Executive Director Ahmed Rehab receives award from Community Builders Chicago

On Sunday May 26, 2013, Executive Director of the Chicago Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), Ahmed Rehab, received an award from Community Builders Chicago (CBC). The CBC award ceremony took place at Lazzat Banquets (1117 East Ave, Steamwood, IL 60107) in Chicago’s West Suburbs. Community Builders Chicago is a community organization whose mission is to empower people through education and a strengthened community network. CBC serves Chicago by strengthening four cornerstone values: Family, Education, Civic Engagement and Health. CBC’s appreciation for education motivated them to award Mr. Rehab with the 2013 Community Builders Award for starting the nationwide MyJihad Campaign.

The MyJihad Campaign is a public education campaign that seeks to share the proper meaning of Jihad as believed and practiced by the majority of Muslims. This campaign serves to eradicate the misrepresentation of Jihad as depicted by the actions of Muslim extremists, public indoctrination by Islamophobes, and the media. MyJihad is a source of political empowerment and helps foster an understanding between Muslim and non-Muslim communities via public education.

In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15, 2013, the need for fostering understanding between Muslim and non-Muslim communities is essential. Mr. Rehab’s vision for the MyJihad campaign is just what the world needs to prevent more anti-Muslim sentiment and misrepresentations of Jihad.

Vice President of CBC, Sher Rajput and former State Representative Paul Froehlich presented Mr. Rehab with his award. After receiving his award Mr. Rehab told the 300 guests in the audience, “We need to speak for ourselves or others will speak for us.” Mr. Rehab expressed the importance of having a voice to prevent others from misrepresenting Islam and its followers.