MECCA Willowbrook Mosque Fundraising Video

Fundraising video for MECCA (Muslim Educational & Cultural Center of America) in the Chicago suburbs of Willowbrook. Video produced by: http://www.DelackMediaGroup.com FULL SCREEN TEXT GRAPHIC: "THE MOSQUES OF ALLAH SHALL BE MAINTAINED ONLY BY THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN ALLAH AND THE LAST DAY; PERFORM AS-SALAAH (IQAAMAT-AS-SALAAH), AND GIVE ZAKAAH AND FEAR NONE BUT ALLAH. IT IS THEY WHO ARE ON TRUE GUIDANCE"[QURAN - AL-TAWBAH 9:18]. VO: ESTABLISHED IN 2002, THE MUSLIM EDUCATIONAL & CULTURAL CENTER OF AMERICA STARTED WITH A HUMBLE BEGINNING. PRESIDENT: THERE WAS A GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED THAT WE NEED A PLACE WHERE WE CAN DEVELOP OUR OWN PROGRAMS AND RAISE OUR CHILDREN. VO: WHAT STARTED WITH SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND A VISION FOR THE FUTURE HAS NOW MULTIPLIED INTO A VIBRANT COMMUNITY. ALL PRAISES BELONG TO GOD, OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW AND SUPPORT AREA FAMILIES. PRESIDENT: WE ACTUALLY HAD TO MOVE THE TARAWIH PRAYER BECAUSE IT IS MORE SPACIOUS AND WE HAD MORE PARKING. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. WE HAVE ABOUT 200 STUDENTS IN VARIOUS PLACES BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND LEVEL. THE COMMUNITY OUTGREW THIS PLACE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ADEQUATE TO CONDUCT THE NECESSARY ACTIVITIES. VO: WITH THE GUIDANCE OF GOD, OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS HAVE CONCEIVED THIS BEAUTIFUL MASJID. PRESIDENT: ORIGINALLY, WHEN WE DECIDED TO DESIGN THE FACILITY, WE THOUGHT OF OUR GROWING COMMUNITY. VO: OUR NEW MASJID WILL BE LOCATED IN THE WESTERN CHICAGO SUBURB OF WILLOWBROOK. AS THE MUSLIMS LIVING IN THE SURROUNDING SUBURBS, IT'S OF GREAT IMPORTANCE THAT OUR MOSQUE IS EQUIPPED TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. IMAM: WE HAVE HERE A VERY GOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT...SO MANY PEOPLE MOVING AROUND THIS AREA AND WE DON'T HAVE AN ADEQUATE CENTER FOR MUSLIMS...SO THERE IS A NEED HERE. SITUATED ON A BEAUTIFUL 4.7 ACRE SITE, OUR MASJID WILL BE A PLACE THAT WE CAN CALL HOME. PRESIDENT: ITS NOT JUST A PLACE TO PRAY AND WORSHIP. IT'S A PLACE WHERE WE GATHER...WHERE WE PLAY TOGETHER...WHERE WE RAISE OUR CHILDREN AND YOUTH. VO: THE PROJECT WILL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO PHASES. THE FIRST PHASE WILL INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MOSQUE AND GYM, WHICH WILL SERVE AS A COMMUNITY CENTER. THE MOSQUE'S PRAYER HALL WILL HOLD FIVE HUNDRED NINETY SEVEN WORSHIPERS. THERE IS A SPACE FOR THE SISTERS TO PRAY ON THE SAME LEVEL AS OUR BROTHERS, AS WELL AS THE MEZZANINE LEVEL. THE BUILDING WILL ALSO INCLUDE A LIBRARY, READING AND STUDY ROOMS, A MEETING ROOM, FUNERAL ROOM, AND VISITING IMAM OFFICE. THE FIRST PHASE WILL ALSO INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION OF OUR COMMUNITY CENTER. OUR GYM WILL INCLUDE A MULTI-PURPOSE BASKETBALL COURT; AND ROOMS FOR MEETINGS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES. WE'LL ALSO HAVE A SOUP KITCHEN AND FREE CLINIC TO HELP THOSE IN NEED AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. OVER 200 STUDENTS CURRENTLY ATTEND OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL AND ARE TAUGHT THE PRINCIPLES OF ISLAM AND THE ARABIC LANGUAGE. HOWEVER, WE'VE OUTGROWN OUR SPACE. THE SECOND PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION WILL INCLUDE A SEPARATE WING WITH EIGHT CLASSROOMS. IMAM: THIS CENTER IS FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN AND THE GENERATIONS THAT FOLLOW. IT IS ONLY LOGICAL THAT OUR CURRENT COMMUNITY SET THE FOUNDATION FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME IN ORDER TO PRESERVE NOT ONLY OUR IDENTITY AS AMERICAN MUSLIMS WHO LIVE HERE BUT ALSO TO PRESERVE OUR ISLAMIC HERITAGE ALTOGETHER. VO: PARKING SPACES WILL ACCOMMODATE OUR GROWING COMMUNITY. IMAM: HAVING MASJID IN THIS AREA WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT MUSLIMS BUT ALSO GIVES US A PLACE WHERE WE CAN INVITE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN HUMANITY TO THE WAY OF GOD AND CONTRIBUTE A HIGH VALUE TO THE SOCIETY...AS THIS IS OUR DUTY AS MUSLIMS. VO: BUILDING A COMMUNITY FOR TOMORROW ISN'T EASY. THE FIRST PHASE OF OUR ISLAMIC CENTER IS EXPECTED TO COST EIGHT POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. THROUGH THE GRACE OF ALLAH, WE CAN RISE TO THE CHALLENGE AND RESPOND FAITHFULLY...REMEMBERING THE WEALTH THAT ALLAH HAS PROVIDED US WITH. THE TIME HAS COME TO BUILD FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH. IT IS UP TO US IN THIS GENERATION TO FULFILL OUR DESTINY. NOW IS THE TIME FOR EACH MEMBER OF MECCA TO CONTRIBUTE GENEROUSLY IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THIS TASK AND RECEIVE THE GREAT REWARDS IN THIS LIFE AND AND HEARAFTER. LET YOUR CONTRIBUTION BE A REFLECTION OF THE DEEN YOU'VE RECEIVED FROM ALLAH'S MERCY. IMAM : PROPHET MUHAMMED HAS TOLD US...WHOEVER BUILDS A MOSQUE FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH, AS A SPARROWS NEST OR EVEN SMALLER, GOD WILL BUILD FOR HIM A HOUSE IN PARADISE. Home video, stills, renderings, and animation provided by client