Welcome

Whether you are a recent convert/revert to Islam, a born Muslim, or are exploring Islam as a non-Muslim, we welcome you to our website and to Islam. Islam is comprised of people of all races, welcomes all races, and teaches us to treat people of different races, color, gender, etc. equally. This website is designed to provide information about Islam and to help welcome converts/reverts into the Muslim community (ummah) through a support network that we call our 'buddy program'.


Upcoming Chicagoland Classes & Lectures Beneficial to Converts

Below is a list of classes, lectures, or events that we think would be beneficial for a convert or person exploring Islam. Please contact us or request a buddy if you would like someone to attend a class/lecture/event with you. We have also partnered with ConvertConnectionChicago (CCC) to offer regular convert discussions and outings, including monthly Prayer Workshops and Intro to Islam classes. Our goal is to provide opportunities for converts to meet up at least 3 times every month. All the below classes & lectures should be in English and are open to both brothers & sisters unless otherwise stated.


ChicagoMuslimConvert (CMC) or ConvertConnectionChicago (CCC) Sponsored Lectures/Events

  • Saturday 2/18/12 from 4:30-5:30pm: Monthly prayer workshop held by CCC and CMC in the smaller lounge on the 2nd floor of the dorm building of the American Islamic College (AIC - 613 W Bittersweet Pl. Chicago). Each month during this hour, we have a team that we pair up to help individuals with praying - from learning the basics of the motions of the prayer, to slowly learning the pronunciation, to memorization and practice. Please RSVP by sending an e-mail to chicagomuslimconvert@gmail.com, indicating your knowledge level of the prayer and what you would like to work on (this will help us plan how to match up individuals). Free, no wardrobe requirements.
  • Saturday 2/18 from 6-8pm: Next ConvertConnectionChicago (CCC) monthly interactive discussion "The Guiding Light" with Omer Mozaffar at the American Islamic College (AIC - 613 W. Bittersweet pl., Chicago) dorm building, larger 2nd floor lounge. Come participate in our new discussion series focused on understanding our humanity and learning how to refine ourselves through the teachings of the Qur’an and the Life of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him. We will be covering topics related specifically to personal and social conduct, such as forgiveness, reflection, hope, repentance, reliance on God, humility, generosity, and many more attributes regarding good character with others and with our Creator. Our events are focused intensely on spiritual development and community cultivation, so let us honor each other by coming with an open heart and a big smile! Free, no wardrobe requirements, guests/children welcome.
  • Friday 2/24: CMC group Jumu'ah (Friday prayer) at the Downtown Islamic Center (231 S State St, Chicago IL). We welcome you to attend the Friday prayer with other converts from the CMC group. Please contact us if you would like to meet inside the McDonald's across the street at 12:45, and we will help sisters with their hijab and talk through what will happen at the prayer. We will then walk over together and sit together for the 1:10 sermon (khutbah) and prayer. Usama Canon will give the sermon that day.
  • Saturday 3/10 from 4:30-5:30pm: Monthly prayer workshop held by CCC and CMC in the smaller lounge on the 2nd floor of the dorm building of the American Islamic College (AIC - 613 W Bittersweet Pl. Chicago). Each month during this hour, we have a team that we pair up to help individuals with praying - from learning the basics of the motions of the prayer, to slowly learning the pronunciation, to memorization and practice. Please RSVP by sending an e-mail to chicagomuslimconvert@gmail.com, indicating your knowledge level of the prayer and what you would like to work on (this will help us plan how to match up individuals). Free, no wardrobe requirements.
  • Saturday 3/10 from 6-8pm: Next ConvertConnectionChicago (CCC) monthly interactive discussion "The Guiding Light" with Omer Mozaffar at the American Islamic College (AIC - 613 W. Bittersweet pl., Chicago) dorm building, larger 2nd floor lounge. Come participate in our new discussion series focused on understanding our humanity and learning how to refine ourselves through the teachings of the Qur’an and the Life of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him. We will be covering topics related specifically to personal and social conduct, such as forgiveness, reflection, hope, repentance, reliance on God, humility, generosity, and many more attributes regarding good character with others and with our Creator. Our events are focused intensely on spiritual development and community cultivation, so let us honor each other by coming with an open heart and a big smile! Free, no wardrobe requirements, guests/children welcome.
  • Saturday 3/17 from 1:30-3:30pm: Next 'Intro to Islam' session held by CCC and CMC at the 2nd floor lounge of the dorm building of the American Islamic College (AIC - 613 W Bittersweet Pl. Chicago). Please show up between 1-1:30pm. The presentation will begin sharply at 1:30 (must be present by 1:30pm). Please RSVP by sending an e-mail to chicagomuslimconvert@gmail.com. Free, no wardrobe requirements, guests/children welcome.

Other One-Time or Short-Term Lectures/Events


Upcoming Winter or Spring Semester Courses at the American Islamic College (640 W. Irving Park Rd, Chicago) begin the week of February 20th. The close date for registrations is Feb 13 & the last day for drop/add courses is Feb 24.

  • Modern Standard Arabic 101 and 102. Visit this page for more details.
  • Qur'anic Classical Arabic with Instructor Farida Guechoud. Mondays & Thursdays from 6:30 – 8:30pm for 13 weeks. This class will meet twice a week totaling 4 hours a week. Each class meeting will devote time to culture/Islam as well as Qur'anic Arabic. The purpose for this course is to learn how to understand the classical style of Arabic found in the Qur'an so that its readers can comprehend what they are reading. They will also be exposed to the cultural and religious traditions of Muslims and the Qur'anic context in the ME. This course will be intensive in reading, writing, and pronunciation. Students will learn Qur’anic vocabulary and classical grammatical structures. Students will be exposed to cultural components as an integral part of the course. $650.
  • Practicing Islam with Instructor Ghulam-Haider Aasi on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30pm for 13 weeks. Practicing Islam is a course catered for students wanting to learn about the religious practices performed in the daily life of the Muslim. This includes the significance of routine prayers, the meaning behind the prayers recited five times a day, how a Muslim prays; other rituals, such as wadhu (ablution), ceremonies for birth & death, etc. The course will cover major Islamic concepts, such as, creation, afterlife, justice, zakat (charity), tawbah (repentance), reconciliation, etc. The course will also introduce Islamic holidays, the Islamic calendar, the 5 pillars, etc. This is an introduction to the praxis of Islam through religious rituals and principles via the Holy Qur’an, Sunnah, & Hadith. This is a beautiful course catered to those who want to learn about the heart of a Muslim, taking a deeper look at the way of "being," following in the path of the Prophet & the way of the Qur'an. $325.
  • Understanding Islam 101 with Instructor Zubayir Nisanci on Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:30pm for 13 weeks. This survey course covers the fundamental beliefs and practices of the Islamic faith, and the contemporary issues facing the Muslim community particularly in the United States. Participants will learn about the five pillars of Islam, and the significance of Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur’an to Islam and Muslims. A brief overview of the various schools of thought and branches of Islam will be discussed, as well as their historical contexts and contemporary implications. Islam and its application throughout various cultures will also be covered. The last two sessions will look into the common misconceptions of Islam and their impact on the Muslim community in the United States. $325.
  • Hadith & Seerah of the Prophet with Instructor Ahmed Murad on Tuesdays from 6:30pm- 8:30pm for 13 weeks. This course will introduce the importance of sunnah and seerah in understanding Islam and the science and history of compilation of seerah and sunnah. The process of authentication as has been used by scholars throughout history. Terminologies used in the classification of hadith. An overview of seerah books and hadith collections available today will also be presented. $325.
  • Qur'anic Studies with Instructor Ahmed Murad on Wednesdays from 6:30 – 8:30pm for 13 weeks. This course will be an introduction to the Quranic studies. It will start with an overview of the phenomena of prophethood and revelation (wahi) as the origin of Quran and its historical and geographical setting. Then the history of its compilation and preservation will be presented. This will be followed by a discussion of structure and organization of Quran and the methodology of interpreting (tafsir) and understanding Quran. A brief introduction to select major interpretations of Quran (tafaseer) available today will also be covered. Then key concepts and major themes and characteristics of Quran will be presented as an introduction to the subject matter of Quran. The course will conclude with a discussion of some of the misconceptions about Quran. $325.



Ongoing Lectures and Classes

  • Qur'an Tafseer with Mufti Hussain Kamani - Tuesday night series after Isha prayer at the ICC Masjid (5933 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago, IL). During this series, the group will run through the fields of the divine book of Guidance & instruction for all of mankind, the Holy Quran, with Mufti Hussain Kamani. Past lectures can be found at www.saliheen.com or www.audiblewisdom.org. Free.
  • Towards Transformation: By Way of the Quran - Friday night series from 6-9pm at the Muslim Education Center (MEC - 8601 N Menard, Morton Grove, IL). "When the core values of Islam are manipulated, it could lead to ignorance and extremism."
  • Etiquette in Islam with Mufti Hussain Kamani - Friday night lecture series after the Isha prayer at the Muslim Education Center (MEC - 8601 N Menard, Morton Grove, IL). Besides the laws revealed by GOD that were designed to govern our lives, the Quran has also indicated a list of “Etiquette” which we are advised to maintain in our dealings with each other on this planet.
  • Dars-e Hadith - Fridays after Maghrib prayer (sunset) at the Muslim Education Center (MEC - 8601 N Menard, Morton Grove, IL). Hadith discussions led by Mufti Hussain Kamani.
  • Weekly Mehfil - Fridays after Maghrib prayer (sunset) at ICC Masjid (5933 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago). Dr. Shaykh Husain Sattar conducts a Mehfil (spiritual gathering) comprised of a short meaningful talk followed by silent zikr. This weekly mehfil is about rectifying the inner dimensions of the "Self" & enhancing spiritual development to reach ultimate proximity with Allah SWT.
  • "The Beginning of Guidance" seminar with Mufti Hussain Kamani - Fridays after Isha prayer at Muslim Education Center (MEC - 8601 N Menard, Morton Grove, IL). This lecture series is based on the work of Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali's Bidayat-al-Hidaya (The Beginning of Guidance) a highly motivational manual detailing the fundamentals of acquiring guidance through God-consciousness (taqwa). Imam Ghazali argues that just as there is an end to this noble objective there is also a beginning to it, which must be made firm to achieve success. This is one of Imam Ghazali's final works, it embodies a lifetime of learning, experience, and spirituality.
  • Monthly Quranic Tafsir Program - First Saturday of every month following Maghrib prayer at MSI (1785 Bloomingdale Road; Glendale Heights, IL). The tafsir program provides a detailed look at verses of the Quran with an emphasis on deriving practical lessons for everyday life. Contact 630-653-7872.
  • Monthly Hadith Class - Third Saturday of every month following Maghrib prayer at ICC DesPlaines (480 Potter Road, Des Plaines, IL). Shaykh Husain conducts a monthly hadith class that covers one to two hadith per session from Shaykh 'Ashiq Ilahī al-Bulandshehrī's Zad al-Talibin (Provisions for the seekers). Contact Sajid at 847-824-1100.
  • Dars-e Qur'an - Saturdays after Fajr prayer at the Muslim Education Center (MEC - 8601 N Menard, Morton Grove, IL); Sundays from 12:45pm-1:30pm at the Muslim Community Center (MCC - 4380 N. Elston Ave, Chicago, IL). Qur'an discussion led by Sheikh Omar Baloch.
  • Darul Qasim Weekly Tafsir - Sundays at 11am via webcast and in person at Darul Qasim (999 Main St. Glen Ellyn, IL). In this course, Shaykh Muhammad Amin Kholwadia reads from chapters of The Holy Quran, interpreting verses and presenting valuable insights into their meanings. This is a free walk-in course, open to the community, and presently does not require registration. Recordings of past sessions are available here.