Edmonton's Muslim Community has contributed to Edmonton's dynamic character for over a century. North America's first mosque, Edmonton's Al-Rashid Mosque, was built in 1938. Since that early time, the community continued to flourish and a bigger facility was needed to meet the community's needs. In November 1982 the new Al-Rashid mosque opened its doors, to serve over 20,000 Muslims in Edmonton, at the time. As for the old and first building of the Al-Rashid mosque, it now resides in Fort Edmonton Park, which is an open air museum preserved by the Government of Alberta.
The Edmonton Islamic Academy (formerly Edmonton Islamic School) was established in 1987, in the basement of the Al-Rashid Mosque, with 21 students. The school then grew quickly, and by 1997 the registration had increased to 186 students.
In the Spring of 2004 construction of the new ($22 million) facility of the Edmonton Islamic Academy started. This was a huge project that required enormous efforts and sacrifices and involved the whole Muslim Community in the City of Edmonton. The new state-of-the-art building was ready to host the school in September 2006.
Today, close to 700 students attend the Edmonton Islamic Academy from Kindergarten to Grade 9. Our students come from families of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and all walks of life. With ambitious goals, clear plans and community dedication, the Academy has the potential of becoming among the top schools in the Province of Alberta.
The Academy in the News
