بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Dear Muslim Community,

This week, there is a bill 21 supreme court hearing taking place in Ottawa that impacts every Muslim in Canada — whether you live in Quebec or not.

What Is Bill 21?

In 2019, the Quebec government passed a law called Bill 21. This law bans teachers, police officers, judges, and other government employees from wearing religious symbols at work — including the hijab, kippah, and turban.

In plain terms: a Muslim woman who wears hijab cannot be a teacher in Quebec’s public schools.

This is the law of the land in Quebec right now. Real people have already lost their jobs or been barred from their careers because of it.

Why Does This Affect All of Us — Even in Halifax?

You might be thinking: “I don’t live in Quebec, so why does this matter to me?”

Here is why it matters deeply:

1. It sets a precedent for the entire country. If the Supreme Court allows this law to stand, it sends a message to every province in Canada that a government can legally strip away the rights of religious minorities — and face no consequences. What happens in Quebec today can happen in Nova Scotia tomorrow.

2. It uses a legal loophole to silence our Charter rights. The Quebec government used something called the “notwithstanding clause” — a rare constitutional tool that allows a government to override your Charter rights. Quebec used it before anyone even challenged the law in court, blocking Muslims and other minorities from defending themselves. This has never been done quite this way before. The Supreme Court’s decision will determine how much power any government in Canada has to do this in the future.

3. It is already causing real harm. Research shows that 71% of Muslim women in Quebec are considering leaving the province because of this law. Women have been reassigned from classrooms mid-year. Young Muslim girls are being told, by law, that they do not fully belong in public life. This is not hypothetical — this is happening now.

This Week: The Supreme Court of Canada Hears the Case

📅 March 23–26, 2026 The Supreme Court of Canada — our country’s highest court — will hear arguments for and against Bill 21 over four days. This is one of the most significant legal battles in Canadian history.

Fighting for us in that courtroom is the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) — an organization Sabeel is proud to stand alongside. The NCCM has spent nearly seven years fighting this law on behalf of Muslim Canadians, taking it all the way to the Supreme Court. They are in that courtroom so that our daughters, our sisters, and our community members can one day enter any profession in this country without being forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood.

Watch It Live

You can watch the Supreme Court hearings livestream here: https://www.scc-csc.ca/cases-dossiers/hearings-audiences/live-endirect/

Hearings begin each day at 9:30 AM Eastern Time.

We encourage you to watch, share, and make du’a for a just outcome.

What Can You Do?

• Watch the hearings and share the link with family and friends
• Make du’a — this is ultimately in Allah’s hands, and He is the best of judges
• Support the NCCM at nccm.ca — their work is your defence
• Have the conversation — talk to your children and youth about what is at stake and why their identity is worth protecting

“And Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people do not know.” — Surah Yusuf, 12:21

Sabeel stands with every Muslim in Canada in this moment. We ask Allah to grant us justice, protect our community, and strengthen those who stand up for what is right.