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wcuncbuay juiy ia z v a aj n n U A N V 1 G L E , D C .A V L K D I ----------- CENTRAL-----------OAKVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY 120 NAVY STREET OAKVILLE, ONTARIO U J 2Z4 OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR O F TH E OAKVILLE WATERFRONT FESTIVAL Oakville Beaver Focus Editor: WILMA BLOKHUIS 845-3824 Ext: 250; Fax: 337-5567; Email: blokhuis@haltonsearch.com Focus # FOURTH LINE AUTO For A ll Your Car's Needs Drive Clean Emission Testing Government Safety Inspection Tu n e -U p s · Brakes · Exhaust · Cooling Systems O c rfw iX U ' W a te rfro n t F u ttw U / CAA Approved S hop 559 S p e e rs Road 8 4 2 -3 0 0 1 In in Oakville Since 1979 Photos by Barrie Erskine An entrance to a classroom at Al-Falah Islamic School; Fatima Tanfeeq, 7, works on her spelling; and Sana Arif, 6, enjoys her lunch sit ting on the school's playground equipment. Al-Falah:culture, education andreligion B y Shelly Sa n de rs G re e r SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER A t the comer of Burnhamthorpe and Trafalgar Roads in north Oakville stands a small, one-storey school that looks like any typical school. Although it looks ordinary on the outside, it is quite unique on the inside. Built in 1956 as Snider's Public School which operated until June 1976, it became Al-Falah Islamic School two years ago, when the Islamic Circle o f North America was able to acquire the property. Now it is the private school of choice for 100 Islamic children, Junior Kindergarten to Grade 5, who have the opportunity to learn the values and customs of their unique culture. "There's a demand for an Islamic school in the community," says principal Mohamed Bhabha. "Parents want a school that provides a value-based education." The school opened in 1998 with 60 kids, and this fall, children will be turned away because their maxi mum o f 150 students will be reached. To meet the growing demand, the school will add Grade 6 and increase the sizes of the Junior and Senior Kindergartens. The cost of attending this school is approximately $2,500 a year, depending on the grade, and it is an inspected school by the Ministry of Education. This means it follows the Ontario curriculum in addition to the Islamic classes. Students come from a variety of backgrounds including Somalia, Lebanon, Turkey and Canada. All o f the teachers are Muslim and are certified by the province to teach. "It is a big soup pot - very multi cultural which reflects the country," says Safa Ismal, administrative assistant for the school, and a moth er of two children, five and eight. Probably one of the biggest dif ferences between Al-Falah and other schools is the large prayer room, carpeted with rich red tapes tries. This was the gym but now is the room where the students head five times a day to pray. The gym is a large shed, separate from the school in the back. To understand what Islamic fam ilies are coming here for, one requires a basic idea of what the Islamic culture is all about. Ismal, explains that all Muslims believe in the same thing. "We believe in only one God. When becoming Muslim, we make a testament that there is only one God and that the prophet Muhammad is the last and final messenger." Ismal actually made this testa ment when she was 17 and convert ed to Muslim. After a year of readings and dis cussions with members of a Muslim organization, she made a testament and agreed to live her life based on the five pillars of the Muslim reli gion. The first is the testament. The second is praying five times a day. The third pillar is fasting in the month of Ramadhan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, if able. The fourth is Zakat, which means `poor due' - a form of chari ty Muslims make every year to those in need, and the fifth pillar is Hajj - a pilgrimage to Mecca once during your lifetime, if able. Another aspect of being Muslim is an arranged marriage, which Ismal had 10 years ago. A Muslim organi zation arranged for her to meet her future husband but contrary to popu lar belief, Ismal had every right to say no. They decided to get married four months after they met and Ismal says it has been a wonderful 10 years. (See `Children . . .' page B3) S A nmjuA Jror&toid Lansing is the place for Summer Fun 19x18 Safety Area uired S A V E $ 7 5 Sale/ IS * 1 V3 1*7 S & ru M & r W ITH 3 P O SITIO N SW IN G C O N E S T O G A FO RT Includes Cedar floor and walls, S A V E $ 2 2 front angled access ladder, lower 8' SLIDE Yellow or Bke sandbox, 2 yellow belt swings, (051882/ 78) ( T A E v e ry d a y $92 V U acrobatic swing, overhead monkey ladder, side angled end ladder. 8' slide sold separately. Everyday (0518688/96/761) $675 600 S A V E Everyday S258 x16 S a fe ty Area S A V E $ 7 5 . -e: Includes C edar floor and walls, multi-coloured reversible fort canopy, 5 ` high play platform, angled wooden access ladder, climbing rope ladder, 2 yellow belt swings, acrobatic swing and extra large lower sandbox. Spiral slide sold separately. W ITH 3 POSITION SW IN G MOUNTAINVIEW PLAY FORT $ 5 8 Yellow SPIRAL SLIDE s200| Everyday $916 (0523142/59/18761)__________________ S A V E ^ $ 1 5 0 <7A< - h 3 C y \(\o L \^ y [ ./fcc 9 4 G e o r g e S t. (T o w n S q u a re ) 8 4 5 -8 8 0 2 Hours: Mon.-Sat. 9:30-5:30 Includes Cedar floor and walls, front angled access ladder with 4-strand cargo rope ladder, yellow vinyl canopy, two yellow belt swings, acrobatic swing, overhead monkey ladder, side angled end ladder and lower sandbox with two corner seats. 10' slide sold separately. (05 18712/20/46/61) W ITH 3 POSITION SW IN G (0518860/86) $ R O C K Y M O U N T A IN FORT 1 0 ' SLIDE Yellow or Sue 1 n A Everyday $133 IU U $ 910 (0520114) Everyday 21.64 P LA YS ETS YELLOW BELT SWING ON ROPE & CHAIN SAVE 2 5 % O N A C C E S S O R IE S BLUE TELESCO P E GUDER SWING ON ROPE & CHAIN (0520056) Everyday 21.64 (0520080) Everyday 82.41 YELLOW STEERING WHEEL Y E L L O W H A N D G R IP S C A R G O ROPE LADDER (0520122) Everyday 17.96 (0520130) Everyday 12.16 0 1 2 (0520171) Everyday 53.28 196 ZOOM 'S SLIDE NOISEMAKER F IR E M A N 'S P O LE CHILD SAFETY SWING WITH BELT (0520189) Everyday 31.64 (0520239) Everyday 29.82 (1083427) Everyday 23.91 0 0 3 6 LANSING Built By Knowing a thing or two about renovations Sale through July 16, 2000 oted Best ding Material 399 Speers Rd., Oakville 8 4 4 - 8 0 1 0 All prices shown subject to P.S.T. and G.S.T. All items cash-and-carry priced. We reserve the right to correct any errors and lim it quantities purchased.