Over the last couple of weeks, Chairman Abdul Malik Mujahid, along with Br. Farid al-Taqi, has been meeting with the leaders of Chicago’s South side mosques to discuss issues which can be addressed by the Council, what each of their expectations of the Council is, and how the Council can work together with our members in the South side to make the dreams of a unified diverse Muslim community a reality.
The Mosque of Umar, located in the south east corner of the city, holds the distinction of being one of the oldest mosques in the greater Chicago area. It was for several years the only mosque with a majority African American congregation that was a member of the Council. The Mosque of Umar has recently started some social services initiatives, including a health clinic. Imam Ibrahim echoes the sentiments of other South side leaders, when discussing the importance of unity.
Masjid al-Taqwa on 89th and Ashland, is located on the third floor of their building, and is one of the Council’s newest members. Dr. Mikal Ramadan, a doctor of emergency medicine, is the president and lead imam of the mosque. Currently, approximately 25 men and 30 women regularly offer their Friday prayers at Masjid al-Taqwa, and the community, which is affiliated with the ministry of Imam Warith al-Deen Muhammad, is looking for a more permanent location for their mosque.
Masjid ah-Ihsan is a beautiful rectangular mosque located at 227 E. 51st Street. Imam Abdullah Madyun, who studied at Madina University, regularly leads some members of his congregation in dawah on the streets of their neighborhood, and discussed with the Council his desire to establish a Dawah Center. This congregation is no stranger to doing Dawah on the tough streets of Chicago; Chairman Mujahid remembers doing dawah there decades ago with NkoNiso Abdullah. While there are regular adult classes at Masjid al-Ihsan, and Friday prayers attended by nearly 40 congregants each week, the children are sent to study Arabic and Islamic studies at a neighboring mosque, Masjid al Farooq, demonstrating the will of these two mosques to work together.
All the imams and leaders of these mosques are anchors of their communities, and have been dedicated activists serving their congregations for years, whether initiating social services in underserved neighborhoods, or attending to the individual spiritual and practical needs of their congregants. The Council leadership discussed the need for the South side mosques to unite, as well as the need in most of these mosques for basic Islamic schooling for children.
Printed from the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago website (www.ciogc.org).
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