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PHOTOGRAPH BY ZOL87, CC-BY-SA-2.0
COVER STORY
(clockwise from above) Kiran Ansari, first right, and community leaders encourage census participation; Zaher Sahloul, right, meets with legislators on Muslim ACTION! Day; A Devon Street landmark: Iqra Bookstore; Arab American Family Services motivate children to take part in Earth Day
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Perhaps one of the reasons why Chicago is a nucleus for Muslim Americans is deep dish pizza, or Devon Avenue’s ethnic flavors along with Michigan Avenue’s glitz and glamour (making
Chicago a rich blend of East and West), or the legacy of the indigenous Muslim population and contributions of the Nation of Islam and Imam W.D. Mohammed’s community. Or, it might be due to the presence of the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA), the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of North America (IFANCA), and the Muslim Bar Association.
Whatever the reason might be, if you think Chicago’s Muslim community has a powerful history, its future looks even brighter. The following collage of stories and pictures reveal why close to 400,000 Muslims are proud to call this city home. It is not unusual to see a session on Politics 101 following a Qur’an tafseer class, nor for khateebs to encourage congregants to vote, sign redistricting forms, or join the community for advocacy activities at the Capitol. Over the past few years, local Muslims have made significant strides in civic engagement. Spearheaded by the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC; www.ciogc.org), their voice is beginning
34 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2010
to be heard in the political arena. This federation of fifty-five member mosques, Islamic schools, social service organizations, and professional associations of attorneys and physicians has a vision: it wants to be the unifying federation of Greater Chicago’s Islamic organizations, the leading advocate of the community’s interests, and a catalyst for enriching American society. While mosques do not endorse a particular political party or candidate, as they are nonprofits, they do encourage people to vote, run for office, or make a difference in another way. In 2009, Gov. Pat Quinn (D) appointed Samreen Khan as a liaison to Muslims and Asians. For the past several months,
Khan, who is also the governor’s senior policy advisor, has been working with community leaders and coalition partners to gather data, help form committees to deal with important issues (e.g., refugee resettlement), and conduct a Muslim census and foster care services for the community. “When the Governor saw the 12,000 Muslims convene in Toyota Park for Eid prayer, the strength and diversity of the community really made an impact,” she reflected. “This is the first such appointment in the nation, and I hope I can help the Muslim community meet their goals. ... We are hopefully past the stage where people do not even know who their state