“Limit your hostility towards your enemy for one day he may become your beloved”…Prophet Muhummad (peace be upon him)
Zakat Foundation, Sirat Chicago and the American Islamic College invite you to participate in another reading of the Prayer of the Oppressed.
LOCATION: AMERICAN ISLAMIC COLLEGE 640 W. IRVING PARK ROAD, CHICAGO 60613
DATE AND TIME: SUNDAY MAY 15TH | 2:00 PM
The prayer of the Oppressed is a poetic devotional prayer that seeks to end the violence and oppression that is so rampant in our world today. The power of the prayer lies in its simplicity, its purity, and its sincere supplication. It is essentially a plea to God that our transgressions be overlooked, that divine mercy be bestowed upon us, that social justice be restored in spite of us, that wrongs be righted, and that righteousness reign once again in our lands, so that the destitute may no longer be in need, the young may be educated, the animals’ purpose fulfilled, rain restored, and bounties poured forth. It is a plea to be freed from the aggression of foreigners in lands over which they have no right – a plea much needed in our modern world, rampant as it is with invasions and territorial occupations. Ultimately, it asks not that our enemies be destroyed, but simply that their plots, and the harm they cause, be halted. Its essence is mercy, which in turn is the essence of the Messenger of God, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: “And We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.”
Excerpt from Sandala.org
The prayer will be followed by an intermission with refreshments and then with three presentations. The first speaker will be Chaplain Khalid Bilal, a chaplain of Cook County Jail for more than twenty years. He will speak on the prison industrial complex and how prayer participants can work to alleviate this. The second speaker is a representative from Black Lives Matter Chicago. The third speakers are Anna Lloyd and Nora Zaki, representing the Interfaith Council Against Racism. The latter will speak on the council’s work and how prayer participants can get involved.
This is an interfaith event. All are welcome, regardless of faith or no faith.
How to get to AIC
If you are driving, you may use our parking lot (free), which is located in the rear of the main building at 613 W. Bittersweet pl.
If you are taking public transport, we are only a few blocks from the Red Line. You should take the Sheridan stop and walk East on Irving Park.
If you are taking the bus, you can catch 146 from downtown.
You can’t miss our building, it is an old, historical landmark, right on the corner of Irving Park and Marine Dr (or Lake Shore Dr).
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
Co-sponsored by American Islamic College, Zakat Foundation, and the Muslim Students Association of the University of Chicago
First Prayer Gathering – Hyde Park
Thank you to everyone who braved the cold and snow and came together for the recitation of the prayer on Sunday Feb.14th. The venue was beautiful and your presence made it all the more so. May we continue to come together seeking God’s mercy for all people, animals and the earth.
Special thanks to Jawad Qureshi and Dr. Suad Abdul Khabeer for their heartfelt, thoughtful and wise remarks. We are looking forward to participating in the long practiced community tradition of regular, public, communal prayer throughout the year. We are also looking forward to hosting small forums to discuss issues of race, class and identity as it pertains to urban Muslim life.
We also thank BLMChicago for participating and The First Unitarian Church for their kind support in allowing us to use the sanctuary and AV equipment.
If anyone would like to purchase a copy of Hamza Yusuf’s translation and commentary on Prayer of the Oppressed please email siratchicago@gmail.com with “Book” in the subject. The cost of the book is $20 and proceeds will go to Zakat Foundation to support their local initiatives helping to eradicate the roots of poverty in our society. Sirat is proud to support this noble effort.
Here is a short video of the event
ARCHIVED EVENTS
Please join us on Sunday, February 14th for a group recitation of the Prayer of the Oppressed. This prayer is dedicated to the victims of violence in our city.
When: Sunday, February 14, 2016
Time: 2:30pm
Place: First Unitarian Church 5650 S Woodlawn Ave
Hosted by: Zakat Foundation & Sirat Chicago
Supplication leader: Jawad Qureshi
Remarks: Dr. Su’ad Abdul Khabeer
A note about the prayer:
The prayer of the Oppressed is a poetic devotional prayer that seeks to end the violence and oppression that is so rampant in our world today. The power of the prayer lies in its simplicity, its purity, and its sincere supplication. It is essentially a plea to God that our transgressions be overlooked, that divine mercy be bestowed upon us, that social justice be restored in spite of us, that wrongs be righted, and that righteousness reign once again in our lands, so that the destitute may no longer be in need, the young may be educated, the animals’ purpose fulfilled, rain restored, and bounties poured forth. It is a plea to be freed from the aggression of foreigners in lands over which they have no right – a plea much needed in our modern world, rampant as it is with invasions and territorial occupations. Ultimately, it asks not that our enemies be destroyed, but simply that their plots, and the harm they cause, be halted. Its essence is mercy, which in turn is the essence of the Messenger of God, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: “And We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.”
Excerpt from Sandala.org