Journey of a Community

As Barakah Chicago continues its journey of community service, we are happy to share exciting news. Barakah Chicago has successfully acquired a property in the Chicago Edgewater/Uptown neighborhood located at 5253 N Kenmore Ave. This historic building complex includes a former church building erected in 1891 and a three-story community house addition constructed in 1930. The property was designated as an official Chicago Landmark in June of 2023.

Since its establishment as a small community organization, Barakah Chicago has been a pillar of support for Chicago's Muslim community, generally for the wider East African Muslim community but in particular to the Habasha Muslim community. Barakah Chicago takes pride in being a community-driven organization dedicated to promoting family values and nurturing the youth.

With Barakah’s stated aim and goal, this new center represents a significant milestone in our journey of serving the Muslim community. Beyond its role as a place of worship, this new center will serve as a vibrant hub for fostering Islamic knowledge and community services. Our primary aim is to create a welcoming environment designed around our youth, offering Islamic educational programs and engaging activities tailored to their needs and interests.

Barakah’s acquisition of this historic property presents a great opportunity for the wider Muslim community. As the Uptown area was in great need of an Islamic center, this iconic property will provide a convenient place of worship for Muslim community of the neighborhood. In addition, we hope this unique property with its rich history will act as a bridge, fostering connections with non-Muslims, introducing our Islamic faith, and nurturing mutual respect among all. As we are excited about the purchase of this property, we do recognize many challenges lay ahead. Barakah hopes to work with other communities, overcome all challenges and make this iconic space a place of peace and harmony through the message of Islam.

In the early Islamic history, the famous Abyssinian King (Najashi) is known for being just and welcoming to the first Muslim immigrants from Makkah. As Barakah continues its journey of serving communities, we hope to carry on the tradition of Najashi in being welcoming and promoting justice within the Islamic context. 

We are thrilled about this new chapter and the opportunities it brings to further serve and engage with everyone, both within and beyond our Muslim community. We invite you all to join us as we embark on this journey towards enlightenment, community service, and unity.

Your unwavering support and encouragement are deeply appreciated.