Al Rashid Education Foundation (AREF) was founded in 2013 by local community members looking to make a positive contribution to lives of Muslim students both in Canada and around the world. AREF’s mandate is to encourage and enable Muslim students to develop their educational, leadership, artistic and athletic potentials. AREF intends to accomplish this mandate by establishing a new scholarship fund that will be awarded to student applicants wishing to pursue post-secondary education. AREF scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate a high level of academic, community and leadership achievement. AREF is funded through the generous contributions of community leaders who place a high value on education and in producing successful and highly motivated Muslim leaders. These leaders will in turn contribute to the advancement of the Muslims within the Canadian society and around the world. All monies raised are invested in an Islamic Sharia’a-compliant endowment fund. The profit made through this investment fund is distributed to successful award applicants.