MANB
Muslim Association of New Brunswick (MANB) is a Saint John-based, nonprofit organization found to present, serve and educate the Muslim community in Great Saint John Area. MANB is registered in 1977 and governed by a constitution.

MISSION
MANB aims to; strengthen access to Islamic education, facilitate community outreach and interaction with other religious organizations and community groups, consolidate the social fabric of the community, and sustain Islamic work by encouraging and building endowments. Also MANB aims to educate Canadians and empower Canadian Muslims. We believe misrepresentations of Islam are most often the result of a lack of knowledge on the part of non-Muslims and reluctance on the part of Muslims to articulate their cause.

MANB Open House 2008 – ISLAM is a Religion Of Peace! – CBC Report, please click here..

HOW IT ALL STARTED

The Beginning: The history of Muslims in New Brunswick dates back to the late 1960's and early 1970's with the settlement of a handful of Muslim families primarily in Saint John, the largest city of the Province. These families realised at an early stage that they needed to unite and co-ordinate with each other in order to safeguard their Imaan, Deen, and ultimately their Islamic identity and that of the future generations.
This resulted in rotational communal gatherings on Sundays. The meetings typically began with Salat-ul-Dhuhr. Simaltaneous Dars (religious teaching) sessions for the adults and the children followed, ending with the community enjoying light refreshments. The meetings picked momentum as the communtiy grew in numbers.

Initial Growth:
Above - average economic growth in New Brunswick, especially in Saint John, during the mid 70's helped increase size of the Muslim community. The city of Saint John graciously rented (at no charge) large part of the building it owned at Bayside drive (currently occupied by Sommerville flooring) to the Muslim community. The Sunday gatherings were shifted there. The first ever organized Madrassah in Saint John and the Province was started. The adult teaching / learning session after Dhuhr prayers continued as did the numbers of the Community with the new arrivals eagarly joining -in with resident members. The community had succesfully identified itself as one happy, united family . Arrival of Muslims in Fredericton and Moncton during the mid to late 70's boosted morale of the community as a whole. The smaller Muslim communities in these citites looked upto the now relativly more organized Muslim community in Saint John for guidance and support. Muslims in Saint John ( and the province) were now on threshold of a new era which would see Muslims unite province-wide under the umbrella of Muslim Association of New Brunwick (M.A.N.B)

M.A.N.B:
The era of late 70's and early 80's earmarked several historical events for Muslims in New Brunswick. The first, perhaps the most critical, was the formation of Muslim Association Of New Brunswick. The community applied for and successfully got status of non-profit, charitable organization for the newly formed M.A.N.B, the first and the only legally established Muslim Association in N.B. History was also made when Provincal Legislative Assembly passed a by-law authorizing solomnization of Islamic marriages in N.B. which would be deemed legal across the Province and the country. Headquarted in Saint John, M.A.N.B. catered to all possible needs of the Muslims Province wide.

The Masjid---Plans:
The small but strong Saint John Muslim community felt the need for a Markaz that would serve its religious and communal needs ; hence , the plans for buliding a Masjid for that purpose. The Masjid was to be a self-help project. No funds were solicited or recieved from foreign or local Organizations, Embassies and Finacial Institutions. It was a project almost entirely funded, supported, and executed by the still relatively small Saint John Muslim community, with some contributions made by Muslims in the Maritimes and Ontario.

Hijrah Bazaar:
At this time , globally the Muslims were celebrating turn of the century , to welcome the 15th century of the Hijri Calendar. The community organized a huge fundraising event, fittingly named Hijrah Bazaar. Held at the Exhibition Park, East Saint John, and open to the public, it was both a drive to make public - awarness of Islam and to sell handcrafts, Islamic Arts and artifacts, Food, Islamic Books etc, generously donated by the Muslims. The bazaar was a huge success, attracting Muslims, and non-muslims alike from all over the Province. Good media coverage of the event helped the cause greatly.

The Masjid--- Historical First:
The community proceeded to purchase land and build its very own masjid. From the sod-turning ceremony to the final completion of the construction, the masjid project reflected true community spirit. The young and the old, men and women, all pitched in to give shape to a sacred structure so dear to their hearts. Many a community-weekends were spent working on the masjid from literally being on hands and knees to nail or paint to serving foods and drinks to the dedicated community workers. People donated enthusiastically and generously to realise their dream.

The Masjid was designed to be functional yet reflect some Islamic architecture. It would be Shariah compliant structurally with heavy emphasis on ensuring accurate Qiblah direction. The local Muslim community set another historical first by building the first ever masjid of its kind in the Atlantic Provinces.

1984 - Masjid Ground Breaking Ceremony	1984 - Masjid Ground Breaking Ceremony	1985 - Masjid Early Construction	1985 - Masjid Early Construction

1984 - Groundbreaking Ceremony Dua	1985 - Sisters Entrance & Dome	1985 - Basement	1985 - Br. Umar with his father - Mr MS Mahbub

1985 - Masjid Early Construction	1985 - Masjid Early Construction	1985 - Masjid Early Construction	1985 - Masjid Early Construction

Community / Public Relations :
M.A.N.B and the community at large now embarked on fostering community and public relations across the Province. Pockets of Muslim sub-communites outside Saint John became fully affiliated chapters of M.A.N.B. By the late 1980's the Association was a strong single voice for the Muslims in the Province of New Brunswick.

To build good public relations with Society at large, successful Open House events were held at the masjid. Civic, political dignitories, and the general public were treated to well-planned Islamic exhibitions, tour of the masjid , and public lectures by Muslim Scholars specially invited on such occasions to help propagate the message of Islam and to correct misconceptions about the Deen and the Muslims.

The City of Saint John was quite receptive. The Muslim community, its importance and dignity symbolized in the presence of the Masjid, was given due recognition. Invitations were extended to and accepted by the now bustling Muslim community for invocations at Saint John Common Council meetings, UNBSJ convocations, Radio - T.V. and News- paper interviews and coverages. The community continued the Open House, Open Door policy. Religious, educational and other institutions / organizations were encouraged to visit the masjid for better understanding of the Muslims, their beliefs and practices.

1988 - Islamic Madrassah Certificate Ceremony	1989 -Award Ceremony	1988 - Magazine Cover Award	EID Party, January 29, 1999

Ramadan March 18, 1994	Ramadan March 18, 1994	2005 - Gift to MANB - Calligraphy by Br. Mustafa Dadar (Iran)	2005 - Gift to MANB - Calligraphy by Br. Mustafa Dadar (Iran)

Thanks to Allah Ta'la alone, over the last three decades and more, there has been visible presence of Muslims in Educational Instituions, Hospitals, Correctional Instituions, and other sectors of the Society to serve humans and humanity at large.

2005 - Oasis of Understanding post 9/11	2013 - Happy Ramadan - by Honourable Jim Karygiannis, P.C., M.P.	2013 - Happy Ramadan - by Honourable Jim Karygiannis, P.C., M.P.

Essential Services:
M.A.N.B , with support and cooperation of Muslim Communities in the Province, has managed to institute the following essential services for the benefit of Muslims:

The Community Now :
Progress and increasing Muslim population necessitated formation of other Islamic Organizations in N.B., such as Fredericton Islamic Organization (FIA) and Greater Moncton Muslim Association (GMMA). Musallas and mosques have been established elsewhere in the Province to cater to needs of the local communites. Saint John Muslims have seen increase in numbers with the addition of Student and resident populations.

By the mercy of Allah Ta'la, reversions to Islam, the deen of Fitrah, has brought welcome additions to Muslim Communites in the Province. Revert Brothers and Sisters remain critical part of their local Muslim community. The Community like others in the Province is fairly cosmopolitan and metropoliton. It truly reflects ethnic and cultural diversity bound together by the unity of Islamic Identity. May Allah Ta'la enable the muslims in N.B., the Country, and the world over to continue serving the cause of Islam, seeking nothing more than Divine pleasure - ameen.