"Organizations that are not only Islamophobic but that incite violence, whether directly or indirectly, are a reality," said Ahmed Rehab.

"In the public sphere, leaders of the opposition groups to the Not-At-Ground-Zero-Muslim-Center can't seem to decide on an argument. They have thrown everything and the kitchen sink at us in the way of fabricated reasons," writes Ahmed Rehab.

Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director, discusses the stabbing of a Muslim cab driver in NYC whose attacker first asked "are you Muslim?". Rehab also talks about the danger of anti-Muslim propaganda driven by Islamophobes opposed to Park 51, the proposed Muslim community center near Ground Zero.

DuPage County zoning officials are proposing amendments to the Zoning Ordinance which would ban any new religious institutions in residential areas.This proposal follows CAIR-Chicago’s lawsuit on behalf of Irshad Learning Center (ILC), which was denied a special use permit to conduct religious educational classes and worship services at a property previously owned by a private day care center.

Yellow Cab Chicago requested Tuesday that a fleet of taxis remove controversial anti-Islam ads. The ads, sponsored by the group Stop Islamization of America, appeared on 25 Chicago cabs this summer. Michael Levine, CEO of Yellow Cab Chicago, said the signs were offensive to the city’s taxi drivers, an estimated half of whom are Muslim.

Ahmed Rehab talks to the O'Reilly Factor's Laura Ingraham about Imam Feisal Rauf's sound reputation for interfaith cooperation and religious tolerance, and refutes lies that the Imam is a "radical".

Ahmed Rehab talks to the O'Reilly Factor's Laura Ingraham about Imam Feisal Rauf's sound reputation for interfaith cooperation and religious tolerance, and refutes lies that the Imam is a "radical".

CAIR-Chicago, CIOGC are asking the Illinois Muslim community and all Illinois citizens to thank IL Senator Dick Durbin for taking a bold and uncompromising stance supporting the core principles of this country. Yesterday, Senator Durbin issued a statement in support of Park51, the proposed mosque in lower Manhattan. Durbin said that politicians like Palin and Gingrich who are opposed to the mosque are trying to divide the country with fear and hate.

CAIR-Chicago invites you to join us Thursday, August 26 for our annual Iftar and Cook-off, at our office. Meals will be made by CAIR-Chicago staff members in a potluck competition, and you - our guests - will vote on the best dish!

CAIR-Chicago invites you to join us Thursday, August 26 for our annual Iftar and Cook-off, at our office. Meals will be made by CAIR-Chicago staff members in a potluck competition, and you - our guests - will vote on the best dish!

CAIR-Chicago representatives and local Muslim leaders, at a press conference on Friday, discussed their disappointment in IL Gov. Pat Quinn's comments regarding the New York mosque controversy. They also shared examples of other mosques around the country that are facing opposition, including one in Naperville which CAIR-Chicago is currently litigating on behalf of. See Media Coverage HERE

CAIR-Chicago representatives and local Muslim leaders, at a press conference on Friday, discussed their disappointment in IL Gov. Pat Quinn's comments regarding the New York mosque controversy. They also shared examples of other mosques around the country that are facing opposition, including one in Naperville which CAIR-Chicago is currently litigating on behalf of. See Media Coverage HERE

The Council on American Islamic Relations is considering legal action regarding the ads. Ahmed Rehab, executive director of CAIR-Chicago, said organizations such as Geller's are not qualified to lead domestic violence initiatives. But Rehab suspects that's not their primary goal. Instead, he said, they are intentionally creating an uncomfortable work environment for Chicago's cabdrivers.

"Given the situation with ground zero (in New York), there's a growing trend by various right-wing organizations to vilify Islamic organizations, and I don't think we can take that away from what's happening in DuPage County," said Kevin Vodak, an attorney for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

The whole brouhaha about the "Mosque at Ground Zero" is frankly bogus. It has little to do with sacred ground, or sensitive hearts. It does however have everything to do with the exploitation of the sacred and the sensitive for the furtherance of the sacrilegious and the insensitive: the phenomenon of Muslim-bashing that is ravaging our nation today.

The whole brouhaha about the "Mosque at Ground Zero" is frankly bogus. It has little to do with sacred ground, or sensitive hearts. It does however have everything to do with the exploitation of the sacred and the sensitive for the furtherance of the sacrilegious and the insensitive: the phenomenon of Muslim-bashing that is ravaging our nation today.

"I do believe that there are special places on Earth that should have a zone of solemnity around them," Quinn told reporters when asked about the issue. "I would strongly urge those who are thinking of putting a mosque within that zone to rethink their position." "The 9/11 attacks were caused by terrorists. Terrorists shouldn't build a mosque in proximity to ground zero, or America for that matter," said Ahmed Rehab, executive director of Chicago's Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Local leaders will discuss their concern that a calculated campaign of Islamophobia and fear mongering have influenced public officials and misinformed the general public. The coalition will discuss opposition to mosques including in Illinois, rising levels of anti-Muslim bigotry and hate crimes.

The Honor Killing Awareness Campaign responsible for the taxi advertisements is powered by the anti-Muslim group Stop the Islamization of America (SIOA), run by Islamophobe bloggers Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer.Their overt connection between the Islamic faith and violence is not only incorrect and offensive, but short-sighted in that it fails to acknowledge the wider problem of violence against women in America.

Ahmed Rehab discusses the ground zero mosque controversy and clears misconceptions about Islam and Muslims.