Reviving The Islamic Spirit
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Reviving the Islamic Spirit (RIS) is an annual
Islamic Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
conference A conference is a meeting, often lasting a few days, which is organized on a particular subject, or to bring together people who have a common interest. Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always d ...
typically held during the winter holiday season in
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
,
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. The first conference was held in 2001, and has since become one of North America's largest Islamic conferences, alongside the ISNA convention in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The conference has grown from 3,500 attendees in its first year to over 20,000 in 2011, making it the largest Islamic conference in Canada. Attendees and speakers attend from around the world, including the United States,
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
and the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
. In May 2010, RIS held its first American conference in Long Beach, California. Following the second U.S. edition at the Long Beach Convention Center on Memorial Day weekend the conference was discontinued.


Overview

The format of the conference typically consists of a series of lectures over three days, generally structured around a specific central theme. Each year distinguished speakers, including both Islamic scholars and non-Muslims, are invited to lecture based on the selected theme of the conference. Previous conference themes have included the life of the
Islamic Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
prophet
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
, Canadian-Muslim identity, and
Islamic civilization Islamic civilization may refer to: *Islamic Golden Age * Reception of Islam in Early Modern Europe *Muslim world *Caliphate *Islamic culture See also * History of Islam The history of Islam is believed, by most historians, to have originat ...
.


Concert

A
concert A concert, often known informally as a gig or show, is a live performance of music in front of an audience. The performance may be carried by a single musician, in which case it is sometimes called a recital, or by a musical ensemble such as an ...
has been held at the end of the conference almost every year, usually consisting of
nasheed A ''nasheed'' (, ) is a work of vocal music, partially coincident with hymns, that is either sung ''a cappella'' or with instruments, according to a particular style or tradition within Sunni Islam. Nasheeds are popular throughout the Islamic ...
(
Islamic music Islamic music may refer to religious music, as performed in Islamic public services or private devotions, or more generally to musical traditions of the Muslim world. The heartland of Islam is the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, B ...
) or performances by Muslim musicians. Main performers who have headlined the concert include:
Junaid Jamshed Junaid Jamshed Khan (3 September 1964 – 7 December 2016) was a Pakistani Islamic preacher, singer-songwriter and television personality. Jamshed first gained nationwide and international recognition as the vocalist of Vital Signs. Their ...
,
Sami Yusuf Sami Yusuf (born 21 July 1980) is an Iranian-British singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer of Azerbaijani descent. He gained international attention with the release of his debut album, ''Al-Muʽallim'', in 2003. As of 2020, ...
,
Maher Zain Maher Zain (; born 16 July 1981) is a Lebanon, Lebanese-Sweden, Swedish Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter and music producer. He released his debut album ''Thank You Allah'', an internationally successful album produced by Awakening Reco ...
,
Najam Sheraz Najam Sheraz (Urdu: نجم شیراز) is a Pakistani pop singer and songwriter. Early life Najam Sheraz was born in Multan, Pakistan on 2 August 1969. He played professional cricket. He graduated from the University of Engineering and Technolo ...
,
Raihan Raihan (derived from the Arabic word ''Rayḥān'' (), "Fragrance of Heaven") is a Malaysian nasheed group originally composed of five members that became popular in Malaysia with the release of their debut album ''Puji-Pujian'' in October 1 ...
,
Native Deen Native Deen is an Islamic musical group from the Washington, D.C. area. Native Deen's music combines hip hop and R&B styles with lyrical themes grounded in Islam. They have three albums: '' Deen You Know'', '' Not Afraid To Stand Alone'' and ...
and Danish
hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
group
Outlandish Outlandish is a hip-hop music group based in Denmark. Formed in 1997, it currently consists of and . Career Their first formation consists of Isam Bachiri, , and . All three members are religious, with Isam and Waqas being Muslims (of Moroccan a ...
.


Criticism and accusation of religious fundamentalism

The conference has invited some figures like
Tariq Ramadan Tariq Ramadan (, ; born 26 August 1962) is a Swiss Muslim academic, philosopher and writer. He was a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at St Antony's College, Oxford and the Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford, He is ...
and
Bilal Philips Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips (born Dennis Bradley Philips; July 17, 1947) is a Jamaican-born Canadian Islamic scholar and author who is the founder and chancellor of the International Open University, who lives in Qatar. He has been described as a ...
. Even
Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau (born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who served as the 23rd prime minister of Canada from 2015 to 2025. He led the Liberal Party from 2013 until his resignation in 2025 and was the member of Parliament ...
has participated. Trudeau was criticized later by some media outlets, and other Jewish and Muslim groups, and as well by some members of his own party because they argued that the conference was problematic and had indirect connection with
Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...
and that there were aspects of religious radicalism. Among other, there was a sponsor, IRFAN, which was said had sent suspicious funds to Hamas, apparently about 15 million dollars. The sponsor denied the allegations, but decided to withdraw from the conference in order not to cause more controversy. Trudeau himself rejected the criticism.https://torontosun.com/2012/12/14/justin-trudeau-should-respond-to-conference-critics-marc-garneau-says/wcm/da759335-a48a-4ceb-b05d-20d73c2d693b. ”Justin Trudeau should respond to conference critics, Marc Garneau says”. Toronto Sun. Jessica Hume. December 14, 2012.


Notable speakers

Two scholars have made an appearance at the conference every year since it began:
Zaid Shakir Zaid Shakir (; born Ricky Daryl Mitchell, May 24, 1956) is an American Muslim scholar"Lonny Shavelson, Fred Setterberg", Under the Dragon: California's New Culture, Oakland Museum of California, Heyday Books, p.64, "Edward E. Curtis", The Colum ...
and
Hamza Yusuf Hamza Yusuf (born Mark Hanson; 1958) is an American Islamic scholar, neo-traditionalist, and co-founder of Zaytuna College. He is a proponent of classical learning in Islam and has promoted Islamic sciences and classical teaching methodologies ...
except the 2017 conference, which Hamza Yusuf was unable to attend. Other notable speakers who have appeared over the years include: {, - , valign="top" , *
Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy Muhammad bin Yahya al-Ninowy (; born 1970) is a Syrian-born American Islamic scholar, theologian, and medical doctor. He has been listed among The 500 Most Influential Muslims in a publication compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Cen ...
* Mustafa Hosni *
Hamza Yusuf Hamza Yusuf (born Mark Hanson; 1958) is an American Islamic scholar, neo-traditionalist, and co-founder of Zaytuna College. He is a proponent of classical learning in Islam and has promoted Islamic sciences and classical teaching methodologies ...
* Abdullah bin Bayyah *
Habib Ali Al-Jifri Habib Ali Zain al-Abidin al-Jifri (; born 16 April 1971) is a Yemeni Sunni Islamic scholar and spiritual educator based in Cairo, Egypt. He is the founder of Tabah Foundation (), a research institute based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Early life Ali Zain ...
*
Zaid Shakir Zaid Shakir (; born Ricky Daryl Mitchell, May 24, 1956) is an American Muslim scholar"Lonny Shavelson, Fred Setterberg", Under the Dragon: California's New Culture, Oakland Museum of California, Heyday Books, p.64, "Edward E. Curtis", The Colum ...
* Tariq Suwaidan *
Bilal Philips Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips (born Dennis Bradley Philips; July 17, 1947) is a Jamaican-born Canadian Islamic scholar and author who is the founder and chancellor of the International Open University, who lives in Qatar. He has been described as a ...
* Siraj Wahhaj *
Jamal Badawi Jamal A. Badawi () is an Egyptian-Canadian author, preacher and speaker on Islam. Life Badawi completed his undergraduate studies at Ain Shams University in Cairo. He left for the United States in the 1960s and completed his Masters and docto ...
*
Tariq Ramadan Tariq Ramadan (, ; born 26 August 1962) is a Swiss Muslim academic, philosopher and writer. He was a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at St Antony's College, Oxford and the Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford, He is ...
* Attallah Shabazz, eldest daughter of
Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
*
Justin Trudeau Justin Pierre James Trudeau (born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who served as the 23rd prime minister of Canada from 2015 to 2025. He led the Liberal Party from 2013 until his resignation in 2025 and was the member of Parliament ...
* Eric Margolis,
journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...
*
Robert Fisk Robert William Fisk (12 July 194630 October 2020) was an English writer and journalist. He was critical of United States foreign policy in the Middle East, and the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians. As an international correspo ...
, journalist *
Karen Armstrong Karen Armstrong (born 14 November 1944) is a British author and commentator known for her books on comparative religion. A former Roman Catholic religious sister, she went from a conservative to a more liberal and Christian mysticism, mystical ...
, author *
Imran Khan Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi (born 5 October 1952) is a Pakistani politician, philanthropist, and former cricketer who served as the 19th prime minister of Pakistan from August 2018 until April 2022. He was the founder of the political party Pak ...
,
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
i
cricketer Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
and
politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...
* Michael Lerner,
Rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
*
Zakir Naik Zakir Abdul Karim Naik (born 18 October 1965) is an Indian Islamic da'i and orator who focuses on comparative religion. He is the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and Peace TV. He is a well-known figure in the Isl ...
*
Suhaib Webb Suhaib Webb is an American imam. He previously served as the imam of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC). Biography Early life He was born William Webb in 1972 in Oklahoma to a Christian family, including a grandfather who ser ...
*
Yasir Qadhi Yasir Qadhi (formerly known by his kunya Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi) (born January 30, 1975) is a Pakistani American Muslim scholar and theologian. He is dean of The Islamic Seminary of America and resident scholar of the East Plano Islamic Center ...
*
Mark Siljander Mark Deli Siljander (born June 11, 1951) is an American author and politician who served as a Republican U.S. Representative from the state of Michigan. He authored the book'' A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman's Quest to Bridge the Muslim- ...
, former Republican
U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
*
Chris Hedges Christopher Lynn Hedges (born September 18, 1956) is an American journalist, author, commentator and Presbyterian minister. In his early career, Hedges worked as a freelance war correspondent in Central America for ''The Christian Science Monit ...
, journalist *
Nouman Ali Khan Nouman Ali Khan (born 1978) is an American Islamic speaker who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influent ...
*
Linda Sarsour Linda Sarsour (born 1980) is an American political activist. She was co-chair of the 2017 Women's March, the 2017 Day Without a Woman, and the 2019 Women's March. She is also a former executive director of the Arab American Association of ...
*
Maulana Tariq Jameel Tariq Jamil (Punjabi, ; ; born 1 October 1953) is a Pakistani Islamic cleric, preacher and member of the Tablighi Jama'at. The recipient of the Pride of Performance award, Tariq Jamil has been named in ''The 500 Most Influential Muslims'' y ...


List of conferences

{, class="wikitable" !RIS !Theme !Venue !Date , - , 1 , Reviving the Islamic Spirit ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, January 4–5, 2001 , - , 2 , Changing Our Condition ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, January 2–4, 2004 , - , 3 , Legacy of the Prophet ,
Rogers Centre Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a retractable roof stadium in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the former Railway Lands, it is home to t ...
, December 24–26, 2004 , - , 4 , Islamic Civilization ,
Direct Energy Centre Enercare Centre, formerly known as the Direct Energy Centre and originally the National Trade Centre, is an exhibition complex located at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is used by the Canadian National Exhibition and the Royal ...
, December 23–26, 2005 , - , 5 , The Neglected Sunnah: Patience in the Face of Rejection ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 22–24, 2006 , - , 6 , Family Matters: The Basis of a Civil Society ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 28–30, 2007 , - , 7 , Answering the Call of God's Messenger: Setting Prophetic Priorities for Muslims in the West ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 26–28, 2008 , - , 8 , SOS: Saving the Ship of Humanity ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 25–27, 2009 , - , 9 , Rules for the Road of Life: Reviving the 10 Commandments in the Modern World ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 24–26, 2010 , - , 10 , Control, Chaos or Community: Three Ways, One World, Our Choice ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 23–25, 2011 , - , 11 , Divine Light for Living Right: Prophetic Guidance in the Midst of Modern Darkness ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 21–23, 2012 , - , 12 , Changing Our Condition: Rekindling the Light of Faith ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 27–29, 2013 , - , 13 , He Came To Teach You Your Religion: Prophetic Answers to Angelic Questions ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 26–28, 2014 , - , 14 , Alliance of Virtue ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 25–27, 2015 , - , 15 , The Promise of God: Conditions for Renewal ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 23–25, 2016 , - , 16 , Whither Islam? Rebooting Our Faith ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 22–24, 2017 , - , 17 , RIS Reimagined ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 21–23, 2018 , - , 18 , His Character was the Quran: ''Restoring the Quranic Narrative in Modern Times'' ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 20–22, 2019 , - , 19 , An Unconventional Convention , Online , December 26–27, 2020 , - , 20 , Together in Spirit , Online , December 25–26, 2020 , - , 21 , A Blessed Reunion ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 23–25, 2022 , - , 22 , Where Hearts Meet ,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre (originally and still colloquially Metro Convention Centre, and sometimes MTCC), is a convention complex located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada along Front Street (Toronto), Front Street West in the former Railway Lan ...
, December 22–24, 2023


References


External links


Reviving the Islamic SpiritRIS TalksIslamicFinder
{{Islam in Canada Islamic organizations based in Canada Islam in Toronto