Multicultural leader a civil rights advocate for fellow Muslims
Aziz Khaki’s activist life began as a young man in Tanzania
When Aziz Khaki entered a room, it didn’t matter if there were five or 1,000 people present: He was always the centre of attention.
The outspoken social justice advocate commanded an audience wherever he went, and regardless of whether people agreed with him, he was always heard.
“It really didn’t matter who was in the room with him,” said Raza Mirani, who knew Khaki through the Pakistan- Canada Association. “If he had something to say, he would say it. He was very blunt and very to the point, but because of who he was, and how involved he was, he was always treated with the utmost respect.”
Born Abdulaziz Khaki but known to everyone as Aziz, the activist and Muslim- Canadian leader died in Vancouver on Tuesday at the age of 83 while celebrating his birthday with his wife, Gulbanu.
Khaki was known throughout Canada as a pioneer of multicultural issues and MuslimCanadian rights. His role as vice- president of both the Canadian Muslim Federation and the Council of Muslim Communities of Canada often brought him to the forefront of dialogues about human rights.
“We definitely feel like there’s a great loss for the Muslim community in Vancouver because of his elected role and because of the initiatives that he had undertaken,” said imam Muhammad Ali of the B. C. Muslim Association. “He was definitely a role model for many of the leaders in the Muslim community, particularly in how to take a role in different venues of social issues and how to resolve them.”
Khaki spoke out about civil rights, particularly as they applied to Vancouver’s Muslim community. Most recently, he opposed full- body scanners at airports, which he called “the greatest humiliation to Muslims, especially our women.”
“He often grappled with things that were outside of his comfort zone and he often erred on the side of human rights, but his conversations went beyond human rights,” said his son, ElFarouk Khaki.
Born in Zanzibar, Tanzania, in 1929, Khaki was raised in DaresSalaam. He became involved in activism at an early age when he joined the fight for independence from British rule, ultimately granted in 1963. After marrying in 1962, Khaki, his wife and young son fled political repression in Tanzania and moved to Canada in 1973.
Khaki immersed himself in social work upon settling in Vancouver. After joining the Pacific Interfaith Citizenship Association of B. C. and building the organization into a diverse group of faith communities in the province, Khaki was asked to head the Committee of Racial Justice in 1982.
The activist received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia in 2009. He was also declared one of B. C.’ s 25 most influential spiritual leaders by The Vancouver Sun in 2010.
“My father was a real visionary,” El- Farouk Khaki said. “He had a vision of all human society and of social justice that was so far in advance of so many people around him.”
A funeral service will be held today at the Burnaby Mosque, 5060 Canada Way, beginning at 2: 30 p. m.