Islamic Center invites visitors to Open Mosque

An Open Mosque Day in Naperville will give residents of different faiths a chance to learn more about their Muslim neighbors with an eye toward increasing understanding.

The event will be sponsored by the Islamic Center of Naperville from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at 2844 W. Ogden Ave.

The Islamic Center is a nonprofit organization that provides religious services, programs for youths and adults, charitable donations and education with an emphasis on promoting communal harmony through interfaith activities.

The center has been part of Naperville for 25 years, said President Shoaib Khadri, and "we have developed great relationships with different faith organizations and local government.

"Although we have regular events with our interfaith partners, there are many people who have a lot of questions on Islam, and the Open Mosque Day is the perfect platform to address them."

Khadri said the event is designed for a moving crowd, where people can visit anytime during the five-hour period. Booths will present different aspects of the Islamic faith where people can ask questions, meet the Imam (religious scholar) and discuss any topics with him, observe afternoon congregational prayer, and have a tour of the mosque.

Women can get henna on their hands and try on a hijab (headscarf). There also will be a booth where you can get your name written in Arabic calligraphy.

A multimedia experience, "Journey through Time," also will be available.

"And, of course, we cannot host an event without food," he said. "We will have some refreshments from the Middle East and South Asia and an area for people to sit around, eat and interact in a warm, friendly and informal setting to give an opportunity for people of all faiths to get to know each other better."

The event is free. For details, write rsvp@icnmasjid.org.