CIOGC

Representative Walsh (R) IL 8th district has the nerve to defend his bigoted remarks

Rep. Walsh Defends Comments about Radical Muslims

08/09/12

Taraweeh

Where are you praying Taraweeh?

Muslims prepare for long, hot days of Ramadan fasting

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What does the Council do?

• Youth Development Programs, through which we bring together the 15 MSA’s from Chicago’s college campuses for leadership training, dialogue and collaboration; the 80 youth counselors in our masajid for youth development and mentor training, our 900 Islamic school teachers from over 55 schools for training on curriculum development, cultivating positive school culture, the art of lesson plan delivery, infusing technology in their classrooms, and raising confident young Muslim Americans; interfaith programs, and civic education and engagement initiatives.
•  Illinois Muslim Action Day, our signature program, which highlights the diversity, unity and power of the Muslim American community in Illinois.  The spring season in Illinois is now known as “Muslims in Action!” Together we advocate for better education, more accessible healthcare, a cleaner environment, more effective human services and poverty alleviation.  For the past four years, the Council has brought together our diverse community to Springfield to meet their legislators, learn about the legislative process and engage the issues that affect all families in Illinois.  
• The Chicago Crescent, our monthly print and online publication, which is distributed to 120 locations around the State and read by our community members, coalition partners, local, state and federal officials.  The Chicago Crescent is the active voice of the Muslim community, written for and by Muslims.
• Intrafaith and interfaith events, such as our three highly successful recent iftars, which brought together our own diverse communities and our friends from other faiths for mutual understanding and relationship building.
• Effective Representation - harnessing the depth of talent and wisdom within our community to best represent our concerns and interests  with government agencies, media, civil rights and other advocacy groups and other faith communities.
• Zakat Chicago – local collection for local distribution. 
• Unity - bringing together over 50 member organizations to help coordinate activities, share ideas, and leverage our collective resources towards the overall unity ofthe Illinois Muslim community.

The next couple of days are crucial for the Council.  Please consider making a one-time generous donation or better yet, become a pillar of your community and be a monthly donor by giving $500, $100, $50, $25 a month or any other amount.   Help build a stronger community and improve the lives of our children and grandchildren today.

Democracy Day/DREAM Relief updates

Aqsa School Position: Seeking Qualified, Certified Elementary Teachers

Reflections from the New Americans National Organizing Training: Day 6

Day 6: Among the large themes of the past few workshops have been respect of time, as well as a focus on human sensibilities, aspirations, and hope as a way of moving people forward. Reflecting upon this I am reminded of the many prophets who became both movers and shakers of society by aligning their own interests with communities they were originally considered to not be a part of. I am reminded of our duty as Muslims to similarly continue this legacy of striving to craft a larger methodology of identification and belonging for all. I am reminded of Sherman Jackson’s words at the CIOGC annual dinner:

”Finally, we need to have a conversation about the pluralistic nature of Islam. Enlightenment liberalism did not invent tolerance. And anyone—Muslim or non—who studies Muslim history knows that as a fact —not as propaganda, as a fact. And one of the most  devastating and heart-wrenching tragedies for me is to watch modern Muslim communities totally squander their own legacy of pluralism and tolerance. We have to have a conversation about this.”