Threatening email to UCalgary Muslim students sparks safety concerns
Posted Apr 20, 2026 6:13 pm.
Last Updated Apr 20, 2026 6:14 pm.
A threatening email sent to a Muslim student group at the University of Calgary has left many on campus increasingly worried about Islamophobia.
Members of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) say they still don’t know why their group was targeted in an email sent earlier this month, but say they’re treating the message seriously.
Aitazaz Shah, president of the MSA, says the email came without warning.
“We have no idea what instigated the email.,” he says. “Unfortunately, the world is filled with a lot of hatred. It’s a lot of Islamophobia.
“And really, in the past few years, it’s been a huge rise in Islamophobia.”
Shah adds that the email was especially surprising to him since the group typically focuses on supporting its own community and keeping a low profile.
The MSA is now working with campus security and the National Council of Canadian Muslims to increase support during Friday prayers and upcoming events.
In a statement, the university confirmed it was aware of the threatening message.
“Recently, the university was made aware that the Muslim Students’ Association received a message containing hateful and threatening language,” the statement reads. “The university takes situations like this seriously and follows established protocols to help ensure the safety of everyone on campus.”
The school advised the MSA to file a complaint with the Calgary Police Service hate crimes unit. Police confirm an investigation is underway.
For many Muslim students, the email has shaken their sense of security.
“My parents sent me here, thinking it’s very safe, but receiving an email like that… it made me feel very unsafe in a place where I’m supposed to be feeling safe,” said student Umer Abdur Rehman.
Shah emphasized that there is no indication of an immediate or specific danger and described the message as an isolated incident. He also highlighted the association’s role on campus, noting that roughly 7,000 Muslim students attend the university.
“We have raised over $100,000 every single year over the last five years for charitable causes around the world,” he says. “Really, what we do isn’t to create division. What we do is try to bring people together.”
University officials are urging students to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to campus security.
