330 East Roosevelt Road, Suite G5, Lombard, IL 60148 - Ph.: 630.629.7490 – Fax: 630.629.7492
Contact: Farhan Younus, Esq. [Chair, CIOGC Media Relations Committee - fyounus@ciogc.org, 630-926-5566]

PRESS RELEASE
Chicago - Monday, November 17, 2003

CHICAGO MUSLIM-AMERICANS HOST ANNUAL RAMADAN INTER-FAITH IFTAR

The Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIO), an umbrella organization representing over 400,000 Muslims throughout Chicagoland, will host its annual inter-faith Iftar (breaking of fast) on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 at 4:00 PM at the Islamic Cultural Center in Northbrook, Illinois.

Attendees will include leaders and representatives of Chicago's diverse religions including the Muslim, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish communities. The Iftar and associated Muslim Maghrib (sunset) prayer will be followed by dinner and the main program, including featured speeches.

A featured event will be the presentation of the CIO's Excellence in Citizenry award to Mohammed Hussain. Mr. Hussain is a Chicago Muslim who received great acclaim in the national media for returning over $230,000.00 in designer jewelry accidentally left in his taxicab to its rightful owner. "Mr. Hussain is being recognized for his inspiring display of the excellence in morals, ethics and sincere caring for fellow beings that is the hallmark of a Muslim. As America unfortunately faces a distressing vilification of Islam by extremists, the Council is proud to highlight his laudable actions as representative of the exemplary contributions routinely made to American society by its Muslim constituents", said Kareem Irfan, CIO Chariman.

Kareem Irfan, CIO Chairman, also stated: "This Ramadan Iftar has become the flagship Inter-Faith event of the Council. It is fitting that during Ramadan, the holiest of months for Muslims, we welcome our brothers and sisters of faith into our house of worship and hopefully into each other's hearts. Our driving objective is to forge strong ties with our fellow Americans of faith by countering the ignorance, misperceptions and bigotry that threaten improved understanding amongst us."

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Background on Ramadan:

Ramadan is the holiest month on the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims abstain from food, drink and other sensual pleasures and distractions, from break of dawn to sunset. The fast is performed to obey God's commandments, while learning discipline, self-restraint and generosity. Fasting, along with the declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity, and pilgrimage to Mecca are the five basic "pillars" of Islam. The beginning and ending of the Islamic lunar months depend on the actual sighting of the new moon. The start and end dates for Ramadan may vary as a result, and the month begins about eleven days earlier each year. The end of Ramadan is marked by the "Eid ul-Fitr," or Feast of the Fast-Breaking, and will be celebrated on November 25, 2003 by communal prayers across Chicago's numerous Islamic centers and mosques.

The Quran, Islam's revealed text, states:

"O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you, as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) Piety, Fear and Remembrance of God...Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting..." (Chapter 2, verses 183 and 185).

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Event Details:

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

• 4:00 p.m.: Reception
• 4:30 p.m.: Iftar (breaking of fast) & Maghrib (sunset) prayer.
• Dinner and program to follow.

Islamic Cultural Center
1810 Pfingsten Road
Northbrook, Illinois 60062

(Directions from Chicago: Tri-State, 294 North, exit at Willow Rd. East; 1 mile down Willow Rd., Left of Pfingsten, go 1 mile to Islamic Cultural Center on left)

NOTE: ATTENDANCE IS BY INVITATION ONLY

PLEASE CONTACT: Farhan Younus, fyounus@ciogc.org, Ph. 630-926-5566

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