Dear Brothers and Sisters, السالم عليكم, As we are on month four of the Coronavirus Pandemic, you can see that many of the masaajids have opened around the Chicagoland area. As you read this letter, the MCC has slowly opened the masjid for regular prayers. We started with two prayers a day at our MEC location and will soon expand as we see if our protocol is working. We are extra cautious because the protection of our musallis and their families are of utmost importance to us. I know that may frustrate many when they see their friends and families going to other masajids, but the MCC is a unique place and can sometimes be harder to have crowd control. That is why we decided to open up Jummah prayer last because that seemed to be the one place many masajids had trouble controlling the people from social distancing. We also have to be very cognizant of the fact that Illinois and parts of the country may see a resurgence in cases, and we still have not figured out what would be our action if the MCC crowd sees an increase in cases. The unfortunate thing is that we cannot tell you with certainty how we are going to act because we can't predict the nature of this virus and how it will affect our society. Things are unpredictable, and things can change by the time this is printed. But In Sha Allah, the plan is to open up both masajids for prayer and then end with Jummah prayer at both locations. However, there will be restrictions that

(Continued on page 3)

President’s Report

The MessageThe Message Vol. 50 / No. 7/ Dhul QadahVol. 50 / No. 7/ Dhul QadahVol. 50 / No. 7/ Dhul Qadah———Dhul Hijjah 1441/ July 2020Dhul Hijjah 1441/ July 2020Dhul Hijjah 1441/ July 2020

A Publication of the Muslim Community Center, Chicago, ILA Publication of the Muslim Community Center, Chicago, ILA Publication of the Muslim Community Center, Chicago, IL

Due to recent affairs that have gripped the world, people are forced to take drastic measures to protect the vulnerable lives in their respective communities. Our very own community decided to shut down Masjid services temporarily in an attempt to flatten the curve. These bold actions came with much deliberation and caution; however, it was with the blessing of Allah that we were able to limit exposure and crowds even before other communities were forced to shut down. COVID-19 poses a genuine threat to many individuals in many different ways. Under lockdown, many patients were unable to meet with their physicians and doctors, causing delays in surgeries and meetings. Many businesses and employees lost their livelihood, unsure of what to do next. Yet others fell prey to the virus and perhaps lost loved ones or endured its painful symptoms. Each of us has a different story to tell about how this virus changed what we understand to be normal. Moving forward, normal will never be the same. Adaptation is a concept that is critical to our wellbeing and survival. The changes we will find will range from the stores and shopping centers to the Masajid and prayer halls. The Muslim Community Center will also be taking drastic measures, and for the foreseeable future, its function will not be the same: *Persons under the age of 16 and over the age of 65, or with chronic and/or immunosuppressed conditions will not be admitted. *The doors will not open until fifteen (15) min before the Adhan and will close very briefly after the Salah. *Before entering, volunteers will screen congregants with temperature checks, age limitations, and check-ins. *Masks will be mandatory, along with personal prayer rugs and bags to carry shoes. *There will be strictly one entrance and one exit, and washrooms will be completely closed off. What people may have been used to in the past seems like a distant dream in contrast to a strict, regulatory process. Perhaps this change is an opportunity for corrective behavior. Perhaps it is a chance for the undisciplined to train themselves. Perhaps it is a warning that we are not always guaranteed to go to the Masjid at will. Perhaps this is a reminder that rules are set not only to protect yourself but also everyone around you. Perhaps this COVID-19 virus and all the difficulty and strangeness it brings are signs for those who will remember:

رون ك لك لية لقوم يذ 61:61 -إن في ذ Indeed in that is a sign for a people who remember.

Imam-oirs: Masjid Reopening— What to Keep In Mind

E-Newsletter Reminder

Members, remember to be

environmentally conscious! Please be

sure to contact your masjid office

manager at MCC or MEC and convey

your preference for our E-Newsletter.

Also, please update and confirm your

contact information to be correct on

file. Visit us online to sign up!

MEC Women’s committee is continuing its work via online classes. Alhamdulillah, community ladies and kids are benefiting from memorizing 30th juz with Our volunteer hafidha. Our Islam Info class for revert sisters is going strong Alhamdulillah since the class has been moved to Zoom. Few sisters from outside of Chicago have joined the class since then, making the attendance around 8-10 now. Fundamental beliefs, how to do acts of worship, Seerah, and learning Arabic letters are the main segments of the class. If you have any suggestions or comments, please reach out to us at mecwomenscommittee@gmail.com

Nomination of Candidates for 2020 MCC Elections

The deadline for submitting Nomination forms for this year’s elections is 2 PM on

Sunday, August 9th. The relevant forms and additional information have already

been mailed to MCC members, and can also be obtained from MCC’s offices as

well as downloaded from MCC’s website.

The MCC I&O has been working the

past two years on the education of our

own implicit bias at MCC as we offer

challenging webinars and in-person

events to build a stronger community.

The June 9th Anti Blackness Among

Muslims and Christians with the

CIOGC’s Imam Tariq El Amin and The

Fourth Presbyterian Church’s Pastor

Morrow spoke candidly about culture

vs. religion.

“The world seems to be coming

together in agreement against the

institutionalized racism devaluing black

lives in America—especially at the

hands of the police. While all the

marching and posting are inciting

change, it is important not to stagnate

in passive liberalism and instead,

challenge our own internalized biases

by bringing the rampant injustices that

often exist in our periphery to the

foreground. It is our responsibility to

find ways to create this change in our

communities. The conversation last

week on Anti-Blackness Among

Muslims & Christians with Tariq El-

Amin and Joe Morrow was a great

step.”—Amber Malik, MCC Youth

Get ready for… Muslims Got Talent! Are you someone who hums nasheeds or has an inspiring set of spoken words you want to share with the world? MCC has got you covered! Mark your calendars - the first weekend of August, MCC will virtually host its inaugural LIVE Nasheed/ Spoken word competition. We have some really cool prizes to win (did anyone say Airpods?). Be sure to register as soon as the competition details are out! We will be sharing more details for the competition on Instagram (@mccfamiles) and MCCChicago.org in the coming weeks. If you have any questions or want to be part of the organizing committee, email us at mccfamiles@mccchicago.org.

The competition is open to everyone.

Interfaith & Outreach Committee:

Black Lives Matter

“ My name is Alaa Mohamed. I

graduated from Niles North High

School in Skokie, and I would like to

share a bit of my story. As a black

Muslim teenager in America, I am faced

with challenges and obstacles, but with

Allah’s guidance, my family’s

assistance, my friends’ and teachers’

support, I have been able to succeed

and reach my goals. I moved from

Dubai, UAE to the United States in the

middle of my junior year of high school.

The transition has been difficult and

exciting at the same time. The

difference in culture, language, and

religion created this new world I didn’t

even know existed. I was fascinated by

the immense diversity, inclusion, and

acceptance that Niles North offered me

and was quickly involved in NN MSA.

MSA offered me a nostalgic feeling of

home. I was able to create many

friendships and memories.

I was appointed as the President of

MSA by the time I became a senior at

Niles North, but with that role came

many responsibilities. I believe in our

current political climate, anti-blackness

and racism have been disguised under

micro-aggression and subtle attacks. As

MSA’s first Black President, I felt these

subtle comments and disbelief

attitudes from different individuals that

(Continued on page 4)

PERSPECTIVE:

ALAA MOHAMED, AGE 18

will be followed by our guidelines. Please visit our website to follow the protocols put in place. JazakAllah Khair.

Regards,

Kamran Hussain

president@mccchicago.org 847-452-5811

(President, Continued from page 1)

Since this is an Islamic publication, please dispose of it in a respectable Islamic manner. Disposal bins available at MCC Elston.

MCC Publication Committee:

Syed Mahmood—Chair Shabnam Mahmood—Co-Chair/Editor-in-chief

Hafiz Ikhlas Ansari—Prayer Timetable

Mohsin Bhatty—Distribution

Anam Yakoub — Staff The Message is a monthly publication of the Muslim Com-munity Center that informs members of administration, organization and committee activities of MCC/MEC. Submit your questions and comments editormccpublica-tions@gmail.com. The opinions expressed in The Message do not necessarily represent those of the Publication Com-mittee. The editor reserves the right to edit all material.

For centuries, humans have known

that eating honey is excellent for your

health. Our Prophet (S) said there is

healing in honey.

In Surah Nahl (The Bee), Allah swt

asks us to ponder the bee, an amazing

creature inspired by our Creator to do

important work. Bees don’t just make

honey. They serve an essential function

in nature that we need to live. Bees

ingest the nectar in flowers to make

honey. As they go from flower to

flower, they pick up pollen that sticks to

their bodies and transfer it to other

flowers. This process, called pollination,

enables plants to grow more plants. Did

you know that an astounding 80 % of

our entire food supply depends on

these pollinators? Subhan’Allah!

Therefore, we depend on these

pollinators too.

Unfortunately, something that some

farmers use is killing bees worldwide:

chemical pesticides. As Khalifahs,

representatives of Allah swt on Earth,

we are charged with protecting the

environment, the animals, and our

health. This means that it’s up to us to

stop this destructive practice by buying

food from farmers who do NOT use

these harmful pesticides.

The “greener” choice and more

ethical thing to do is to buy organic

versions of these foods. Though it is not

a guarantee, if you buy organic fruits

and vegetables, you are much less likely

to consume harmful pesticides. Bee-

killing pesticides are found in lots of

foods, but the worst offenders are “the

dirty dozen”: potatoes, celery, spinach,

tomatoes, kale, pears, cherries,

peaches, apples, nectarines,

strawberries, and grapes. We suggest

you take this list to the store and

commit to buying their organic

versions.

On the other hand, there is also a

“don’t worry dozen,” i.e., fruits and

veggies that were never sprayed with

harmful pesticides, so you don’t have

to worry when buying them. They are

pineapples, papaya, cantaloupe, kiwi,

honeydew melon, sweet peas (from the

freezer section), asparagus, sweet corn,

avocado, onions, cauliflower, and

cabbage.

Besides the threat to our food

supply from using harmful pesticides,

there are some real threats to our

health. Living holistically means making

better choices according to Islam and

science. Some toxic pesticides affect

brain development, attack the central

nervous system, and reduce one’s

ability to focus and learn. If we feed too

much of these foods to our children,

how can they memorize Qur’an, study

the Seerah, do their homework, and

perform Salah properly?

It is so essential if you are a new

parent, or any food-preparer to know

this information and be vigilant. For

example, shockingly, the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency

under the current president, has lifted

the ban on the most common

pesticide that kills pollinators. We

must fight for everyone’s health and

(Continued on page 4)

MCC’s Green Team:

Picking Produce Responsibly

Sunnah Foods: HoneyHoneyHoney

” Honey is a remedy for every illness

and the Quran is a remedy for all

illness of the mind, therefore I

recommend to you both remedies,

the Quran and honey. “

Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

supply!

Nature is our home, our sustenance,

and, indeed, a gift from Allah swt. To

appreciate nature and the joy of eating

natural foods, we suggest this family

activity:

Rehoboth Blueberry Farm, just an

hour and a half south of us, is having

their 13th Annual Blueberry Festival on

Saturday, July 18th from 7 am to 6 pm.

There will be activities and chemical-free

blueberry picking. They will practice

social distancing, so your family or even a

group of families will have a great day!

Register at www.faithinplace.org/

events/13th-annual-rehoboth-blueberry-

festival. To learn more and join the MCC

Green Team, contact Dr. Sam (Saeeda)

at tulipboke@gmail.com.

didn’t understand the nature of black

Muslims. I think my most important

role as President was setting a

precedent for all the Muslim black girls

at my school that struggled with finding

their space in a predominantly non-

black Muslim community.

As a NN MSA alumnus, I have hope

that MSA will be a safe environment

for black girls to grow, learn, socialize,

and lead toward success. I will continue

my journey at the University of Illinois

at Chicago-Honors college to major in

Bioengineering on the pre-dental track.

I look forward to being a socially

active fighter for the Black Lives Matter

(Perspective: Continued from page 2) movement, doing my part to raise

awareness and reform the system that

has failed too many of my fellow

brothers and sisters.” —

Alaa Mohamed

safety by letting our government know

that we don’t want this in our food

(Green Team: Continued from page 3)