Vancouver Halal Food
Halal Food Guide Vancouver: Uyghur Restaurant, Halal Fast Food, Mosques and Muslim Community
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 10 views • 4 hours ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Vancouver halal food and mosque guide covers Uyghur food, halal fast-food chains, Chinese community areas, Richmond, city views, Shia and Pakistani prayer spaces, Baitur Rahman Mosque, and the author's first impressions of Muslim life in Vancouver.
Vancouver is Canada's third-largest port city and the closest Canadian city to China, separated only by the Pacific Ocean. It also has the largest Chinese population in Canada, with Chinese residents making up nearly one-fifth of the total.
Vancouver has been named one of the world's most livable cities for many years. This is mainly because of its pleasant climate. Its geography is similar to Yili in China, but with the addition of the ocean, which makes it more humid. Summers are not hot, and winters are not too cold.
Cruise ships sailing from Vancouver to Alaska.
Vancouver is next to Seattle in the United States. I visited Seattle in the autumn and was captivated by its beautiful fall scenery. I imagine Vancouver's autumn views are just as good. The daytime sun in Vancouver is very strong, just like in Xinjiang, so I suggest wearing sunglasses.
Bahawan Uyghur Cuisine.
I found at least two Xinjiang restaurants on Google Maps. This is one of them, and it is not far from the Vancouver Convention Centre where I am staying.
It has been a long time since I saw a halal restaurant run by Uyghurs, and they have a halal sign hanging up.
I saw Chinese written on the blackboard: Xinjiang rice noodles (xinjiang mifen) and stir-fried rice cakes (chao niangao).
The server was a slim young Uyghur girl. She spoke fluent English and Uyghur but did not speak Chinese. Most young Uyghurs I have met in Europe and America are like this; they do not speak Chinese, though the older generation can still speak it.
I ordered stir-fried meat with noodles (guoyou rou banmian) and a cold shredded vegetable salad (liangban sansi). The meat dish was 25 dollars and the cold dish was 12 dollars. With a 15% tip, it came to over 200 yuan. While Vancouver's climate is pleasant, the prices are not, making it a place better suited for the wealthy to move to.
A Chinese church in Vancouver. The Chinese population is mainly concentrated in Richmond.
The most common food trucks in Europe and America are basically all halal. In Vancouver, you never have to worry about not finding a halal restaurant; you could say there are halal fast-food shops everywhere.
FATBURGER is a halal burger chain from the United States, and the Beijing locations are also halal.
The Halal Guys is a very popular halal fast-food chain in North America, with a status similar to Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (Lanzhou lamian).
The waiter suggested I choose the large drink because it cost the same as the small one. I saw it was a Canadian specialty and tried it, but it was not good. After trying many new drinks, I realized that if those unfamiliar drinks were actually tasty, they would have been sold in China long ago.
The small chili peppers served with fast food here are extremely spicy. Remember to tell the staff you do not want them. This kind of heat just makes your mouth hurt; it is not as delicious as the fragrant spice we have in Northwest China.
See that? I even have to tip for a fast-food meal, and this small portion cost over 150 yuan.
After that, I visited another Xinjiang restaurant called Beautiful Urumqi. It used to be called Lovely Xinjiang, and I do not know why they changed the name.
The lady in the shop speaks Chinese. She said they arrived in Vancouver three years ago and think it feels a lot like Altay in Northern Xinjiang. When I asked if she wanted to go back, she just gave a helpless smile.
The restaurant does not have many dishes. I ordered a serving of mixed noodles (banmian) and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The taste was not exactly authentic, but the prices are very cheap; this bowl of noodles only cost me a little over 4 dollars.
I stayed in Vancouver for four days and went to the WE GRILL shown in the picture below for breakfast every day.
The guy at the shop is very friendly. I saw on Google that the shop was halal, but I did not see a sign when I arrived, so I asked him. He told me with full confidence, 'Everything is halal!'
I like this place for two reasons. First, the food is healthy with a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and protein. Second, it opens early at 6:00 AM. My conference in Vancouver started at 7:00 AM, so this was the only place I could eat breakfast beforehand.
Because there are so many choices, I ate something different every day. A meal costs 20 dollars, which is quite expensive for a local breakfast in Canada, but it is nutritious and delicious. After the old guy saw me come in for the second day in a row, he started giving me free coffee every day with unlimited refills.
I sat right across from him and watched him greet the customers coming and going. Whether they bought food or not, he always greeted them with a smile and stayed full of energy every day. After leaving Vancouver, I never found another healthy breakfast shop like that one. I will miss my old friend.
Canadians go to cafes for breakfast, like the Tim Hortons in the distance in the photo below. This brand is more popular in Canada than Starbucks, mainly because it is cheaper. For white people, a cup of coffee and a piece of bread is a typical breakfast, but the cafes in the city have long lines every morning.
PICADO Pizza
This Turkish pizza shop is also just a few hundred meters from where I stayed. I met my colleague who lives in Vancouver here. We are both from Beijing, and hearing a Beijing accent in a foreign land feels especially warm.
A cup of yogurt drink (ayran) with a slice of pizza, plus two pieces of sweet pastry (baklava).
I met another colleague who has lived in Vancouver for a long time at this Iranian restaurant. There are many Shia activities in Vancouver, and I will introduce a Shia mosque later.
This grilled chicken set meal suited my taste quite well, and you can find it in Beijing too.
The young lady in the middle and the girl in the headscarf next to her look like the same person. The other three are a Black person, a South Asian, and an East Asian.
Masjid Al Salaam & Education Centre
Al-Salaam Islamic Center in Vancouver.
There is a poster for a halal food festival posted in front of the mosque.
This mosque even has its own app.
Women's prayer hall
Wudu pitcher (wudu hu) used in North America
This mosque has a very modern design with geometric cutouts that let in plenty of light.
The wall facing the direction of prayer in the main hall is made of glass, which is a rare design style. I think this is the most beautiful mosque in Canada.
Behind the women's hall on the second floor is a children's area. This is a very thoughtful feature that lets mothers pray in peace while their children play nearby, and moms can see them through the glass.
Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre
Shia mosque
This is a large Shia Islamic center in Vancouver.
The architectural style clearly features Iranian influences.
The gate to the mosque was locked, so I rang the bell and explained why I was there. The older man watching the door was very welcoming and opened it for me.
He told me this is a Shia mosque and that he is a Shia believer. He reminded me not to get it mixed up, as the Sunni mosque is nearby in a different location.
I saw the stone where the imam stands and told him I recognized it. Shia Muslims believe that during namaz, you cannot pray on a carpet but must be close to the earth or something that grows from it. They use this stone to represent the earth, so when they prostrate, touching the stone means they are close to the earth. I once wrote about why Iran chose the Shia branch of Islam.
List of mosque management staff.
Poster for a scholar's lecture.
The older man watching the door said he had things to do and told me to look around on my own, just making sure to close the door when I left.
Right next to the Shia mosque is a Sikh mosque. I realized this area is like a religious street with all kinds of churches clustered together, as if the government set aside this land specifically for different religions to use.
I saw another Chinese Gospel church.
A Tibetan Buddhist mosque in Richmond.
Richmond is also called Lichiman, and this is a Chinese church by the side of the road.
Another Chinese Christian church right next to the Richmond mosque.
THE B. C. Muslim Association Richmond Branch-Sadaqa
Another Sunni mosque located closest to the Shia mosque in Richmond.
The most eye-catching thing in the mosque is always the QR code for donations; you can complete your charitable duty just by scanning it.
Mosques in Pakistan like to call the women's prayer hall the sisters' hall and the men's prayer hall the brothers' hall.
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
This is a halal Ningxia restaurant in the Richmond area, and the owner is from Ningxia.
The menu includes an introduction to the history and culture of the Hui Muslims in Ningxia.
The restaurant is decorated in a Chinese style and is very clean.
The menu has a good variety, and I wanted to try everything. Since I usually eat fast-food kebabs in Canada, it gets boring, and I really miss Chinese food. Besides, it is hard to find a decent halal restaurant in Canada that does not feel like a fast-food joint.
After looking for a while, I chose a beef sandwich (niurou jiamo) and pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian). The taste was just okay, and it cost over 200 yuan, which is not expensive.
Pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian)
I do not know what the problem is, but I always feel that lamb in Europe and America does not taste as good as it does back home. The lamb I have had in the UK and Canada does not taste as good as the lamb from Northwest China.
After eating, I walked around a nearby mall. Richmond is definitely a place where many Chinese people live. You can get by here without speaking English, as store signs and ATMs have Chinese instructions.
Richmond is translated as Liezhiwen, and it is the largest Chinese community in Canada.
A garden-style building appeared ahead, which is called the Ismaili Centre.
I was moved by the beautiful scenery in front of me, so I really wanted to go inside and take a look.
I saw a few workers at the entrance, and they told me the entrance was at the back door.
I entered the office area from the back door and met an elderly volunteer inside. He told me this is a Shia aid station, not a mosque, and it is a place that provides help to immigrants.
The old man was very kind. He is Indian and said if I wanted to pray, I could go to the Sunni mosque not far away, and he walked out of the building to show me the way.
The volunteers I met at the Shia mosque were not Iranian, but South Asian.
The tapestry hanging on the wall was very beautiful, and the entire room was covered with carpet.
After leaving this aid station, I went to the small mosque below.
Vancouver Jamea Mosque
I happened to come across a small mosque, which seemed to be run by Pakistani people.
There should be dozens of such small mosques in Vancouver.
Baitur Rahman Mosque
Ahmadiyya mosques have clear features. Their names often include 'Baitur,' which means House of Victory, and they are also identified as Ahmadiyya. The largest Ahmadiyya mosque in the UK is in London. This mosque in Vancouver is the third largest in Canada, with the second largest in Calgary and the biggest in Toronto. The silver-white color of the mosque has a special meaning. According to prophecies in the Hadith, the Mahdi will descend in a white mosque when the end times arrive. view all
Summary: This Vancouver halal food and mosque guide covers Uyghur food, halal fast-food chains, Chinese community areas, Richmond, city views, Shia and Pakistani prayer spaces, Baitur Rahman Mosque, and the author's first impressions of Muslim life in Vancouver.
Vancouver is Canada's third-largest port city and the closest Canadian city to China, separated only by the Pacific Ocean. It also has the largest Chinese population in Canada, with Chinese residents making up nearly one-fifth of the total.
Vancouver has been named one of the world's most livable cities for many years. This is mainly because of its pleasant climate. Its geography is similar to Yili in China, but with the addition of the ocean, which makes it more humid. Summers are not hot, and winters are not too cold.
Cruise ships sailing from Vancouver to Alaska.
Vancouver is next to Seattle in the United States. I visited Seattle in the autumn and was captivated by its beautiful fall scenery. I imagine Vancouver's autumn views are just as good. The daytime sun in Vancouver is very strong, just like in Xinjiang, so I suggest wearing sunglasses.
Bahawan Uyghur Cuisine.
I found at least two Xinjiang restaurants on Google Maps. This is one of them, and it is not far from the Vancouver Convention Centre where I am staying.
It has been a long time since I saw a halal restaurant run by Uyghurs, and they have a halal sign hanging up.
I saw Chinese written on the blackboard: Xinjiang rice noodles (xinjiang mifen) and stir-fried rice cakes (chao niangao).
The server was a slim young Uyghur girl. She spoke fluent English and Uyghur but did not speak Chinese. Most young Uyghurs I have met in Europe and America are like this; they do not speak Chinese, though the older generation can still speak it.
I ordered stir-fried meat with noodles (guoyou rou banmian) and a cold shredded vegetable salad (liangban sansi). The meat dish was 25 dollars and the cold dish was 12 dollars. With a 15% tip, it came to over 200 yuan. While Vancouver's climate is pleasant, the prices are not, making it a place better suited for the wealthy to move to.
A Chinese church in Vancouver. The Chinese population is mainly concentrated in Richmond.
The most common food trucks in Europe and America are basically all halal. In Vancouver, you never have to worry about not finding a halal restaurant; you could say there are halal fast-food shops everywhere.
FATBURGER is a halal burger chain from the United States, and the Beijing locations are also halal.
The Halal Guys is a very popular halal fast-food chain in North America, with a status similar to Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (Lanzhou lamian).
The waiter suggested I choose the large drink because it cost the same as the small one. I saw it was a Canadian specialty and tried it, but it was not good. After trying many new drinks, I realized that if those unfamiliar drinks were actually tasty, they would have been sold in China long ago.
The small chili peppers served with fast food here are extremely spicy. Remember to tell the staff you do not want them. This kind of heat just makes your mouth hurt; it is not as delicious as the fragrant spice we have in Northwest China.
See that? I even have to tip for a fast-food meal, and this small portion cost over 150 yuan.
After that, I visited another Xinjiang restaurant called Beautiful Urumqi. It used to be called Lovely Xinjiang, and I do not know why they changed the name.
The lady in the shop speaks Chinese. She said they arrived in Vancouver three years ago and think it feels a lot like Altay in Northern Xinjiang. When I asked if she wanted to go back, she just gave a helpless smile.
The restaurant does not have many dishes. I ordered a serving of mixed noodles (banmian) and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The taste was not exactly authentic, but the prices are very cheap; this bowl of noodles only cost me a little over 4 dollars.
I stayed in Vancouver for four days and went to the WE GRILL shown in the picture below for breakfast every day.
The guy at the shop is very friendly. I saw on Google that the shop was halal, but I did not see a sign when I arrived, so I asked him. He told me with full confidence, 'Everything is halal!'
I like this place for two reasons. First, the food is healthy with a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and protein. Second, it opens early at 6:00 AM. My conference in Vancouver started at 7:00 AM, so this was the only place I could eat breakfast beforehand.
Because there are so many choices, I ate something different every day. A meal costs 20 dollars, which is quite expensive for a local breakfast in Canada, but it is nutritious and delicious. After the old guy saw me come in for the second day in a row, he started giving me free coffee every day with unlimited refills.
I sat right across from him and watched him greet the customers coming and going. Whether they bought food or not, he always greeted them with a smile and stayed full of energy every day. After leaving Vancouver, I never found another healthy breakfast shop like that one. I will miss my old friend.
Canadians go to cafes for breakfast, like the Tim Hortons in the distance in the photo below. This brand is more popular in Canada than Starbucks, mainly because it is cheaper. For white people, a cup of coffee and a piece of bread is a typical breakfast, but the cafes in the city have long lines every morning.
PICADO Pizza
This Turkish pizza shop is also just a few hundred meters from where I stayed. I met my colleague who lives in Vancouver here. We are both from Beijing, and hearing a Beijing accent in a foreign land feels especially warm.
A cup of yogurt drink (ayran) with a slice of pizza, plus two pieces of sweet pastry (baklava).
I met another colleague who has lived in Vancouver for a long time at this Iranian restaurant. There are many Shia activities in Vancouver, and I will introduce a Shia mosque later.
This grilled chicken set meal suited my taste quite well, and you can find it in Beijing too.
The young lady in the middle and the girl in the headscarf next to her look like the same person. The other three are a Black person, a South Asian, and an East Asian.
Masjid Al Salaam & Education Centre
Al-Salaam Islamic Center in Vancouver.
There is a poster for a halal food festival posted in front of the mosque.
This mosque even has its own app.
Women's prayer hall
Wudu pitcher (wudu hu) used in North America
This mosque has a very modern design with geometric cutouts that let in plenty of light.
The wall facing the direction of prayer in the main hall is made of glass, which is a rare design style. I think this is the most beautiful mosque in Canada.
Behind the women's hall on the second floor is a children's area. This is a very thoughtful feature that lets mothers pray in peace while their children play nearby, and moms can see them through the glass.
Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre
Shia mosque
This is a large Shia Islamic center in Vancouver.
The architectural style clearly features Iranian influences.
The gate to the mosque was locked, so I rang the bell and explained why I was there. The older man watching the door was very welcoming and opened it for me.
He told me this is a Shia mosque and that he is a Shia believer. He reminded me not to get it mixed up, as the Sunni mosque is nearby in a different location.
I saw the stone where the imam stands and told him I recognized it. Shia Muslims believe that during namaz, you cannot pray on a carpet but must be close to the earth or something that grows from it. They use this stone to represent the earth, so when they prostrate, touching the stone means they are close to the earth. I once wrote about why Iran chose the Shia branch of Islam.
List of mosque management staff.
Poster for a scholar's lecture.
The older man watching the door said he had things to do and told me to look around on my own, just making sure to close the door when I left.
Right next to the Shia mosque is a Sikh mosque. I realized this area is like a religious street with all kinds of churches clustered together, as if the government set aside this land specifically for different religions to use.
I saw another Chinese Gospel church.
A Tibetan Buddhist mosque in Richmond.
Richmond is also called Lichiman, and this is a Chinese church by the side of the road.
Another Chinese Christian church right next to the Richmond mosque.
THE B. C. Muslim Association Richmond Branch-Sadaqa
Another Sunni mosque located closest to the Shia mosque in Richmond.
The most eye-catching thing in the mosque is always the QR code for donations; you can complete your charitable duty just by scanning it.
Mosques in Pakistan like to call the women's prayer hall the sisters' hall and the men's prayer hall the brothers' hall.
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
This is a halal Ningxia restaurant in the Richmond area, and the owner is from Ningxia.
The menu includes an introduction to the history and culture of the Hui Muslims in Ningxia.
The restaurant is decorated in a Chinese style and is very clean.
The menu has a good variety, and I wanted to try everything. Since I usually eat fast-food kebabs in Canada, it gets boring, and I really miss Chinese food. Besides, it is hard to find a decent halal restaurant in Canada that does not feel like a fast-food joint.
After looking for a while, I chose a beef sandwich (niurou jiamo) and pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian). The taste was just okay, and it cost over 200 yuan, which is not expensive.
Pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian)
I do not know what the problem is, but I always feel that lamb in Europe and America does not taste as good as it does back home. The lamb I have had in the UK and Canada does not taste as good as the lamb from Northwest China.
After eating, I walked around a nearby mall. Richmond is definitely a place where many Chinese people live. You can get by here without speaking English, as store signs and ATMs have Chinese instructions.
Richmond is translated as Liezhiwen, and it is the largest Chinese community in Canada.
A garden-style building appeared ahead, which is called the Ismaili Centre.
I was moved by the beautiful scenery in front of me, so I really wanted to go inside and take a look.
I saw a few workers at the entrance, and they told me the entrance was at the back door.
I entered the office area from the back door and met an elderly volunteer inside. He told me this is a Shia aid station, not a mosque, and it is a place that provides help to immigrants.
The old man was very kind. He is Indian and said if I wanted to pray, I could go to the Sunni mosque not far away, and he walked out of the building to show me the way.
The volunteers I met at the Shia mosque were not Iranian, but South Asian.
The tapestry hanging on the wall was very beautiful, and the entire room was covered with carpet.
After leaving this aid station, I went to the small mosque below.
Vancouver Jamea Mosque
I happened to come across a small mosque, which seemed to be run by Pakistani people.
There should be dozens of such small mosques in Vancouver.
Baitur Rahman Mosque
Ahmadiyya mosques have clear features. Their names often include 'Baitur,' which means House of Victory, and they are also identified as Ahmadiyya. The largest Ahmadiyya mosque in the UK is in London. This mosque in Vancouver is the third largest in Canada, with the second largest in Calgary and the biggest in Toronto. The silver-white color of the mosque has a special meaning. According to prophecies in the Hadith, the Mahdi will descend in a white mosque when the end times arrive. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Vancouver halal food and mosque guide covers Uyghur food, halal fast-food chains, Chinese community areas, Richmond, city views, Shia and Pakistani prayer spaces, Baitur Rahman Mosque, and the author's first impressions of Muslim life in Vancouver.
Vancouver is Canada's third-largest port city and the closest Canadian city to China, separated only by the Pacific Ocean. It also has the largest Chinese population in Canada, with Chinese residents making up nearly one-fifth of the total.
Vancouver has been named one of the world's most livable cities for many years. This is mainly because of its pleasant climate. Its geography is similar to Yili in China, but with the addition of the ocean, which makes it more humid. Summers are not hot, and winters are not too cold.
Cruise ships sailing from Vancouver to Alaska.
Vancouver is next to Seattle in the United States. I visited Seattle in the autumn and was captivated by its beautiful fall scenery. I imagine Vancouver's autumn views are just as good. The daytime sun in Vancouver is very strong, just like in Xinjiang, so I suggest wearing sunglasses.
Bahawan Uyghur Cuisine.
I found at least two Xinjiang restaurants on Google Maps. This is one of them, and it is not far from the Vancouver Convention Centre where I am staying.
It has been a long time since I saw a halal restaurant run by Uyghurs, and they have a halal sign hanging up.
I saw Chinese written on the blackboard: Xinjiang rice noodles (xinjiang mifen) and stir-fried rice cakes (chao niangao).
The server was a slim young Uyghur girl. She spoke fluent English and Uyghur but did not speak Chinese. Most young Uyghurs I have met in Europe and America are like this; they do not speak Chinese, though the older generation can still speak it.
I ordered stir-fried meat with noodles (guoyou rou banmian) and a cold shredded vegetable salad (liangban sansi). The meat dish was 25 dollars and the cold dish was 12 dollars. With a 15% tip, it came to over 200 yuan. While Vancouver's climate is pleasant, the prices are not, making it a place better suited for the wealthy to move to.
A Chinese church in Vancouver. The Chinese population is mainly concentrated in Richmond.
The most common food trucks in Europe and America are basically all halal. In Vancouver, you never have to worry about not finding a halal restaurant; you could say there are halal fast-food shops everywhere.
FATBURGER is a halal burger chain from the United States, and the Beijing locations are also halal.
The Halal Guys is a very popular halal fast-food chain in North America, with a status similar to Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (Lanzhou lamian).
The waiter suggested I choose the large drink because it cost the same as the small one. I saw it was a Canadian specialty and tried it, but it was not good. After trying many new drinks, I realized that if those unfamiliar drinks were actually tasty, they would have been sold in China long ago.
The small chili peppers served with fast food here are extremely spicy. Remember to tell the staff you do not want them. This kind of heat just makes your mouth hurt; it is not as delicious as the fragrant spice we have in Northwest China.
See that? I even have to tip for a fast-food meal, and this small portion cost over 150 yuan.
After that, I visited another Xinjiang restaurant called Beautiful Urumqi. It used to be called Lovely Xinjiang, and I do not know why they changed the name.
The lady in the shop speaks Chinese. She said they arrived in Vancouver three years ago and think it feels a lot like Altay in Northern Xinjiang. When I asked if she wanted to go back, she just gave a helpless smile.
The restaurant does not have many dishes. I ordered a serving of mixed noodles (banmian) and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The taste was not exactly authentic, but the prices are very cheap; this bowl of noodles only cost me a little over 4 dollars.
I stayed in Vancouver for four days and went to the WE GRILL shown in the picture below for breakfast every day.
The guy at the shop is very friendly. I saw on Google that the shop was halal, but I did not see a sign when I arrived, so I asked him. He told me with full confidence, 'Everything is halal!'
I like this place for two reasons. First, the food is healthy with a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and protein. Second, it opens early at 6:00 AM. My conference in Vancouver started at 7:00 AM, so this was the only place I could eat breakfast beforehand.
Because there are so many choices, I ate something different every day. A meal costs 20 dollars, which is quite expensive for a local breakfast in Canada, but it is nutritious and delicious. After the old guy saw me come in for the second day in a row, he started giving me free coffee every day with unlimited refills.
I sat right across from him and watched him greet the customers coming and going. Whether they bought food or not, he always greeted them with a smile and stayed full of energy every day. After leaving Vancouver, I never found another healthy breakfast shop like that one. I will miss my old friend.
Canadians go to cafes for breakfast, like the Tim Hortons in the distance in the photo below. This brand is more popular in Canada than Starbucks, mainly because it is cheaper. For white people, a cup of coffee and a piece of bread is a typical breakfast, but the cafes in the city have long lines every morning.
PICADO Pizza
This Turkish pizza shop is also just a few hundred meters from where I stayed. I met my colleague who lives in Vancouver here. We are both from Beijing, and hearing a Beijing accent in a foreign land feels especially warm.
A cup of yogurt drink (ayran) with a slice of pizza, plus two pieces of sweet pastry (baklava).
I met another colleague who has lived in Vancouver for a long time at this Iranian restaurant. There are many Shia activities in Vancouver, and I will introduce a Shia mosque later.
This grilled chicken set meal suited my taste quite well, and you can find it in Beijing too.
The young lady in the middle and the girl in the headscarf next to her look like the same person. The other three are a Black person, a South Asian, and an East Asian.
Masjid Al Salaam & Education Centre
Al-Salaam Islamic Center in Vancouver.
There is a poster for a halal food festival posted in front of the mosque.
This mosque even has its own app.
Women's prayer hall
Wudu pitcher (wudu hu) used in North America
This mosque has a very modern design with geometric cutouts that let in plenty of light.
The wall facing the direction of prayer in the main hall is made of glass, which is a rare design style. I think this is the most beautiful mosque in Canada.
Behind the women's hall on the second floor is a children's area. This is a very thoughtful feature that lets mothers pray in peace while their children play nearby, and moms can see them through the glass.
Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre
Shia mosque
This is a large Shia Islamic center in Vancouver.
The architectural style clearly features Iranian influences.
The gate to the mosque was locked, so I rang the bell and explained why I was there. The older man watching the door was very welcoming and opened it for me.
He told me this is a Shia mosque and that he is a Shia believer. He reminded me not to get it mixed up, as the Sunni mosque is nearby in a different location.
I saw the stone where the imam stands and told him I recognized it. Shia Muslims believe that during namaz, you cannot pray on a carpet but must be close to the earth or something that grows from it. They use this stone to represent the earth, so when they prostrate, touching the stone means they are close to the earth. I once wrote about why Iran chose the Shia branch of Islam.
List of mosque management staff.
Poster for a scholar's lecture.
The older man watching the door said he had things to do and told me to look around on my own, just making sure to close the door when I left.
Right next to the Shia mosque is a Sikh mosque. I realized this area is like a religious street with all kinds of churches clustered together, as if the government set aside this land specifically for different religions to use.
I saw another Chinese Gospel church.
A Tibetan Buddhist mosque in Richmond.
Richmond is also called Lichiman, and this is a Chinese church by the side of the road.
Another Chinese Christian church right next to the Richmond mosque.
THE B. C. Muslim Association Richmond Branch-Sadaqa
Another Sunni mosque located closest to the Shia mosque in Richmond.
The most eye-catching thing in the mosque is always the QR code for donations; you can complete your charitable duty just by scanning it.
Mosques in Pakistan like to call the women's prayer hall the sisters' hall and the men's prayer hall the brothers' hall.
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
This is a halal Ningxia restaurant in the Richmond area, and the owner is from Ningxia.
The menu includes an introduction to the history and culture of the Hui Muslims in Ningxia.
The restaurant is decorated in a Chinese style and is very clean.
The menu has a good variety, and I wanted to try everything. Since I usually eat fast-food kebabs in Canada, it gets boring, and I really miss Chinese food. Besides, it is hard to find a decent halal restaurant in Canada that does not feel like a fast-food joint.
After looking for a while, I chose a beef sandwich (niurou jiamo) and pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian). The taste was just okay, and it cost over 200 yuan, which is not expensive.
Pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian)
I do not know what the problem is, but I always feel that lamb in Europe and America does not taste as good as it does back home. The lamb I have had in the UK and Canada does not taste as good as the lamb from Northwest China.
After eating, I walked around a nearby mall. Richmond is definitely a place where many Chinese people live. You can get by here without speaking English, as store signs and ATMs have Chinese instructions.
Richmond is translated as Liezhiwen, and it is the largest Chinese community in Canada.
A garden-style building appeared ahead, which is called the Ismaili Centre.
I was moved by the beautiful scenery in front of me, so I really wanted to go inside and take a look.
I saw a few workers at the entrance, and they told me the entrance was at the back door.
I entered the office area from the back door and met an elderly volunteer inside. He told me this is a Shia aid station, not a mosque, and it is a place that provides help to immigrants.
The old man was very kind. He is Indian and said if I wanted to pray, I could go to the Sunni mosque not far away, and he walked out of the building to show me the way.
The volunteers I met at the Shia mosque were not Iranian, but South Asian.
The tapestry hanging on the wall was very beautiful, and the entire room was covered with carpet.
After leaving this aid station, I went to the small mosque below.
Vancouver Jamea Mosque
I happened to come across a small mosque, which seemed to be run by Pakistani people.
There should be dozens of such small mosques in Vancouver.
Baitur Rahman Mosque
Ahmadiyya mosques have clear features. Their names often include 'Baitur,' which means House of Victory, and they are also identified as Ahmadiyya. The largest Ahmadiyya mosque in the UK is in London. This mosque in Vancouver is the third largest in Canada, with the second largest in Calgary and the biggest in Toronto. The silver-white color of the mosque has a special meaning. According to prophecies in the Hadith, the Mahdi will descend in a white mosque when the end times arrive.
Summary: This Vancouver halal food and mosque guide covers Uyghur food, halal fast-food chains, Chinese community areas, Richmond, city views, Shia and Pakistani prayer spaces, Baitur Rahman Mosque, and the author's first impressions of Muslim life in Vancouver.
Vancouver is Canada's third-largest port city and the closest Canadian city to China, separated only by the Pacific Ocean. It also has the largest Chinese population in Canada, with Chinese residents making up nearly one-fifth of the total.
Vancouver has been named one of the world's most livable cities for many years. This is mainly because of its pleasant climate. Its geography is similar to Yili in China, but with the addition of the ocean, which makes it more humid. Summers are not hot, and winters are not too cold.
Cruise ships sailing from Vancouver to Alaska.
Vancouver is next to Seattle in the United States. I visited Seattle in the autumn and was captivated by its beautiful fall scenery. I imagine Vancouver's autumn views are just as good. The daytime sun in Vancouver is very strong, just like in Xinjiang, so I suggest wearing sunglasses.
Bahawan Uyghur Cuisine.
I found at least two Xinjiang restaurants on Google Maps. This is one of them, and it is not far from the Vancouver Convention Centre where I am staying.
It has been a long time since I saw a halal restaurant run by Uyghurs, and they have a halal sign hanging up.
I saw Chinese written on the blackboard: Xinjiang rice noodles (xinjiang mifen) and stir-fried rice cakes (chao niangao).
The server was a slim young Uyghur girl. She spoke fluent English and Uyghur but did not speak Chinese. Most young Uyghurs I have met in Europe and America are like this; they do not speak Chinese, though the older generation can still speak it.
I ordered stir-fried meat with noodles (guoyou rou banmian) and a cold shredded vegetable salad (liangban sansi). The meat dish was 25 dollars and the cold dish was 12 dollars. With a 15% tip, it came to over 200 yuan. While Vancouver's climate is pleasant, the prices are not, making it a place better suited for the wealthy to move to.
A Chinese church in Vancouver. The Chinese population is mainly concentrated in Richmond.
The most common food trucks in Europe and America are basically all halal. In Vancouver, you never have to worry about not finding a halal restaurant; you could say there are halal fast-food shops everywhere.
FATBURGER is a halal burger chain from the United States, and the Beijing locations are also halal.
The Halal Guys is a very popular halal fast-food chain in North America, with a status similar to Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (Lanzhou lamian).
The waiter suggested I choose the large drink because it cost the same as the small one. I saw it was a Canadian specialty and tried it, but it was not good. After trying many new drinks, I realized that if those unfamiliar drinks were actually tasty, they would have been sold in China long ago.
The small chili peppers served with fast food here are extremely spicy. Remember to tell the staff you do not want them. This kind of heat just makes your mouth hurt; it is not as delicious as the fragrant spice we have in Northwest China.
See that? I even have to tip for a fast-food meal, and this small portion cost over 150 yuan.
After that, I visited another Xinjiang restaurant called Beautiful Urumqi. It used to be called Lovely Xinjiang, and I do not know why they changed the name.
The lady in the shop speaks Chinese. She said they arrived in Vancouver three years ago and think it feels a lot like Altay in Northern Xinjiang. When I asked if she wanted to go back, she just gave a helpless smile.
The restaurant does not have many dishes. I ordered a serving of mixed noodles (banmian) and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The taste was not exactly authentic, but the prices are very cheap; this bowl of noodles only cost me a little over 4 dollars.
I stayed in Vancouver for four days and went to the WE GRILL shown in the picture below for breakfast every day.
The guy at the shop is very friendly. I saw on Google that the shop was halal, but I did not see a sign when I arrived, so I asked him. He told me with full confidence, 'Everything is halal!'
I like this place for two reasons. First, the food is healthy with a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and protein. Second, it opens early at 6:00 AM. My conference in Vancouver started at 7:00 AM, so this was the only place I could eat breakfast beforehand.
Because there are so many choices, I ate something different every day. A meal costs 20 dollars, which is quite expensive for a local breakfast in Canada, but it is nutritious and delicious. After the old guy saw me come in for the second day in a row, he started giving me free coffee every day with unlimited refills.
I sat right across from him and watched him greet the customers coming and going. Whether they bought food or not, he always greeted them with a smile and stayed full of energy every day. After leaving Vancouver, I never found another healthy breakfast shop like that one. I will miss my old friend.
Canadians go to cafes for breakfast, like the Tim Hortons in the distance in the photo below. This brand is more popular in Canada than Starbucks, mainly because it is cheaper. For white people, a cup of coffee and a piece of bread is a typical breakfast, but the cafes in the city have long lines every morning.
PICADO Pizza
This Turkish pizza shop is also just a few hundred meters from where I stayed. I met my colleague who lives in Vancouver here. We are both from Beijing, and hearing a Beijing accent in a foreign land feels especially warm.
A cup of yogurt drink (ayran) with a slice of pizza, plus two pieces of sweet pastry (baklava).
I met another colleague who has lived in Vancouver for a long time at this Iranian restaurant. There are many Shia activities in Vancouver, and I will introduce a Shia mosque later.
This grilled chicken set meal suited my taste quite well, and you can find it in Beijing too.
The young lady in the middle and the girl in the headscarf next to her look like the same person. The other three are a Black person, a South Asian, and an East Asian.
Masjid Al Salaam & Education Centre
Al-Salaam Islamic Center in Vancouver.
There is a poster for a halal food festival posted in front of the mosque.
This mosque even has its own app.
Women's prayer hall
Wudu pitcher (wudu hu) used in North America
This mosque has a very modern design with geometric cutouts that let in plenty of light.
The wall facing the direction of prayer in the main hall is made of glass, which is a rare design style. I think this is the most beautiful mosque in Canada.
Behind the women's hall on the second floor is a children's area. This is a very thoughtful feature that lets mothers pray in peace while their children play nearby, and moms can see them through the glass.
Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre
Shia mosque
This is a large Shia Islamic center in Vancouver.
The architectural style clearly features Iranian influences.
The gate to the mosque was locked, so I rang the bell and explained why I was there. The older man watching the door was very welcoming and opened it for me.
He told me this is a Shia mosque and that he is a Shia believer. He reminded me not to get it mixed up, as the Sunni mosque is nearby in a different location.
I saw the stone where the imam stands and told him I recognized it. Shia Muslims believe that during namaz, you cannot pray on a carpet but must be close to the earth or something that grows from it. They use this stone to represent the earth, so when they prostrate, touching the stone means they are close to the earth. I once wrote about why Iran chose the Shia branch of Islam.
List of mosque management staff.
Poster for a scholar's lecture.
The older man watching the door said he had things to do and told me to look around on my own, just making sure to close the door when I left.
Right next to the Shia mosque is a Sikh mosque. I realized this area is like a religious street with all kinds of churches clustered together, as if the government set aside this land specifically for different religions to use.
I saw another Chinese Gospel church.
A Tibetan Buddhist mosque in Richmond.
Richmond is also called Lichiman, and this is a Chinese church by the side of the road.
Another Chinese Christian church right next to the Richmond mosque.
THE B. C. Muslim Association Richmond Branch-Sadaqa
Another Sunni mosque located closest to the Shia mosque in Richmond.
The most eye-catching thing in the mosque is always the QR code for donations; you can complete your charitable duty just by scanning it.
Mosques in Pakistan like to call the women's prayer hall the sisters' hall and the men's prayer hall the brothers' hall.
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
This is a halal Ningxia restaurant in the Richmond area, and the owner is from Ningxia.
The menu includes an introduction to the history and culture of the Hui Muslims in Ningxia.
The restaurant is decorated in a Chinese style and is very clean.
The menu has a good variety, and I wanted to try everything. Since I usually eat fast-food kebabs in Canada, it gets boring, and I really miss Chinese food. Besides, it is hard to find a decent halal restaurant in Canada that does not feel like a fast-food joint.
After looking for a while, I chose a beef sandwich (niurou jiamo) and pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian). The taste was just okay, and it cost over 200 yuan, which is not expensive.
Pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian)
I do not know what the problem is, but I always feel that lamb in Europe and America does not taste as good as it does back home. The lamb I have had in the UK and Canada does not taste as good as the lamb from Northwest China.
After eating, I walked around a nearby mall. Richmond is definitely a place where many Chinese people live. You can get by here without speaking English, as store signs and ATMs have Chinese instructions.
Richmond is translated as Liezhiwen, and it is the largest Chinese community in Canada.
A garden-style building appeared ahead, which is called the Ismaili Centre.
I was moved by the beautiful scenery in front of me, so I really wanted to go inside and take a look.
I saw a few workers at the entrance, and they told me the entrance was at the back door.
I entered the office area from the back door and met an elderly volunteer inside. He told me this is a Shia aid station, not a mosque, and it is a place that provides help to immigrants.
The old man was very kind. He is Indian and said if I wanted to pray, I could go to the Sunni mosque not far away, and he walked out of the building to show me the way.
The volunteers I met at the Shia mosque were not Iranian, but South Asian.
The tapestry hanging on the wall was very beautiful, and the entire room was covered with carpet.
After leaving this aid station, I went to the small mosque below.
Vancouver Jamea Mosque
I happened to come across a small mosque, which seemed to be run by Pakistani people.
There should be dozens of such small mosques in Vancouver.
Baitur Rahman Mosque
Ahmadiyya mosques have clear features. Their names often include 'Baitur,' which means House of Victory, and they are also identified as Ahmadiyya. The largest Ahmadiyya mosque in the UK is in London. This mosque in Vancouver is the third largest in Canada, with the second largest in Calgary and the biggest in Toronto. The silver-white color of the mosque has a special meaning. According to prophecies in the Hadith, the Mahdi will descend in a white mosque when the end times arrive.
Halal Food Guide Vancouver: Uyghur Restaurant, Halal Fast Food, Mosques and Muslim Community
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 10 views • 4 hours ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Vancouver halal food and mosque guide covers Uyghur food, halal fast-food chains, Chinese community areas, Richmond, city views, Shia and Pakistani prayer spaces, Baitur Rahman Mosque, and the author's first impressions of Muslim life in Vancouver.
Vancouver is Canada's third-largest port city and the closest Canadian city to China, separated only by the Pacific Ocean. It also has the largest Chinese population in Canada, with Chinese residents making up nearly one-fifth of the total.
Vancouver has been named one of the world's most livable cities for many years. This is mainly because of its pleasant climate. Its geography is similar to Yili in China, but with the addition of the ocean, which makes it more humid. Summers are not hot, and winters are not too cold.
Cruise ships sailing from Vancouver to Alaska.
Vancouver is next to Seattle in the United States. I visited Seattle in the autumn and was captivated by its beautiful fall scenery. I imagine Vancouver's autumn views are just as good. The daytime sun in Vancouver is very strong, just like in Xinjiang, so I suggest wearing sunglasses.
Bahawan Uyghur Cuisine.
I found at least two Xinjiang restaurants on Google Maps. This is one of them, and it is not far from the Vancouver Convention Centre where I am staying.
It has been a long time since I saw a halal restaurant run by Uyghurs, and they have a halal sign hanging up.
I saw Chinese written on the blackboard: Xinjiang rice noodles (xinjiang mifen) and stir-fried rice cakes (chao niangao).
The server was a slim young Uyghur girl. She spoke fluent English and Uyghur but did not speak Chinese. Most young Uyghurs I have met in Europe and America are like this; they do not speak Chinese, though the older generation can still speak it.
I ordered stir-fried meat with noodles (guoyou rou banmian) and a cold shredded vegetable salad (liangban sansi). The meat dish was 25 dollars and the cold dish was 12 dollars. With a 15% tip, it came to over 200 yuan. While Vancouver's climate is pleasant, the prices are not, making it a place better suited for the wealthy to move to.
A Chinese church in Vancouver. The Chinese population is mainly concentrated in Richmond.
The most common food trucks in Europe and America are basically all halal. In Vancouver, you never have to worry about not finding a halal restaurant; you could say there are halal fast-food shops everywhere.
FATBURGER is a halal burger chain from the United States, and the Beijing locations are also halal.
The Halal Guys is a very popular halal fast-food chain in North America, with a status similar to Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (Lanzhou lamian).
The waiter suggested I choose the large drink because it cost the same as the small one. I saw it was a Canadian specialty and tried it, but it was not good. After trying many new drinks, I realized that if those unfamiliar drinks were actually tasty, they would have been sold in China long ago.
The small chili peppers served with fast food here are extremely spicy. Remember to tell the staff you do not want them. This kind of heat just makes your mouth hurt; it is not as delicious as the fragrant spice we have in Northwest China.
See that? I even have to tip for a fast-food meal, and this small portion cost over 150 yuan.
After that, I visited another Xinjiang restaurant called Beautiful Urumqi. It used to be called Lovely Xinjiang, and I do not know why they changed the name.
The lady in the shop speaks Chinese. She said they arrived in Vancouver three years ago and think it feels a lot like Altay in Northern Xinjiang. When I asked if she wanted to go back, she just gave a helpless smile.
The restaurant does not have many dishes. I ordered a serving of mixed noodles (banmian) and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The taste was not exactly authentic, but the prices are very cheap; this bowl of noodles only cost me a little over 4 dollars.
I stayed in Vancouver for four days and went to the WE GRILL shown in the picture below for breakfast every day.
The guy at the shop is very friendly. I saw on Google that the shop was halal, but I did not see a sign when I arrived, so I asked him. He told me with full confidence, 'Everything is halal!'
I like this place for two reasons. First, the food is healthy with a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and protein. Second, it opens early at 6:00 AM. My conference in Vancouver started at 7:00 AM, so this was the only place I could eat breakfast beforehand.
Because there are so many choices, I ate something different every day. A meal costs 20 dollars, which is quite expensive for a local breakfast in Canada, but it is nutritious and delicious. After the old guy saw me come in for the second day in a row, he started giving me free coffee every day with unlimited refills.
I sat right across from him and watched him greet the customers coming and going. Whether they bought food or not, he always greeted them with a smile and stayed full of energy every day. After leaving Vancouver, I never found another healthy breakfast shop like that one. I will miss my old friend.
Canadians go to cafes for breakfast, like the Tim Hortons in the distance in the photo below. This brand is more popular in Canada than Starbucks, mainly because it is cheaper. For white people, a cup of coffee and a piece of bread is a typical breakfast, but the cafes in the city have long lines every morning.
PICADO Pizza
This Turkish pizza shop is also just a few hundred meters from where I stayed. I met my colleague who lives in Vancouver here. We are both from Beijing, and hearing a Beijing accent in a foreign land feels especially warm.
A cup of yogurt drink (ayran) with a slice of pizza, plus two pieces of sweet pastry (baklava).
I met another colleague who has lived in Vancouver for a long time at this Iranian restaurant. There are many Shia activities in Vancouver, and I will introduce a Shia mosque later.
This grilled chicken set meal suited my taste quite well, and you can find it in Beijing too.
The young lady in the middle and the girl in the headscarf next to her look like the same person. The other three are a Black person, a South Asian, and an East Asian.
Masjid Al Salaam & Education Centre
Al-Salaam Islamic Center in Vancouver.
There is a poster for a halal food festival posted in front of the mosque.
This mosque even has its own app.
Women's prayer hall
Wudu pitcher (wudu hu) used in North America
This mosque has a very modern design with geometric cutouts that let in plenty of light.
The wall facing the direction of prayer in the main hall is made of glass, which is a rare design style. I think this is the most beautiful mosque in Canada.
Behind the women's hall on the second floor is a children's area. This is a very thoughtful feature that lets mothers pray in peace while their children play nearby, and moms can see them through the glass.
Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre
Shia mosque
This is a large Shia Islamic center in Vancouver.
The architectural style clearly features Iranian influences.
The gate to the mosque was locked, so I rang the bell and explained why I was there. The older man watching the door was very welcoming and opened it for me.
He told me this is a Shia mosque and that he is a Shia believer. He reminded me not to get it mixed up, as the Sunni mosque is nearby in a different location.
I saw the stone where the imam stands and told him I recognized it. Shia Muslims believe that during namaz, you cannot pray on a carpet but must be close to the earth or something that grows from it. They use this stone to represent the earth, so when they prostrate, touching the stone means they are close to the earth. I once wrote about why Iran chose the Shia branch of Islam.
List of mosque management staff.
Poster for a scholar's lecture.
The older man watching the door said he had things to do and told me to look around on my own, just making sure to close the door when I left.
Right next to the Shia mosque is a Sikh mosque. I realized this area is like a religious street with all kinds of churches clustered together, as if the government set aside this land specifically for different religions to use.
I saw another Chinese Gospel church.
A Tibetan Buddhist mosque in Richmond.
Richmond is also called Lichiman, and this is a Chinese church by the side of the road.
Another Chinese Christian church right next to the Richmond mosque.
THE B. C. Muslim Association Richmond Branch-Sadaqa
Another Sunni mosque located closest to the Shia mosque in Richmond.
The most eye-catching thing in the mosque is always the QR code for donations; you can complete your charitable duty just by scanning it.
Mosques in Pakistan like to call the women's prayer hall the sisters' hall and the men's prayer hall the brothers' hall.
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
This is a halal Ningxia restaurant in the Richmond area, and the owner is from Ningxia.
The menu includes an introduction to the history and culture of the Hui Muslims in Ningxia.
The restaurant is decorated in a Chinese style and is very clean.
The menu has a good variety, and I wanted to try everything. Since I usually eat fast-food kebabs in Canada, it gets boring, and I really miss Chinese food. Besides, it is hard to find a decent halal restaurant in Canada that does not feel like a fast-food joint.
After looking for a while, I chose a beef sandwich (niurou jiamo) and pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian). The taste was just okay, and it cost over 200 yuan, which is not expensive.
Pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian)
I do not know what the problem is, but I always feel that lamb in Europe and America does not taste as good as it does back home. The lamb I have had in the UK and Canada does not taste as good as the lamb from Northwest China.
After eating, I walked around a nearby mall. Richmond is definitely a place where many Chinese people live. You can get by here without speaking English, as store signs and ATMs have Chinese instructions.
Richmond is translated as Liezhiwen, and it is the largest Chinese community in Canada.
A garden-style building appeared ahead, which is called the Ismaili Centre.
I was moved by the beautiful scenery in front of me, so I really wanted to go inside and take a look.
I saw a few workers at the entrance, and they told me the entrance was at the back door.
I entered the office area from the back door and met an elderly volunteer inside. He told me this is a Shia aid station, not a mosque, and it is a place that provides help to immigrants.
The old man was very kind. He is Indian and said if I wanted to pray, I could go to the Sunni mosque not far away, and he walked out of the building to show me the way.
The volunteers I met at the Shia mosque were not Iranian, but South Asian.
The tapestry hanging on the wall was very beautiful, and the entire room was covered with carpet.
After leaving this aid station, I went to the small mosque below.
Vancouver Jamea Mosque
I happened to come across a small mosque, which seemed to be run by Pakistani people.
There should be dozens of such small mosques in Vancouver.
Baitur Rahman Mosque
Ahmadiyya mosques have clear features. Their names often include 'Baitur,' which means House of Victory, and they are also identified as Ahmadiyya. The largest Ahmadiyya mosque in the UK is in London. This mosque in Vancouver is the third largest in Canada, with the second largest in Calgary and the biggest in Toronto. The silver-white color of the mosque has a special meaning. According to prophecies in the Hadith, the Mahdi will descend in a white mosque when the end times arrive. view all
Summary: This Vancouver halal food and mosque guide covers Uyghur food, halal fast-food chains, Chinese community areas, Richmond, city views, Shia and Pakistani prayer spaces, Baitur Rahman Mosque, and the author's first impressions of Muslim life in Vancouver.
Vancouver is Canada's third-largest port city and the closest Canadian city to China, separated only by the Pacific Ocean. It also has the largest Chinese population in Canada, with Chinese residents making up nearly one-fifth of the total.
Vancouver has been named one of the world's most livable cities for many years. This is mainly because of its pleasant climate. Its geography is similar to Yili in China, but with the addition of the ocean, which makes it more humid. Summers are not hot, and winters are not too cold.
Cruise ships sailing from Vancouver to Alaska.
Vancouver is next to Seattle in the United States. I visited Seattle in the autumn and was captivated by its beautiful fall scenery. I imagine Vancouver's autumn views are just as good. The daytime sun in Vancouver is very strong, just like in Xinjiang, so I suggest wearing sunglasses.
Bahawan Uyghur Cuisine.
I found at least two Xinjiang restaurants on Google Maps. This is one of them, and it is not far from the Vancouver Convention Centre where I am staying.
It has been a long time since I saw a halal restaurant run by Uyghurs, and they have a halal sign hanging up.
I saw Chinese written on the blackboard: Xinjiang rice noodles (xinjiang mifen) and stir-fried rice cakes (chao niangao).
The server was a slim young Uyghur girl. She spoke fluent English and Uyghur but did not speak Chinese. Most young Uyghurs I have met in Europe and America are like this; they do not speak Chinese, though the older generation can still speak it.
I ordered stir-fried meat with noodles (guoyou rou banmian) and a cold shredded vegetable salad (liangban sansi). The meat dish was 25 dollars and the cold dish was 12 dollars. With a 15% tip, it came to over 200 yuan. While Vancouver's climate is pleasant, the prices are not, making it a place better suited for the wealthy to move to.
A Chinese church in Vancouver. The Chinese population is mainly concentrated in Richmond.
The most common food trucks in Europe and America are basically all halal. In Vancouver, you never have to worry about not finding a halal restaurant; you could say there are halal fast-food shops everywhere.
FATBURGER is a halal burger chain from the United States, and the Beijing locations are also halal.
The Halal Guys is a very popular halal fast-food chain in North America, with a status similar to Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (Lanzhou lamian).
The waiter suggested I choose the large drink because it cost the same as the small one. I saw it was a Canadian specialty and tried it, but it was not good. After trying many new drinks, I realized that if those unfamiliar drinks were actually tasty, they would have been sold in China long ago.
The small chili peppers served with fast food here are extremely spicy. Remember to tell the staff you do not want them. This kind of heat just makes your mouth hurt; it is not as delicious as the fragrant spice we have in Northwest China.
See that? I even have to tip for a fast-food meal, and this small portion cost over 150 yuan.
After that, I visited another Xinjiang restaurant called Beautiful Urumqi. It used to be called Lovely Xinjiang, and I do not know why they changed the name.
The lady in the shop speaks Chinese. She said they arrived in Vancouver three years ago and think it feels a lot like Altay in Northern Xinjiang. When I asked if she wanted to go back, she just gave a helpless smile.
The restaurant does not have many dishes. I ordered a serving of mixed noodles (banmian) and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The taste was not exactly authentic, but the prices are very cheap; this bowl of noodles only cost me a little over 4 dollars.
I stayed in Vancouver for four days and went to the WE GRILL shown in the picture below for breakfast every day.
The guy at the shop is very friendly. I saw on Google that the shop was halal, but I did not see a sign when I arrived, so I asked him. He told me with full confidence, 'Everything is halal!'
I like this place for two reasons. First, the food is healthy with a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and protein. Second, it opens early at 6:00 AM. My conference in Vancouver started at 7:00 AM, so this was the only place I could eat breakfast beforehand.
Because there are so many choices, I ate something different every day. A meal costs 20 dollars, which is quite expensive for a local breakfast in Canada, but it is nutritious and delicious. After the old guy saw me come in for the second day in a row, he started giving me free coffee every day with unlimited refills.
I sat right across from him and watched him greet the customers coming and going. Whether they bought food or not, he always greeted them with a smile and stayed full of energy every day. After leaving Vancouver, I never found another healthy breakfast shop like that one. I will miss my old friend.
Canadians go to cafes for breakfast, like the Tim Hortons in the distance in the photo below. This brand is more popular in Canada than Starbucks, mainly because it is cheaper. For white people, a cup of coffee and a piece of bread is a typical breakfast, but the cafes in the city have long lines every morning.
PICADO Pizza
This Turkish pizza shop is also just a few hundred meters from where I stayed. I met my colleague who lives in Vancouver here. We are both from Beijing, and hearing a Beijing accent in a foreign land feels especially warm.
A cup of yogurt drink (ayran) with a slice of pizza, plus two pieces of sweet pastry (baklava).
I met another colleague who has lived in Vancouver for a long time at this Iranian restaurant. There are many Shia activities in Vancouver, and I will introduce a Shia mosque later.
This grilled chicken set meal suited my taste quite well, and you can find it in Beijing too.
The young lady in the middle and the girl in the headscarf next to her look like the same person. The other three are a Black person, a South Asian, and an East Asian.
Masjid Al Salaam & Education Centre
Al-Salaam Islamic Center in Vancouver.
There is a poster for a halal food festival posted in front of the mosque.
This mosque even has its own app.
Women's prayer hall
Wudu pitcher (wudu hu) used in North America
This mosque has a very modern design with geometric cutouts that let in plenty of light.
The wall facing the direction of prayer in the main hall is made of glass, which is a rare design style. I think this is the most beautiful mosque in Canada.
Behind the women's hall on the second floor is a children's area. This is a very thoughtful feature that lets mothers pray in peace while their children play nearby, and moms can see them through the glass.
Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre
Shia mosque
This is a large Shia Islamic center in Vancouver.
The architectural style clearly features Iranian influences.
The gate to the mosque was locked, so I rang the bell and explained why I was there. The older man watching the door was very welcoming and opened it for me.
He told me this is a Shia mosque and that he is a Shia believer. He reminded me not to get it mixed up, as the Sunni mosque is nearby in a different location.
I saw the stone where the imam stands and told him I recognized it. Shia Muslims believe that during namaz, you cannot pray on a carpet but must be close to the earth or something that grows from it. They use this stone to represent the earth, so when they prostrate, touching the stone means they are close to the earth. I once wrote about why Iran chose the Shia branch of Islam.
List of mosque management staff.
Poster for a scholar's lecture.
The older man watching the door said he had things to do and told me to look around on my own, just making sure to close the door when I left.
Right next to the Shia mosque is a Sikh mosque. I realized this area is like a religious street with all kinds of churches clustered together, as if the government set aside this land specifically for different religions to use.
I saw another Chinese Gospel church.
A Tibetan Buddhist mosque in Richmond.
Richmond is also called Lichiman, and this is a Chinese church by the side of the road.
Another Chinese Christian church right next to the Richmond mosque.
THE B. C. Muslim Association Richmond Branch-Sadaqa
Another Sunni mosque located closest to the Shia mosque in Richmond.
The most eye-catching thing in the mosque is always the QR code for donations; you can complete your charitable duty just by scanning it.
Mosques in Pakistan like to call the women's prayer hall the sisters' hall and the men's prayer hall the brothers' hall.
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
This is a halal Ningxia restaurant in the Richmond area, and the owner is from Ningxia.
The menu includes an introduction to the history and culture of the Hui Muslims in Ningxia.
The restaurant is decorated in a Chinese style and is very clean.
The menu has a good variety, and I wanted to try everything. Since I usually eat fast-food kebabs in Canada, it gets boring, and I really miss Chinese food. Besides, it is hard to find a decent halal restaurant in Canada that does not feel like a fast-food joint.
After looking for a while, I chose a beef sandwich (niurou jiamo) and pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian). The taste was just okay, and it cost over 200 yuan, which is not expensive.
Pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian)
I do not know what the problem is, but I always feel that lamb in Europe and America does not taste as good as it does back home. The lamb I have had in the UK and Canada does not taste as good as the lamb from Northwest China.
After eating, I walked around a nearby mall. Richmond is definitely a place where many Chinese people live. You can get by here without speaking English, as store signs and ATMs have Chinese instructions.
Richmond is translated as Liezhiwen, and it is the largest Chinese community in Canada.
A garden-style building appeared ahead, which is called the Ismaili Centre.
I was moved by the beautiful scenery in front of me, so I really wanted to go inside and take a look.
I saw a few workers at the entrance, and they told me the entrance was at the back door.
I entered the office area from the back door and met an elderly volunteer inside. He told me this is a Shia aid station, not a mosque, and it is a place that provides help to immigrants.
The old man was very kind. He is Indian and said if I wanted to pray, I could go to the Sunni mosque not far away, and he walked out of the building to show me the way.
The volunteers I met at the Shia mosque were not Iranian, but South Asian.
The tapestry hanging on the wall was very beautiful, and the entire room was covered with carpet.
After leaving this aid station, I went to the small mosque below.
Vancouver Jamea Mosque
I happened to come across a small mosque, which seemed to be run by Pakistani people.
There should be dozens of such small mosques in Vancouver.
Baitur Rahman Mosque
Ahmadiyya mosques have clear features. Their names often include 'Baitur,' which means House of Victory, and they are also identified as Ahmadiyya. The largest Ahmadiyya mosque in the UK is in London. This mosque in Vancouver is the third largest in Canada, with the second largest in Calgary and the biggest in Toronto. The silver-white color of the mosque has a special meaning. According to prophecies in the Hadith, the Mahdi will descend in a white mosque when the end times arrive. view all
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Summary: This Vancouver halal food and mosque guide covers Uyghur food, halal fast-food chains, Chinese community areas, Richmond, city views, Shia and Pakistani prayer spaces, Baitur Rahman Mosque, and the author's first impressions of Muslim life in Vancouver.
Vancouver is Canada's third-largest port city and the closest Canadian city to China, separated only by the Pacific Ocean. It also has the largest Chinese population in Canada, with Chinese residents making up nearly one-fifth of the total.
Vancouver has been named one of the world's most livable cities for many years. This is mainly because of its pleasant climate. Its geography is similar to Yili in China, but with the addition of the ocean, which makes it more humid. Summers are not hot, and winters are not too cold.
Cruise ships sailing from Vancouver to Alaska.
Vancouver is next to Seattle in the United States. I visited Seattle in the autumn and was captivated by its beautiful fall scenery. I imagine Vancouver's autumn views are just as good. The daytime sun in Vancouver is very strong, just like in Xinjiang, so I suggest wearing sunglasses.
Bahawan Uyghur Cuisine.
I found at least two Xinjiang restaurants on Google Maps. This is one of them, and it is not far from the Vancouver Convention Centre where I am staying.
It has been a long time since I saw a halal restaurant run by Uyghurs, and they have a halal sign hanging up.
I saw Chinese written on the blackboard: Xinjiang rice noodles (xinjiang mifen) and stir-fried rice cakes (chao niangao).
The server was a slim young Uyghur girl. She spoke fluent English and Uyghur but did not speak Chinese. Most young Uyghurs I have met in Europe and America are like this; they do not speak Chinese, though the older generation can still speak it.
I ordered stir-fried meat with noodles (guoyou rou banmian) and a cold shredded vegetable salad (liangban sansi). The meat dish was 25 dollars and the cold dish was 12 dollars. With a 15% tip, it came to over 200 yuan. While Vancouver's climate is pleasant, the prices are not, making it a place better suited for the wealthy to move to.
A Chinese church in Vancouver. The Chinese population is mainly concentrated in Richmond.
The most common food trucks in Europe and America are basically all halal. In Vancouver, you never have to worry about not finding a halal restaurant; you could say there are halal fast-food shops everywhere.
FATBURGER is a halal burger chain from the United States, and the Beijing locations are also halal.
The Halal Guys is a very popular halal fast-food chain in North America, with a status similar to Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (Lanzhou lamian).
The waiter suggested I choose the large drink because it cost the same as the small one. I saw it was a Canadian specialty and tried it, but it was not good. After trying many new drinks, I realized that if those unfamiliar drinks were actually tasty, they would have been sold in China long ago.
The small chili peppers served with fast food here are extremely spicy. Remember to tell the staff you do not want them. This kind of heat just makes your mouth hurt; it is not as delicious as the fragrant spice we have in Northwest China.
See that? I even have to tip for a fast-food meal, and this small portion cost over 150 yuan.
After that, I visited another Xinjiang restaurant called Beautiful Urumqi. It used to be called Lovely Xinjiang, and I do not know why they changed the name.
The lady in the shop speaks Chinese. She said they arrived in Vancouver three years ago and think it feels a lot like Altay in Northern Xinjiang. When I asked if she wanted to go back, she just gave a helpless smile.
The restaurant does not have many dishes. I ordered a serving of mixed noodles (banmian) and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The taste was not exactly authentic, but the prices are very cheap; this bowl of noodles only cost me a little over 4 dollars.
I stayed in Vancouver for four days and went to the WE GRILL shown in the picture below for breakfast every day.
The guy at the shop is very friendly. I saw on Google that the shop was halal, but I did not see a sign when I arrived, so I asked him. He told me with full confidence, 'Everything is halal!'
I like this place for two reasons. First, the food is healthy with a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and protein. Second, it opens early at 6:00 AM. My conference in Vancouver started at 7:00 AM, so this was the only place I could eat breakfast beforehand.
Because there are so many choices, I ate something different every day. A meal costs 20 dollars, which is quite expensive for a local breakfast in Canada, but it is nutritious and delicious. After the old guy saw me come in for the second day in a row, he started giving me free coffee every day with unlimited refills.
I sat right across from him and watched him greet the customers coming and going. Whether they bought food or not, he always greeted them with a smile and stayed full of energy every day. After leaving Vancouver, I never found another healthy breakfast shop like that one. I will miss my old friend.
Canadians go to cafes for breakfast, like the Tim Hortons in the distance in the photo below. This brand is more popular in Canada than Starbucks, mainly because it is cheaper. For white people, a cup of coffee and a piece of bread is a typical breakfast, but the cafes in the city have long lines every morning.
PICADO Pizza
This Turkish pizza shop is also just a few hundred meters from where I stayed. I met my colleague who lives in Vancouver here. We are both from Beijing, and hearing a Beijing accent in a foreign land feels especially warm.
A cup of yogurt drink (ayran) with a slice of pizza, plus two pieces of sweet pastry (baklava).
I met another colleague who has lived in Vancouver for a long time at this Iranian restaurant. There are many Shia activities in Vancouver, and I will introduce a Shia mosque later.
This grilled chicken set meal suited my taste quite well, and you can find it in Beijing too.
The young lady in the middle and the girl in the headscarf next to her look like the same person. The other three are a Black person, a South Asian, and an East Asian.
Masjid Al Salaam & Education Centre
Al-Salaam Islamic Center in Vancouver.
There is a poster for a halal food festival posted in front of the mosque.
This mosque even has its own app.
Women's prayer hall
Wudu pitcher (wudu hu) used in North America
This mosque has a very modern design with geometric cutouts that let in plenty of light.
The wall facing the direction of prayer in the main hall is made of glass, which is a rare design style. I think this is the most beautiful mosque in Canada.
Behind the women's hall on the second floor is a children's area. This is a very thoughtful feature that lets mothers pray in peace while their children play nearby, and moms can see them through the glass.
Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre
Shia mosque
This is a large Shia Islamic center in Vancouver.
The architectural style clearly features Iranian influences.
The gate to the mosque was locked, so I rang the bell and explained why I was there. The older man watching the door was very welcoming and opened it for me.
He told me this is a Shia mosque and that he is a Shia believer. He reminded me not to get it mixed up, as the Sunni mosque is nearby in a different location.
I saw the stone where the imam stands and told him I recognized it. Shia Muslims believe that during namaz, you cannot pray on a carpet but must be close to the earth or something that grows from it. They use this stone to represent the earth, so when they prostrate, touching the stone means they are close to the earth. I once wrote about why Iran chose the Shia branch of Islam.
List of mosque management staff.
Poster for a scholar's lecture.
The older man watching the door said he had things to do and told me to look around on my own, just making sure to close the door when I left.
Right next to the Shia mosque is a Sikh mosque. I realized this area is like a religious street with all kinds of churches clustered together, as if the government set aside this land specifically for different religions to use.
I saw another Chinese Gospel church.
A Tibetan Buddhist mosque in Richmond.
Richmond is also called Lichiman, and this is a Chinese church by the side of the road.
Another Chinese Christian church right next to the Richmond mosque.
THE B. C. Muslim Association Richmond Branch-Sadaqa
Another Sunni mosque located closest to the Shia mosque in Richmond.
The most eye-catching thing in the mosque is always the QR code for donations; you can complete your charitable duty just by scanning it.
Mosques in Pakistan like to call the women's prayer hall the sisters' hall and the men's prayer hall the brothers' hall.
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
This is a halal Ningxia restaurant in the Richmond area, and the owner is from Ningxia.
The menu includes an introduction to the history and culture of the Hui Muslims in Ningxia.
The restaurant is decorated in a Chinese style and is very clean.
The menu has a good variety, and I wanted to try everything. Since I usually eat fast-food kebabs in Canada, it gets boring, and I really miss Chinese food. Besides, it is hard to find a decent halal restaurant in Canada that does not feel like a fast-food joint.
After looking for a while, I chose a beef sandwich (niurou jiamo) and pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian). The taste was just okay, and it cost over 200 yuan, which is not expensive.
Pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian)
I do not know what the problem is, but I always feel that lamb in Europe and America does not taste as good as it does back home. The lamb I have had in the UK and Canada does not taste as good as the lamb from Northwest China.
After eating, I walked around a nearby mall. Richmond is definitely a place where many Chinese people live. You can get by here without speaking English, as store signs and ATMs have Chinese instructions.
Richmond is translated as Liezhiwen, and it is the largest Chinese community in Canada.
A garden-style building appeared ahead, which is called the Ismaili Centre.
I was moved by the beautiful scenery in front of me, so I really wanted to go inside and take a look.
I saw a few workers at the entrance, and they told me the entrance was at the back door.
I entered the office area from the back door and met an elderly volunteer inside. He told me this is a Shia aid station, not a mosque, and it is a place that provides help to immigrants.
The old man was very kind. He is Indian and said if I wanted to pray, I could go to the Sunni mosque not far away, and he walked out of the building to show me the way.
The volunteers I met at the Shia mosque were not Iranian, but South Asian.
The tapestry hanging on the wall was very beautiful, and the entire room was covered with carpet.
After leaving this aid station, I went to the small mosque below.
Vancouver Jamea Mosque
I happened to come across a small mosque, which seemed to be run by Pakistani people.
There should be dozens of such small mosques in Vancouver.
Baitur Rahman Mosque
Ahmadiyya mosques have clear features. Their names often include 'Baitur,' which means House of Victory, and they are also identified as Ahmadiyya. The largest Ahmadiyya mosque in the UK is in London. This mosque in Vancouver is the third largest in Canada, with the second largest in Calgary and the biggest in Toronto. The silver-white color of the mosque has a special meaning. According to prophecies in the Hadith, the Mahdi will descend in a white mosque when the end times arrive.
Summary: This Vancouver halal food and mosque guide covers Uyghur food, halal fast-food chains, Chinese community areas, Richmond, city views, Shia and Pakistani prayer spaces, Baitur Rahman Mosque, and the author's first impressions of Muslim life in Vancouver.
Vancouver is Canada's third-largest port city and the closest Canadian city to China, separated only by the Pacific Ocean. It also has the largest Chinese population in Canada, with Chinese residents making up nearly one-fifth of the total.
Vancouver has been named one of the world's most livable cities for many years. This is mainly because of its pleasant climate. Its geography is similar to Yili in China, but with the addition of the ocean, which makes it more humid. Summers are not hot, and winters are not too cold.
Cruise ships sailing from Vancouver to Alaska.
Vancouver is next to Seattle in the United States. I visited Seattle in the autumn and was captivated by its beautiful fall scenery. I imagine Vancouver's autumn views are just as good. The daytime sun in Vancouver is very strong, just like in Xinjiang, so I suggest wearing sunglasses.
Bahawan Uyghur Cuisine.
I found at least two Xinjiang restaurants on Google Maps. This is one of them, and it is not far from the Vancouver Convention Centre where I am staying.
It has been a long time since I saw a halal restaurant run by Uyghurs, and they have a halal sign hanging up.
I saw Chinese written on the blackboard: Xinjiang rice noodles (xinjiang mifen) and stir-fried rice cakes (chao niangao).
The server was a slim young Uyghur girl. She spoke fluent English and Uyghur but did not speak Chinese. Most young Uyghurs I have met in Europe and America are like this; they do not speak Chinese, though the older generation can still speak it.
I ordered stir-fried meat with noodles (guoyou rou banmian) and a cold shredded vegetable salad (liangban sansi). The meat dish was 25 dollars and the cold dish was 12 dollars. With a 15% tip, it came to over 200 yuan. While Vancouver's climate is pleasant, the prices are not, making it a place better suited for the wealthy to move to.
A Chinese church in Vancouver. The Chinese population is mainly concentrated in Richmond.
The most common food trucks in Europe and America are basically all halal. In Vancouver, you never have to worry about not finding a halal restaurant; you could say there are halal fast-food shops everywhere.
FATBURGER is a halal burger chain from the United States, and the Beijing locations are also halal.
The Halal Guys is a very popular halal fast-food chain in North America, with a status similar to Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles (Lanzhou lamian).
The waiter suggested I choose the large drink because it cost the same as the small one. I saw it was a Canadian specialty and tried it, but it was not good. After trying many new drinks, I realized that if those unfamiliar drinks were actually tasty, they would have been sold in China long ago.
The small chili peppers served with fast food here are extremely spicy. Remember to tell the staff you do not want them. This kind of heat just makes your mouth hurt; it is not as delicious as the fragrant spice we have in Northwest China.
See that? I even have to tip for a fast-food meal, and this small portion cost over 150 yuan.
After that, I visited another Xinjiang restaurant called Beautiful Urumqi. It used to be called Lovely Xinjiang, and I do not know why they changed the name.
The lady in the shop speaks Chinese. She said they arrived in Vancouver three years ago and think it feels a lot like Altay in Northern Xinjiang. When I asked if she wanted to go back, she just gave a helpless smile.
The restaurant does not have many dishes. I ordered a serving of mixed noodles (banmian) and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The taste was not exactly authentic, but the prices are very cheap; this bowl of noodles only cost me a little over 4 dollars.
I stayed in Vancouver for four days and went to the WE GRILL shown in the picture below for breakfast every day.
The guy at the shop is very friendly. I saw on Google that the shop was halal, but I did not see a sign when I arrived, so I asked him. He told me with full confidence, 'Everything is halal!'
I like this place for two reasons. First, the food is healthy with a good balance of fruits, vegetables, and protein. Second, it opens early at 6:00 AM. My conference in Vancouver started at 7:00 AM, so this was the only place I could eat breakfast beforehand.
Because there are so many choices, I ate something different every day. A meal costs 20 dollars, which is quite expensive for a local breakfast in Canada, but it is nutritious and delicious. After the old guy saw me come in for the second day in a row, he started giving me free coffee every day with unlimited refills.
I sat right across from him and watched him greet the customers coming and going. Whether they bought food or not, he always greeted them with a smile and stayed full of energy every day. After leaving Vancouver, I never found another healthy breakfast shop like that one. I will miss my old friend.
Canadians go to cafes for breakfast, like the Tim Hortons in the distance in the photo below. This brand is more popular in Canada than Starbucks, mainly because it is cheaper. For white people, a cup of coffee and a piece of bread is a typical breakfast, but the cafes in the city have long lines every morning.
PICADO Pizza
This Turkish pizza shop is also just a few hundred meters from where I stayed. I met my colleague who lives in Vancouver here. We are both from Beijing, and hearing a Beijing accent in a foreign land feels especially warm.
A cup of yogurt drink (ayran) with a slice of pizza, plus two pieces of sweet pastry (baklava).
I met another colleague who has lived in Vancouver for a long time at this Iranian restaurant. There are many Shia activities in Vancouver, and I will introduce a Shia mosque later.
This grilled chicken set meal suited my taste quite well, and you can find it in Beijing too.
The young lady in the middle and the girl in the headscarf next to her look like the same person. The other three are a Black person, a South Asian, and an East Asian.
Masjid Al Salaam & Education Centre
Al-Salaam Islamic Center in Vancouver.
There is a poster for a halal food festival posted in front of the mosque.
This mosque even has its own app.
Women's prayer hall
Wudu pitcher (wudu hu) used in North America
This mosque has a very modern design with geometric cutouts that let in plenty of light.
The wall facing the direction of prayer in the main hall is made of glass, which is a rare design style. I think this is the most beautiful mosque in Canada.
Behind the women's hall on the second floor is a children's area. This is a very thoughtful feature that lets mothers pray in peace while their children play nearby, and moms can see them through the glass.
Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre
Shia mosque
This is a large Shia Islamic center in Vancouver.
The architectural style clearly features Iranian influences.
The gate to the mosque was locked, so I rang the bell and explained why I was there. The older man watching the door was very welcoming and opened it for me.
He told me this is a Shia mosque and that he is a Shia believer. He reminded me not to get it mixed up, as the Sunni mosque is nearby in a different location.
I saw the stone where the imam stands and told him I recognized it. Shia Muslims believe that during namaz, you cannot pray on a carpet but must be close to the earth or something that grows from it. They use this stone to represent the earth, so when they prostrate, touching the stone means they are close to the earth. I once wrote about why Iran chose the Shia branch of Islam.
List of mosque management staff.
Poster for a scholar's lecture.
The older man watching the door said he had things to do and told me to look around on my own, just making sure to close the door when I left.
Right next to the Shia mosque is a Sikh mosque. I realized this area is like a religious street with all kinds of churches clustered together, as if the government set aside this land specifically for different religions to use.
I saw another Chinese Gospel church.
A Tibetan Buddhist mosque in Richmond.
Richmond is also called Lichiman, and this is a Chinese church by the side of the road.
Another Chinese Christian church right next to the Richmond mosque.
THE B. C. Muslim Association Richmond Branch-Sadaqa
Another Sunni mosque located closest to the Shia mosque in Richmond.
The most eye-catching thing in the mosque is always the QR code for donations; you can complete your charitable duty just by scanning it.
Mosques in Pakistan like to call the women's prayer hall the sisters' hall and the men's prayer hall the brothers' hall.
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
Silk Road Halal Restaurant
This is a halal Ningxia restaurant in the Richmond area, and the owner is from Ningxia.
The menu includes an introduction to the history and culture of the Hui Muslims in Ningxia.
The restaurant is decorated in a Chinese style and is very clean.
The menu has a good variety, and I wanted to try everything. Since I usually eat fast-food kebabs in Canada, it gets boring, and I really miss Chinese food. Besides, it is hard to find a decent halal restaurant in Canada that does not feel like a fast-food joint.
After looking for a while, I chose a beef sandwich (niurou jiamo) and pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian). The taste was just okay, and it cost over 200 yuan, which is not expensive.
Pickled cabbage lamb noodles (suancai yangrou mian)
I do not know what the problem is, but I always feel that lamb in Europe and America does not taste as good as it does back home. The lamb I have had in the UK and Canada does not taste as good as the lamb from Northwest China.
After eating, I walked around a nearby mall. Richmond is definitely a place where many Chinese people live. You can get by here without speaking English, as store signs and ATMs have Chinese instructions.
Richmond is translated as Liezhiwen, and it is the largest Chinese community in Canada.
A garden-style building appeared ahead, which is called the Ismaili Centre.
I was moved by the beautiful scenery in front of me, so I really wanted to go inside and take a look.
I saw a few workers at the entrance, and they told me the entrance was at the back door.
I entered the office area from the back door and met an elderly volunteer inside. He told me this is a Shia aid station, not a mosque, and it is a place that provides help to immigrants.
The old man was very kind. He is Indian and said if I wanted to pray, I could go to the Sunni mosque not far away, and he walked out of the building to show me the way.
The volunteers I met at the Shia mosque were not Iranian, but South Asian.
The tapestry hanging on the wall was very beautiful, and the entire room was covered with carpet.
After leaving this aid station, I went to the small mosque below.
Vancouver Jamea Mosque
I happened to come across a small mosque, which seemed to be run by Pakistani people.
There should be dozens of such small mosques in Vancouver.
Baitur Rahman Mosque
Ahmadiyya mosques have clear features. Their names often include 'Baitur,' which means House of Victory, and they are also identified as Ahmadiyya. The largest Ahmadiyya mosque in the UK is in London. This mosque in Vancouver is the third largest in Canada, with the second largest in Calgary and the biggest in Toronto. The silver-white color of the mosque has a special meaning. According to prophecies in the Hadith, the Mahdi will descend in a white mosque when the end times arrive.