Tickets are $20 if purchased before June 10th.

at MFCC

Registering Now

by Dr. Ammar Bayrakdar & Family

Highlights of Annual Fundraising Dinner 2010

Etiquettes of Visiting the Sick

Mosque Foundation is a member of (ICIRR) ...

Muslims are living now with a feeling of desperation that is affecting their lives on all levels. The feeling of failure to be strong as an Ummah or as individuals has paralyzed our ability to function normally in positive ways to enhance our status in life as well respected Muslims.

Message From the President:  Gaza's Hemorrhage Abides

Message From the Imam:  Thank You, Gaza

February 2009

WE WILL NOT GO DOWN (Song for Gaza) Composed by Michael Heart.

Makers of Muslim History: Zayd ibn ‘Amr

Mosque Foundation Receives Environmental Hero Award

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT GAZA...

Protests Against Israeli Massacre in Gaza
By Connie Martin

FASTING, MUHARRAM, AND GAZA

January 2009

Mr. President, What would you do if 60 Israeli F-16 warplanes bombed your children while going to their schools?

When Thumama received the Prophet's letter, he was consumed by anger and rejected it. He felt so insulted, he resolved to kill the Prophet....

Please realize that the days that you now live as a youth will pass by very quickly. And before long...

Without this sense of care, it's unlikely that the human family can survive beyond one generation...

Gaza Statement By Mosque Foundation

MAKKAH, THE NOBLE By Ibrahim Naseem

Property Tax Questions? ....

Message From the President:  Barack Hussein Obama: The Ideal of the Equality of Humanity

Message From  Imam Kifah Mustapha: Brotherhood of Hajj

December 2008

ABOUT THE PILGRIMAGE
By Abdul Wadod Shalaby
(From “Islam: Religion of Life”)

MFCC Men's Billiard Tournament Dec 2008

A Month Special to Everyone
By Ibrahim Naseem

Mosque Foundation Civic Campaign 2008

The Meaning of Barack Obama’s Victory ...

Message From the President:  Go Out and Vote!

Message From the Imam:  The Fifth Pillar

November 2008

During the sixth and seventh centuries in the Middle East there was an expectation, a clear understanding that a world religious event was about to occur, and it would happen in in the Arabian Peninsula. There are authentic stories that allude to the fact that a Prophet was fully anticipated; even his physical qualities were known and remembered by the era’s religious authorities, primarily the People of the Book. The following is a brief true story about one man and one historic expectation.

Not long ago we completed the month of Ramadan, one of the great rituals that has been the practice of prophets and believers for thousands of years. We now have another timeless pillar of religion about to arrive, another opportunity to be reminded of our constant journey to our Maker. I’m talking about Hajj or the Great Pilgrimage to Makkah. Obviously, it’s not too early to make our preparations for this act of worship, whether we will personally go or not. We will be having classes in the Mosque about Hajj, ....

About Colin Powell’s Statement ....

Civic Engagement, A Priority in the Mosque Foundation ...

Mosque Foundation Receives Award ...

A Message from the Imam: Eid Reflections

Mosque Foundation Celebrates Eid Al-Fitr

Annual Community Iftar at the Mosque Foundation

Message From the Imam - Eid Reflections ...

For thirty days we did the strange thing of voluntarily depriving ourselves from consuming what keeps us alert and alive, from those things that we love. And now that the celebrations of the end of Ramadan have finally quieted down, we wonder: Now what?

I was among the 8,000 people who attended the funeral of Imam W.D. Mohammed at the Islamic Foundation in Villa Park on September 11, 2008.

Oct 2008 eNewsletter, Eid Mubarak!!

Moonsighting for Shawwal 1429

The Astronomical New Moon is on Monday, September 29, 2008 at 8:12 GMT, 4:12 am EDT, 1:12 am PDT). It will not be visible on September 29 except small possibility in Ploynesian Islands

The Mosque Foundation an its community to celebrate the first day of Eid Al-Fitr on Wednesday October 1st. The Eid prayer well be held at Toyota Park of Bridgeview.

The Mosque Foundation will provide lots of fun activities FREE of charge for kids to enjoy and celebrate. Fun activites include: Pony rides, clowns, jumpers, face painting, balloons and more…

Ramadan is a month of cleansing: a month during which the believer is spiritually and physically cleansed from the impurities that are an inevitable fact of life on earth estranged from the Lord God. It is fitting to fast to achieve this goal. As physicians, whenever we want an accurate picture of the health and actions of the body's metabolic pathways, we ask the patient to fast before having their blood drawn.

The Muslim community throughout the US and in the Mosque Foundation mourns the loss of a great American Muslim Leader, a courageous man, and relentless fighter for Justice and Truth, Imam W. Deen Mohammed.

So we know we need to perform the daily prayers. What if you’re that person who knows s/he is supposed to pray, but you can’t bring yourself to do it? Maybe you’re just too lazy. Maybe, at those moments, you’re just out of energy. You wish you could pray, ....

by Dr. Zaher Sahloul

Message From the President:  What Not to Do This Ramadan ...

Message From the Imam: Ramadan, The Believer's Fortress...

September 2008 ....

The Muslim scholar and poet al-Rumi says, "There is an unseen sweetness in the stomach's emptiness." He compares people to reed pens, wooden instruments that could not write without first being hollowed out. "Be empty," he says, "and write secrets." Ramadan comes from the Arabic root "ramada," which refers to severe heat, as in the harsh

Debates and persons in this article are pure fiction; any resemblance with reality is mere coincidence: This is an imaginary debate occurring in the first day of Ramadan among three Muslims: Debater One (DO), Debater Two (DT), and the voice of Commonsense (CS).

I pray that Allah blesses each of you with the best of the blessed month of Ramadan. It is a month of remembrance and reflection, a time for renewed faith and spiritual elevation. We are fortunate to witness the coming of the month, and I pray that our worship and charitable deeds are accepted and multiplied.

We celebrate Ramadan and fast each of its days. But what happened in Ramadan that makes it a special month? Here?s a narrative about the FIRST RAMADAN and God?s revelation of the Quran to His final Messenger. In the far western part of the Arabian Peninsula, there is Mecca, the most visited city on earth. Tens of millions of people each year travel to the ancient city to carry out rites of worship that date back to Abraham.

[The following letter was published in a recent issue of "The New Yorker" magazine with regard to its recent cover depicting Sen. Barak Obama in Muslim garb and the political value of "accusing" Obama of being a Muslim.]

When it is time for the young child to go to bed, immediately, she suddenly gets hungry. She demands chicken. When she is served the chicken, she then demands grapes. When she is served the grapes, she next demands something else. After six months, her father realizes something simple: she is not hungry. Rather, she just wants to stay awake.

How to relate to the Quran is always an important matter for Muslims, particularly those living in the West. The Quran is supposed to be our constitution, our guidance, and our user manual in life. The last few centuries of mental stagnation, deterioration, and fatigue have taken us away from the original premise to some strange

Marriage is about two different people coming together in harmony. This harmony survives on love, sacrifice and forgiveness. Understanding that the other person is different from you based on gender, or family values, religious practices, level of education, and possibly culture, should help you do your part to change, or "bend."  In other words, both husband and wife should be flexible and willing to change

August 2008

In a well-known hadith, we learn that one day the Prophet (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) was walking with his wife and passed by a group of his Companions. The Prophet stopped and told them the woman accompanying him was indeed his wife. He did this so that no one would suspect anything ill of him, like consorting with a strange woman.

End The Siege of Gaza by Direct Non-violent Action

Recently, I attended a graduation ceremony for an Islamic weekend school.  It was a heart warming experience to watch, as the students brought many of the parents to tears with their songs about the prophet, their recitation of the Quran, and their speeches in Arabic. I saw in them a bright future for Muslims in the U.S.  The students truly projected their love of the Prophet and their pride in their faith. One third grade student in particular stood out among the many young stars.

Mosque Foundation new Minaret

Mosque Foundation Community Center, presents
 
Swimming Day
for brothers ONLY
 
Adults, Boys, Kids
(Boys under 12 years have to be accompanied by a guardian)

July 2008 Newsletter

June Newsletter

It is said that we are but where we want to be. We are now in the season in which many of the youth will be graduating from high school. This message is for them. You are where you always wanted to be, at your graduation ceremony receiving your diploma. I can imagine how great it feels when you hold on to your diploma after years of dedication and hard work.

By far, the most recited verses of the Quran comprise its first sura (or chapter) called al-Fâtiha. Practicing or not, saints or skeptics, Muslims around the world know this sura. They will cup their hands in its group recitation for all sorts of events, from weddings to funerals, and early on in life they memorize it before the alphabet. Converts are encouraged to learn it soon, and after some struggle and some practice with words and unusual combinations of phonemes, they then own it and feel affection for it, a companion when everything else fails. 

The Minaret and Its Meaning
By Sh. Jamal Said

Most of you have seen or know of our Mosque’s new Minaret. It’s a welcome addition to our Mosque for two reasons. First, it is beautiful and adds beauty to our Mosque. It is an important tradition in Islam to keep our Mosques clean and beautiful, for Mosques represent the communities that worship there. Second, the presence of the Minaret is a powerful symbol of one of the main duties of Muslims and their Mosques, namely, calling and inviting people to worship Allah ....

Mosque Foundation Community Center MFCC  Invites you to attend A One-Day Seminar on Teaching Quran with Tajweed. Goal: To train parents and teachers on methods of teaching students how to read Quran with Tajweed.

"Service" is a word that has been losing its meaning. We often forget that "service" is beloved by God Almighty Himself. In fact, He has made service the essence of the mission of all of His Prophets and Messengers, who worked to convey God's guidance and to show the way to achieve happiness in this world and the Hereafter. But we also remember those who believed in the prophets and helped them in their cause. They too were in the service frame of mind.

Help Wanted Now Hiring
 
Mosque Foundation Community Center MFCC  
Opening: Male & Female Youth Counselors (Part Time)

The Mosque Foundation is planning to participate in the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, which will be held Inshallah in Dubai- UAE. Between 8-20 Ramadan 1429 H. The Mosque Foundation is to choose one nominee to represent our community in this important event. We are calling on all Hafiz to compete to win the MF nomination.

'Uthman ibn Affan was among the closest companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). His friendship, devotion, and?safeguarding of the Quran have made 'Uthman one of history's most beloved man. It is narrated that the Prophet said about 'Uthman that even the angels are shy in his presence. Learn why this is so.

Opening: Female Youth Counselor (Part Time)

An African prince falls from the heights of a sophisticated and educated society into the depths of slavery and ignorance in Mississippi. Abdul Rahman’s will power to remain a faithful servant to God overcomes the obstacles of being a slave in antebellum America, and reminds the world of the long-forgotten first Muslims in North America.?This story is by Saleha N. Ghani, reprinted with kind permission of Islamica Magazine.

Internship Opportunities

Wealth and Trusting in Allah   By Sh. Jamal Said

The headlines lately speak about the difficult economic situation. There is growing fear about loss of jobs, increase in cost of living, and continued decline of important business sectors. The news is creating much anxiety, and as a result we increases in crime and family disruption. But we must also remember and be reminded often of God’s promise. So let us contemplate on the following verses from Surat Ibrahim:

May 2008

The latest survey of the PEW Forum should ring the alarm bells in the minds of American Muslims. The leadership of Islamic institutions especially Mosques, schools and other educational and national organizations should study the findings carefully and reflect on them.

The survey showed that "more than one-quarter of American adults (28%) have left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion - or no religion at all. The survey finds that constant movement characterizes the American religious marketplace, as every major religious group is simultaneously gaining and losing adherents.

This is a story of a lesser-known companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). His name is Julaybib, a man challenged with disability but who found love and unconditional acceptance with God's final Prophet.?

One of the most important attributes of a lively and vibrant community is a strong sense of responsibility and the readiness of individuals to generously offer their commitment to help and serve. Collectively, this is widely called volunteerism.

[Based on an article posted in The Independent, a London newspaper. The article nominates a selection of the most influential and common Muslim inventions or discoveries.]

INTRODUCTION
The Prophet migrated from Makkah to Yathrib (later named Madina) after years of persecution in Makkah. Migration has played a vital role in the lives of nearly all the prophets, who migrated to avoid being destroyed along with those who refused to believe in their message. However, the Prophet Muhammad’s migration was different. His migration was not about destruction, but about salvation.

Birds make several appearances in the Quran, in a variety of contexts. They were part of unforgettable stories in prophetic history, appearing with such illustrious figures as Abraham, Joseph, Solomon, David, and Jesus (peace be upon them). What follows are some of the references made to birds in the Quran and brief explanations. It is important to note that the Quran descended from heaven to this tiny miraculous planet where ....

Milwaukee Tournament

Mosque Foundation Community Center MFCC basketball team participated in the Milwaukee tournament last month and brought the 1st place trophy home.....

MFCC 2008 spring Quran Competition Winners ....

Message From the Imam - Choices

Life is all about choices. In fact, the ability to make choices is what makes us unique as human beings. Angels do not have choices; rather, they were created to always be in total obedience to God without error. Allah said: They do not disobey God in whatever He commands them. [Indeed], they do whatever they are commanded (Qur'an, 66:6).

Message From the President - Mosque, Environment & Earth (Part 2)

Are you ready to be an agent of goodness for your earth and for the environment? Help us save the planet and keep it green for our future generations. It is your religious duty.

NEO-NAZI’S JOURNEY TO ISLAM

[This is the moving story of a British man who had previously been smitten by certain extremist right wing views. His name is ABDUL AZIZ MYATT.  He generously shares the inner workings of his mind and heart, specifically how his natural understanding of the purpose of life was covered by extremist views, but started to melt at the simple sounds of the Muslim Call to Prayer or the Adhân.]

Arabic Monthly Meeting 4-12-08 ....

General Assembly Annual  Meeting ....

Annual Dinner May 11 2008 ....

April 2008

Friday Khutba 'Believing in Muhammad' By Sh. Kifah

Dr. Ihsan Bagby, Associate Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Kentucky, was the guest speaker for the Mosque Foundation's Monthly English Program on Saturday, March 22, 2008. Dr. Bagby, an African-American who converted to Islam in 1969, has done extensive research on Islam and the African-American experience, historically to present time.

Our local law enforcement officers, many of whom are members of the Arab American Police Association (AAPA), have volunteered much of their time to ensure the ease and flow of the Mosque Foundation's major events such as the two Eid Prayers, the all night Lailat al Qadr prayers, special programs and events, and local conventions.

In today's fast-track world, family ties are often set aside because of personal aspirations. It is critical that we make time for our families, whether it's parents being more supportive of their children and/or children responsive to their parents. It is the duty of every Muslim to strengthen and maintain family ties.

April 2008 Activities ....

Prayer Calander April 2008....

RESPECTING THE QUR’AN
By Ingrid Mattson, PhD

Geert Wilders is a Dutch politician who broke with a mainstream national party to form his own extreme-right, anti-immigrant platform.  Wilders has directed most of his hatred in recent years at Muslims.

Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss, was born in Livow, Austria (later part of Poland) in 1900, and at the age of 22 made his visit to the Middle East. He later became an outstanding foreign correspondent for the publication, Franfurtur Zeitung, and after his conversion to Islam from Judaism, he traveled and worked throughout the Muslim world, from North Africa to as far East as Afghanistan.

The Night Prayer — the Believer’s Shield
When the Prophet (God’s peace and blessings be upon him) faced times of difficulty, he rushed to Prayer for calm and tranquility.

MFCC Health Screening ...

MFCC Know Your Rights ...

March 2008

March 2008 Prayer Table

March 2008 Programs and Activities at the Mosque Foundation.

The Mosque Foundation Community Center took over  one hundred brothers and sisters on an outing to Hollywood Park, one of many monthly field trips.  Everyone enjoyed their time and had a lot of fun.

The Mosque Foundation has registered 637 new Muslim and Arab Voters, which well exceeded the set goal of 500 new voter applications.

2008 Spring Quran Competition ....

All of this news conjures up a compelling question: What happened to the glorious past of Muslims, a past that we constantly brag of? What happened to a time in which "civilization" in the world referred only to "Islamic civilization" which was the envy of all the earth?

Friday Khutba " Divorce " By Imam Jamal Said

Believers and Date Palms

Bilal and Redefining Power

Northern Illinois University Tragedy

Family Bowling Night

There was once a civilization that was the greatest in the world. It was able to create a continental super-state that stretched from ocean to ocean, and from northern climes to tropics and deserts. Within its dominion lived hundreds of millions of people, of different creeds and ethnic origins.

99 Names of Allah

The Mosque Foundation Monthly English Program

The Mosque Foundation Monthly Arabic Program

February 2008

Liberty & Justice For All
By Lean Tleib

CONGRATULATIONS, to the Mosque Foundation!!!  The hard work has paid off.  On Sunday, January 20th, the Community Forum of the 3rd Congressional District entitled “Liberty & Justice For All” took place at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church.  

Al-Hijrah....

January 2008 eNewsLetter English.....

With all candor, it seems that Muslims today live with some illusions. We speak of achieving high goals and ideals, but do not really work toward them.

The Mosque Foundation Community Center " Quran Classes "....

We receive the news of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto with sadness.

Free Health Screening.....

CAIR-Chicago & ACLU Know YOUR Rights ....

Mosque Foundation Eid Al-Adha Celebration .....

December 2007 eNewsLetter

Since July 2007, the Mosque Foundation Community Center (MFCC) has been working with Arab American Family Services (AAFS) to initiate the first DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WALK to increase awareness about Domestic Violence.  This issue is not frequently or freely discussed in our Muslim communities, although it is an issue which affects every community.

In today's world, students face many academic challenges.  The Mosque Foundation Community Center (MFCC) has introduced the "Intensive Learning Program," meant to assist students who may be struggling in subjects such as Algebra I & II, Geometry, Chemistry, Writing, Speech, Spelling/Vocabulary, and Reading/Comprehension.