Muslim Journal: A Resounding Success Themed: “The Nature of Human Life: Earth’s Most Valuable Resource”
CHICAGO, Ill. – The Mosque Cares sponsored Annual Islamic Convention of 2005, recently held over the Labor Day Weekend in Chicago, was a resounding success. The Believers filled the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, at 151 E. Wacker Dr., in time for Jumuah Prayer, led by Imam W. Deen Mohammed. Imam Mohammed emphasized that the Annual Convention begins with Jumuah.
As the day progressed Muslims settled in for the three-day Convention, the Culture Night event was another triumph with a packed house. In detail, its entertainers and presentations are given in this issue of Muslim Journal.
On Saturday, there was the all day health fair, Hajj Exhibit, Education workshops, with the featured event being the CPC/ComTrust LLC and Graceline Fashion Show and business report given by Imam Mohammed.
Saturday night’s Awards Banquet gave center stage to the Muslim Man and Woman of the Year – Earle Shah and Mary’yam T. Muhammad; and the Muslim Youth of the Year – two males and one female – Khalil Abdur Rashid, Rushdan M. Mujahid-Deen and Africa Sonya Abdul-Halem.
The council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) made a presentation to Imam Mohammed. Imam Fajri Ansari of Buffalo, N.Y., presented a proposal for future youth activities to become a part of the Annual Convention.
Sis. Salimah Omar, of Philadelphia, Penn., was the keynote speaker for the evening. The music was superb and the singers gracious. Sunday morning’s Family Breakfast was an opportunity for traveling families to again gather and break bread together and catch up on what has been happening in their respective communities.
The victims of Hurricane Katrina were on the minds of everyone as was evident throughout the weekend. Some Muslims who evacuated New Orleans and others who lost their home in Mobile, Ala., managed to make it to the Convention this year.
More and more efforts to assist the displaced population along the Gulf of Mexico coastline have become apparent. For some of them, see page 7.
As the culmination of the Annual Islamic Convention, Imam W. Deen Mohammed gave his annual Public Address on Sunday after noon at the U.I.C. Pavilion and Racine and Harrison Streets in the West Loop of downtown Chicago.
The Imam’s topic was: “The Nature of Human Life: Earth’s Most Valuable Resource.” Mistress of Ceremony was Sis. Tahara Akmal-Kariem of Los Angeles, Calif. Sis. Rasheedah Azeez gave a report from the office of the Mosque Cares, followed by Imam Rafah Muhammed’s remarks concerning CPC’s economic plan.
As we go to press for the Muslim Journal this week, we are filled with much more reporting on the weekend’s activities. We will continue next week with great detail on the life giving teachings of Imam W. Deen Mohammed.
(To be continued)
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