Will you be the first Ahmadi Canadian to walk among the stars?

Yesterday, Colonel Jeremy Hansen of the Royal Canadian Air Force launched from the Kennedy Space Center aboard the Artemis II spacecraft, and in doing so, became the first Canadian, and the first non-American, to travel beyond Earth’s orbit into deep space. AlhumduLillah. It is a moment that belongs to all of us.

Artemis II is the first crewed mission to the Moon since the Apollo era, over fifty years ago. The four-person crew, which includes three veteran NASA astronauts alongside Hansen, will fly beyond the far side of the Moon over the course of a nearly ten-day mission covering more than two million kilometres. The fact that a Canadian is aboard is not a gesture of courtesy; it is a recognition of what this country has earned.

Canada’s presence in this mission is built on decades of proven excellence. Canada was the third nation in history to design and build its own satellite, Alouette I, and went on to develop the iconic Canadarm, the robotic arm that supported American shuttle missions for thirty years. That legacy of space robotics is what secured our seat on this flight. Canada’s commitment to the Artemis program, and specifically its development of the Canadarm3, earned a Canadian place on the crew.

As Colonel Hansen himself put it before departure: “I feel a great sense of pride for Canada because I have seen the greatness we have in the country and the contributions we are capable of making.”

The Holy Qur’an places the pursuit of knowledge at the very heart of the believer’s prayer.

رَبِّ زِدۡنِی عِلۡمًا

“O my Lord, increase me in knowledge.” [20:115]

This spirit of striving, of reaching beyond what seems possible, resonates deeply with the ethos of the community of Hazrat Masih-e-Maud (as), the reformer of our age. Our beloved Huzoor, Syedna Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V (aa), has consistently urged members of the Jama’at to pursue the highest standards of learning and professional achievement, reminding Ahmadi youth:

“Do not waste these golden educational opportunities, but instead grasp them and seek to achieve excellence in your chosen fields of interest, whether it is science or other subjects.”

Huzoor (aa) has also reminded the world that the very first Muslim Nobel Laureate was an Ahmadi Muslim, Professor Dr. Abdus Salam, the eminent physicist who credited the Holy Qur’an as the inspiration behind his work.

As Canadians, and as Ahmadi Muslims, we have every reason to look up at the sky today with pride, and every obligation to channel that pride into purpose. Let Artemis II be more than a moment of celebration. Let it be a reminder that when we invest in knowledge, discipline, and service to humanity, there is no frontier beyond our reach. So the question is: will you be the first Ahmadi Canadian to walk among the stars?

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