Istiqamah Islamic Centre of Ontario

This is not a traditional Sunni masjid, please refrain from labeling it as such. Its a centre that promotes wahhabist innovations, which are horrid to say the least. I'm surprised the RCMP hasn't shut down this dump. FYI one of the guilty members of the Toronto18 terror plot was heavily influenced by the SAAALA(fi) najdi that runs this place.

The Imam has knowledge. I have 2 negative comments: 1- The imam (Mr. Kais) called other major schollars as Monafqeen multiple times based on his own judgment. (is that right and good for the ummah?) 2- The smell of (food/fried food/oil) in Masjid of every Jumah and the back entrance next to carbage container does not give good reflections to non muslims or even to muslims. It could be due to the nighbours but at least do somthing about it or move to somewhere else. thank you.

Assalamu Alaykum, I've been to lots of masajid in the US and Canada, and I can say Imam Qays of Istiqamah Masjid is hands down one of the most knowledgeable and wise imams alive today! The imam is a graduate from Madinah (along with an MBA graduate and a denistry student) and has lived in the company and houses of many of the esteemed shuyook of our times. His knowledge of Hadith and Fiqh, and their application to today's times is phenomenal. Note: the masjid is not salafi, as the imam continuously points out in his weekly saturday night classes after Isha.

Istiqamah began with a bang in the late 1990s. Run by a young, decidedly (how to say this delicately) salafi organising committee, it was neo-hanbalism for the 21st century - active, education oriented, generally clean and functional. Alas, the "community" of young energetic folk has dwindled over the years (now graduated and profession with less time for mosques) and the resident Sheikh dissapeared for a while and has (kind of) reappeared recently. The khutbahs used to be known for a kind of raw directness that appealed to the young and agitated. Guffaws would puntuate the sermon (only to be silenced as inappropriate) when comments like, "if you are going to fornicate, why go halfway? A haram is a haram, so you might as well have done it with Lady Diana" were the order of the day. The mosque used to be packed, very male - a small women's section sufficed for the brave sisters. Overall a valiant effort gone awry.

The mosque itself is difficult to get to by Public Transit -- the bus stop is a 10 minute walk away. The women's section is in a false room that has been constructed in the main hall. Prayers are broadcast "live" into the room from a camera feed focusing on the Imam. The khutbahs were in English and were very positive -- but the Imam is completely inaccessable to women, unless you have an "in" (ie: via the women's group, which was not offered to me, or a husband). The woman's entrance is in the back. The mosque itself seemed like a nice enough place -- but not so welcoming to women.