Montreal Muslim community celebrates 7th annual Ramadan exhibition

Shagufta Janjua organizes the annual Ramadan Exhibition every year on Montreal’s West Island during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Local vendors gather to sell clothes, desserts, household décor and candy; all while fasting from sun up to sun down.

“Being together in a community is very important,” Janjua explained.

“Supporting each other, getting together, growing together. Most of them are working women with small businesses and I myself was a small business owner. So I thought why not get other women together – Muslim women, entrepreneurs supporting their families giving back to their families. This is all going back to the community. This is my way of giving back to the community who supported my small business.”

Adding, “I think all the love of everyone. The support I get from my family, my friends, everyone is there to support me and say I’m there for you Shagufta, whatever you need. We’re all doing it together for everyone in Montreal.”

Rania Sreis adds, “We have been vendors with Shagufta’s events for a couple of years now. I like the atmosphere, it’s well organized.”

While the majority of vendors are women, Afzaal Gahia, a Pakistani-Montrealer living in the East End of the city, makes his way to the West Island to sell his homemade desserts.

“It’s very unseen for a Pakistani male to do something in the cooking industry but I used to do it with my sister a lot when we were younger and she didn’t pursue it but I continued and I love doing it and people were happy and I’m happy,” said Gahia.

“What I enjoy most about this event is seeing the community together. Everyone is coming here for Ramadan, everyone has the Ramadan vibes all the community is here together. We all see familiar faces and we’re all here united here as one.”

When asked what it’s like to make desserts while fasting, Gahia had this to say, “I wouldn’t lie, it’s hard but you get used to it. It’s making me happy because I am making this for others, they are going to break their fast and eat this and think of me. That’s how I see it.”

The event – much like Ramadan – is all about community.

“It’s the gathering of people from different nationalities and everything,” said Sreis.

“I think it’s seeing everyone, meeting everyone, getting to see everyone after — there’s months that pass and we don’t get to see each other, we get to talk, we get to catch up, we get to see all our friends so being together altogether is the part I love the most.”