RAMADAN 2023 DRIVE

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As you know, CAIR-Chicago has defended civil rights, fought bigotry, and promoted tolerance for Muslims throughout Illinois for decades. We've made enormous progress in winning cases that range from school bullying, workplace conditions, and immigration support.

Your contributions will continue to help us reach our overarching purpose, standing for those who need support the most. We're excited that you've chosen to help us along our journey and hope for a long and fruitful relationship.

Your generous donations continue to be a significant setting stone that will allow our litigation department, outreach department, communication department, and so forth in heading in the right direction of showcasing the best ways to support our Muslim neighbors as they navigate through their daily lives. We anticipate significant growth in our efforts throughout all departments and have donors like you to thank.

We couldn't do this without you!

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“Sadaqa extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire,” (Hadith, Tirmidhi).

He also said that Allah offers relief on the Day of Judgement for those who give sadaqa:

“The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be their charity,” (Hadith, Tirmidhi).

Lailat-ul Qadr which is better than 1000 months may be tonight!

Help us reach our Ramadan

online goal this blessed night

$30,506 till goal

We Defend Islam Against False Narratives

Is this worth your support?

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The Prison Project is an ongoing initiative at CAIR-Chicago since 2007 that aims to give incarcerated Muslims the resources they need to freely practice their religion. Oftentimes, prisoners learn more about Islam while imprisoned and lack the tools to continue their journey of knowledge & practice, free of prejudice and discrimination. CAIR-Chicago works with inmates on issues ranging from congregational prayer accommodation, access to religious material — and access to Halal/Zabiha food, with the help of our partner IFANCA.

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Mohammad Hussaini was fired for simply requesting leave for Friday Prayer.

Hussaini came into work one day to clock in and start his duties. Immediately upon arriving, the manager came and, in an insulting way, demanded that he not clock in and return his badge as he was no longer an employee. Hussaini spent many years working at this company, putting much effort and passion into his work.

Given the employer's immediate reaction to his taking reasonable personal time for Friday prayer, Hussaini concluded it was a workplace discrimination case. Hussaini decided to sue the company for religious discrimination. (Jews and Christians get Saturday and Sunday off, Muslims should not be denied reasonable accommodation for a one-hour or so religious prayer).

Dramatization

This was when Hussaini was introduced to CAIR-Chicago. He took a leap of faith, seeking justice for the incident he faced. Hussaini had no idea how to proceed other than to contact us.

With the grace of God, after four years of relentless fighting for Hussaini's rights, CAIR-Chicago won the case, ensuring Hussaini was compensated, the employer held accountable, and a key precedent set for future employers in the industry and future Muslim employees.

CAIR-Chicago works hard to defend your rights and ensure Muslims are not relegated to second-grade citizens.

Is this worth your support?

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1. She tried to get citizenship for 20 years. Then CAIR-Chicago stepped in.

After fleeing Syria to the US in 2001, she got lawfully married, but immigration wrongly accused her of fraud and put her into removal proceedings. She fought those removal proceedings for several years, ultimately succeeding, and for several years, ultimately succeeding, and she was finally approved for a lawful permanent resident card in 2018. Then divorce complicated with every law firm contacted advising her of restarting.

CAIR-Chicago disagreed with the immigration law firms and took over her case for free. Alhamdulilah, our efforts resulted in her getting a successful interview, and taking her oath of citizenship in January 2022.

I am so happy I found CAIR-Chicago because the other attorneys told me I needed to withdraw and pay them a lot fo money, as well as the filing fee to immigration. I am so grateful to CAIR-Chicago for supporting me through this process. She stated

2. From Denial to Approval

CAIR-Chicago's Litigation Director Phil Robertson, met Mr. Ahmad Al-Masri at mosque in Ramadan of 2021. Mr. Al-Masri struggled for months to get his naturalization application reviewed and approved by USCIS before finding CAIR-Chicago. In response, CAIR-Chicago attorneys submitted requests to USCIS and Ombudsmen to get answers about the delays Mr. Al Masri faced.

Finally, after several more months of waiting, Mr. Al-Masri was issued a Noticed of Intent to Deny by USCIS in late 2021. In response, CAIR-Chicago immediately responded and successfully argued that Mr. Al-Masri's application should not be denied. Almost six months later after hearing nothing from USCIS, Mr. Al-Masri received his Oath Ceremony appointment and naturalization approval.

On May 9, 2022, CAIR-Chicago's Staff Attorney, Emma Melton, accompanied Mr. Al-Masri to his Oath Ceremony and witnessed his naturalization. Mr. Masri and his family got a new lease on life.

There are hundreds of other immigrants like this that we have resolved, free of charge for those who could not afford them risking deportation.

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1. Civil Rights, Advocacy, and Legal Representation – Our cases range from racial profiling, harassment, and bullying in schools and workplaces, citizenship delays, police misconduct, prisoners’ rights, and workplace discrimination. We are committed to upholding equality and combating discrimination of all forms through negotiation, litigation, education, and awareness. We also meet regularly with community partners and government agencies & leaders to advocate against hate and discrimination in our workplaces, schools, and communities.

2. Political Empowerment - We help community members understand and utilize the political system to work for them. Projects include voter registration drives, community workshops, “know your rights” educational campaigns, and training of mosques and Muslim centers on how to contact local and national politicians.

3. Media Representation - We bring the voices of mainstream Muslim communities to the airwaves, print media, and editorial rooms, on issues that affect their lives. We monitor the local media closely and flag bias against Muslims.

4. Community Outreach - We forge mutually beneficial partnerships with local and national institutions whose activities overlap with CAIR-Chicago’s in order to maximize efficiency. We work to empower the Muslim community and to foster an understanding between Chicago’s Muslim and non-Muslim communities via public education, and to serve the needs of the Chicagoland community via public service.

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We help community members understand and utilize the political system to work for them. Projects include voter registration drives, community workshops, “know your rights” educational campaigns, and training of mosques and Muslim centers on how to contact local and national politicians.

We forge mutually beneficial partnerships with local and national institutions whose activities overlap with CAIR-Chicago’s in order to maximize efficiency. We work to empower the Muslim community and to foster an understanding between Chicago’s Muslim and non-Muslim communities via public education, and to serve the needs of the Chicagoland community via public service.

CAIR-Chicago is here to fight for jusitice.

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CAIR-Chicago's mission is to provide protection for Muslims of all generations who live and thrive in America.

We aim to bring the voices of mainstream Muslim communities to the airwaves, print media, and editorial rooms, on issues that affect their lives.

We monitor the local media closely and flag bias against Muslims.

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The Problem

For the last twenty years, hate crimes against Muslims have been on the rise. In 2016, they have increased exponentially nationwide due in part to the Trump Administration's rhetoric. At the beginning of 2020, we witnessed the start of a global pandemic during an election cycle.

Since then, we have also seen a sharp rise in anti-Asian harassment across the country, with Illinois being the 3rd ranked state in number of reported incidents.

The Solution

CAIR-Chicago has partnered with Advancing Justice-Chicago and Hollaback! in providing an one-hour, interactive online training.

CAIR-Chicago will continue it's mission to educate our community on ways of indivudals learning to become a 'upstander' in discriminatory/emergency situations.

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Over 1,000 young students have graduated from our internship program and are now out there bringing the knowledge and training they learned to the world around them and making a difference for Muslims everywhere.

Help us to continue to create leaders!

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"The world needs Ramadan regardless of one’s faith disposition, just as the world needs Christmas. In an increasingly materialistic world where highs are constantly sought though increasingly short-lived, Ramadan is a reminder to the world to pause, listen, feel, appreciate, bond, respect, love, and reflect. Surely, we can all benefit from that."

Access the full newsletter, here

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Unfortunately, the phenomenon of anti-Muslim prejudice is a reality we continue to contend with daily

CAIR-Chicago is here to push back against this phenomenon in ALL its forms - both through defensive AND proactive means:

• We provide our communities with FREE legal services to defend themselves when targeted and to ensure that justice is served.

• And we work to educate private entities and public audiences to quash myths and misunderstandings of Islam and Muslims.

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Healsters is styled as a community-based initiative - underwritten by CAIR-Chicago - to help provide services and resources to students, parents, teachers, and school administrators to not only better deal with incidents of anti-Muslim bullying, but to prevent them from happening.

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The result is an award-winning diverse internship program that sets the standard state-wide and beyond. It’s on every community to understand a better future is best forged by building its future leaders TODAY, and that starts with securing self-belief and confidence in our youth.

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For years and decades, Muslims who are, and have been a considerable part of British - particularly, London - life were accustomed to passing by Christmas and Hanukkah public displays while their high holidays, including Ramadan, which is a globally MASSIVE event, were swept under the carpet as a private and foreign affair.

No longer. Slowly but surely Western Muslims are staking their natural space as a native culture to the lands they call home. You can see signs of this emerging from mainstream TV ads to kids cartoons to shopping platforms to public squares to professional sports platforms.

Wishes for blessed Ramadan to our British Muslim family and our epic human family all over the world.

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This is notable. Some of the English Premiere League’s top players are Muslim. In fact, many. Advocacy brings recognition, but presence and excellence bring it naturally and from within. While we keep advocating, keep being. And keep excelling. Ramadan Mubarak.

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The Chicago Cubs just put up a "Ramadan Mubarak 2023" message on its famed Stadium marquee for the second year in a row - still one of the first and only franchise in the nation to do so, if not the first and only. CAIR-Chicago was proud to lead in advocacy and collaboration both years.

#Ramadan Mubarak to you and your family! 💚☪️🌙