IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE ALL-MERCIFUL, THE MERCY-GIVING
All praise is for Allah alone, Lord of All the Worlds & Blessings and peace upon the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers and upon his Family and Companions
THE PROPHET, God’s blessings and peace be upon him, said: " Whosoever builds a mosque from his own wealth, Allah shall build for him a house in Paradise."
"Whosoever [so much as] lights a lamp in a mosque, the angels and Throne Bearers do not cease praying for him and asking forgiveness for him for as long as that lamp remains lit."
Dear Supporter and Friend of the Mosque Foundation, As-Salamu ‘Alaykum (Peace be upon you)
The investment was minimal, the reward everlasting!
More than 25 years ago, Allah blessed the Muslim community of southwest Chicago and suburbs to lay the first brick (labinah) in a true House of Miracles: We built the Mosque Foundation.
Now, although we hold two Jumu’ah prayers, attended by thousands of people—still the crowd of worshippers flows out the door, down the stairs, to both the front and back of the mosque. We urgently need to expand this place of worship and wonder—to more than double its size. But we must raise $5 million by February 2008. So we seek Allah’s help then yours by asking you to add 5,000 more gift bricks to this miracle at $1,000 for each labinah.
When I call the Mosque Foundation a miracle, I do not exaggerate. That is exactly what this mosque has been and what it has produced, by Allah’s will, for all of us in our community. We say our community has established this mosque. But in reality it is the other way around: It is this mosque that has established our community—and many others besides.
The first Ramadan tarawih prayed in it had only one line of men and just a half-row of women. Now, literally thousands pray here every single night of Ramadan—and that is a miracle.
The southwest-side Muslims were mostly not even praying a single daily prayer in their homes, or giving Zakat. Their children were melting away “identityless” into society. Now, literally hundreds of parents—and their children—not only make their prayers regularly, but come to the Mosque Foundation to pray in congregation—and that is a miracle.
We had barely any religious education programs for our children. But out of the Mosque Foundation grew two of the largest full-time Islamic schools in the nation, a thriving weekend Islamic program serving hundreds of other students, and a seven-day-a-week youth center, for boys and girls, with its own budget and major facility—and that is a miracle.
Muslim women were invisible here. Now hijab shines out like a beacon of honor, of dignity, of piety, of Islam on every main thoroughfare, in every home, store, classroom, and park—and that is a miracle.
Nor is the Mosque Foundation miracle merely local. Allah has spread its renown across the world. Almost every mosque built in the Midwest has raised significant funds from this most generous community. Wherever the cry for aid goes up—in tsunami-beset Indonesia, in earthquake-riven Pakistan, in war-torn Lebanon, Iraq, and Palestine, in deluged New Orleans, in the city-center of needy Chicago—Mosque Foundation worshippers always answer the call—of the orphan, the widow, the homeless, the hungry, the destitute, the abandoned, the Islamic institution builders—and that is a miracle.
Now, this same mosque of many miracles calls out to you. Won’t you please help with your generous gift of $5,000, $3,000, $1,000, or $250? This new miracle is not mere words. You can see it rising to life right now on three levels before your eyes!
The investment is minimal, the reward everlasting! Please give generously today.
Was-Salamu ‘Alaykum.
Sheikh Jamal Said,
Imam and Director