Sister Intissar Mourad (Abou Arabi) was a devoted teacher, mother, and mentor who dedicated much of her life to the Holy Quran and its teachings, and was among those who mastered its memorization. She began her journey teaching Arabic and Quran memorization to children at the local mosque in a small town in Alberta, planting the seeds of what would become a lifelong mission. She guided countless students and teachers in their Quranic journey and was the co-founder of the Imam Al Shatibi Quran Institute in Edmonton, Alberta. As the Director of the Qaida An-Nooraniya program (Arabic Quranic Language Curriculum), she empowered learners from all levels to develop a precise and proper connection with the Holy Quran and the Arabic language. Sister Intissar’s impact extended beyond local borders—she regularly led and participated in international virtual sessions focusing on precision in Quranic recitation and various Arabic and Islamic topics. Sister Intissar’s life was distinguished by sincerity, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to the spread of sacred knowledge. Her devotion to the Quran was a source of profound joy and peace. All who had the privilege of knowing her were drawn to her compassionate heart and noble character and loved her deeply.

A message from Mrs. Anisa Khatib:

My husband, Nazir Ahmad Khatib, was an immigrant from Pakistan who settled and raised a beautiful family of six children. To honor every beautiful thing this country provided, he believed in encouraging education and service to humanity. It was his dream to be able to support our youth in achieving their highest potential. He would have been so pleased and proud to see our children of today succeeding in his dream. In honour of his memory, we have contributed to this scholarship fund to encourage all youth to help improve the lives of others. May Allah give you the success and means to help others do the same. “There is no higher religion than human service.”

“Nawal Madkour was a loving mother, wife, daughter, and journalist, who had a significant positive impact on those in her lives during her short stay in the world. For over 20 years, Madkour was the editor of the women’s page in one of Egypt’s leading newspapers, Al Gomhouria. She had such a high character and popularity in the journalism society that in 1968, she became the second female to sit on the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate Council, garnering more votes than the president of the organization. In 1975, she was one of the journalists invited to accompany Egypt’s First Lady, Jehan Sadat, to Mexico City to attend the United Nations’ World Conference on Women, which was the first international conference held by the UN to solely focus on women’s issues. Decades after her passing, her legacy continues to be remembered and recently, a street in Cairo was named after her. We hope that this scholarship will support a student on their path towards their journalism career, and that they too will make a difference through their work.”