Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and more and more Canadians are joining the faith.
Former Christian Chris Venus says he has finally found the ideal reflection of his personal values in religion.
“There's an active participation in the worship of god, that's excellent. Because it seemed that other religions take a back seat to that aspect,” said Venus.
Venus is part of a growing global trend.
According to a 2011 Pew Research Center Study, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world.
The increase is partly due to the growing number of people who are converting.
The Baitun Nur Mosque in Calgary is the largest mosque in Canada.
Roughly 1000 worshippers pass through the mosque each week and about five to ten percent of those are converts.
Venus converted two years ago and to his relief, his family supported his decision to convert.
“I have an excellent relationship with my mom already. It was an easy thing to discuss. My younger brother he was also very quick to say yes this is Chris' new religion,” said Venus.
His family also embraced his Moroccan wife, who he met through an online Muslim dating site.
Venus says together they represent the future of the religion in Canada.
“You see in the convert community actually you start to see more mixed couples,” said Venus. “I think great, it just bodes well to the Canadian mosaic idea.”
In part two, Kumutha examines some of the tensions converts face in learning a new religion and the cultural pressure to conform.
