan – Repentance; Revitalization of
Faith; Renewal of Covenant. May we live up to that bargain, Ameen.
May Allah (SWT)’s peace and blessings be upon you.
Mustapha Elturk