The Ahlul-Bayt Community Center in Ottawa hosted its first-ever book fair, titled “And Ali is His Gate,” on Saturday, January 11th, in celebration of the birth anniversary of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.).
The event attracted a group of around 1000 attendees, throughout the day, who eagerly browsed and purchased Islamic books from a number of publishers and bookstores. Vendors came from Ottawa, Montreal, and all the way from Dearborn, Michigan.
The book fair was an opportunity to promote the spread of spiritual teachings, culture, and knowledge rooted in the Shia Ithna Ashari (Twelver Shia) tradition in an engaging and creative manner. The event also provided a platform for authors—both local and international—to present their work that has influenced the Shia intellectual and religious landscape. 
Vendors included notable names like UmAiman Publications, Figs and Olives Publications, AlBuraq Publications, Sagacity Club, Al Siraj Bookstore, The Muslim Child, The Crafty Cadeau Ramadan Journal, and Lama Zeitoun Art for Stationery, along with independent sellers. Attendees had access to a wide selection of books, including children’s stories and scholarly works on Islamic theology, history, jurisprudence, and ethics—all presented from a Shia point of view.
Jinan Zeitoun from The Muslim Child shared, “It is a dream of mine to have children and their families embrace the joy and honour of knowledge and learning, especially through the form of reading. And it is of utmost importance to me that this is representative of the child’s worldview, where they can see themselves and their spiritual role models in these stories that will inspire their appreciation and growth towards the reason why they were created, to be خليفة الله في أرضه، a representative of Allah on Earth.  And these events and book fairs that make these types of books largely accessible to the general public are great blessings to benefit from and a joy to take part in walhamdulillah. May they increase in their scope and influence inshAllah as time passes.”
Children had a chance to learn about their religion through interactive activities. They made their own bookmarks and ‘Asad Allah’ face masks in honor of Amir Al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.). Storytime sessions in both English and Arabic were led by storyteller Hoda Chahine and author Sahar Jaber, captivating young minds with narratives about Imam Ali (a.s). Storyteller Hoda Chahine said, ““Ali is its gate “ is one of the most beautiful exhibitions I’ve visited recently. I cannot express how stunning this exhibition is, in terms of the beauty of its design and decor, which transports you to a world full of creativity and artistic details. It feels as if books surround you on your right and left—books everywhere. The program is very well-organized and includes many entertaining activities, such as story reading for children, which I had the pleasure of participating in. Thank you for your exceptional efforts—always striving for the best!”

The children were also able to purchase colored pencils, erasers, keychains, and other stationary of different shapes and characters from stationary sellers too. 
Visitors also enjoyed and admired a well-crafted artistic timeline display of Imam Ali’s (a.s.) major life events. To complete the literary experience, visitors could relax and enjoy their new books with a snack and drink at the delightful pop-up Iqraa Café.
The book fair was a great success, serving as yet another milestone for ABCCO that brought the community together while fostering intellectual and spiritual growth within its members. One attendee, Adam Bawab, stated, “I was intrigued by the diverse topics within the scope of Islam. I discovered much more than what I expected. I pray it can happen more regularly!”

*photo and article credit ABCCO