Islamic Center in Chicago open its doors to people of all faiths

Wednesday 07 Oct 2015 - 11:01 Makkah mean time-24-12-1436

(Image from Internet)

Naperville, Chicago (IINA) - Islamic Center of Naperville in Chicago (ICN) held an "Open Mosque Day" on Sunday, during which the mosque opened its doors to people of all faiths. It provided a rich opportunity for two-way communication aimed at dispelling negative notions prevalent about Islam and spreading its real message of love, peace, and tolerance, Chicago Tribune reported.
The event, in which a large number of mosques from across Chicago took part, was sponsored by the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) and co-sponsored by Al-Furqan and Gain Peace.
"Even though Muslims in the US, a staggering three million, who are adequately educated and hold decent positions in different walks of life, are largely misunderstood by Americans. According to the recent Gallup Poll, nearly a third of Americans do not have a favorable opinion of Islam", said President of ICN Adil Fareed.
"The more interactions between the communities, the more harmony it promotes. Islamophobia tears apart the communities while dialogues and interaction dispel prejudice and misconceptions and strengthen our societies, Fareed added.
For his part, Mir Rizwan Ali, Imam of ICN, said that the event provided for meetings with the local imams and community members, participation in the Q and A sessions, high-quality presentations at different booths, and free distribution of Islamic literature in order to foster communication and open opportunities for dialogue. "I believe that many of the conflicts in the contemporary society can be minimized by putting in place a mechanism for continuous discussions", he added.
Rebecca Obarski, city council, Naperville felt that the open mosque day should not be a one-shot affair. She underlined the need for many such initiatives as one can find true picture of Islam directly from Muslims themselves rather than getting its distorted version from others. "Our society needs to internalize the reality that Muslims are also Americans and they are working hard for a better and more progressive America. Today’s event further consolidates this sentiment", she added.
Roberto Ramirez, Founder/ CEO, Spanish Public Radio and a Mexico Community leader said that the event was an eye opener for him as he was not fully aware of teachings of Islam.
ICN community, which comprises over 3500 families, representing India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan, Somalia, Iraq, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, etc., addresses the needs of Muslims as well as those who belonged to other religions. It is a member of Naperville Interfaith Leaders Association. It also takes part in the activities of DuPage County.
SM/IINA

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