The Islamic Center of Chicago, also known as the At-Takaful Islamic Society, is an Islamic community organization that operates a mosque and full-time Islamic school for children, which it claims, “begins from pre-kindergarten and has currently reached 8th grade,” as of 2024. ^{1 2}

On its documentary page, the Islamic Center of Chicago notes that its Imam is Mufti Hussain Kamani, who studied at the Darul Uloom Bury in England, which British newspaper The Times reported in 2016 “preaches contempt for non-Muslims and warns of the ‘repulsive qualities’ of Christian and Jewish women.” ^{3 4 5}

“The Prophetic Code” is a course Kamani taught at the Qalam Institute, which he co-founded. The Middle East Forum (MEF) alleged that the course materials advised Muslims “to seek ‘cleanliness’ and ‘purity,’ so as to ‘not resemble the Jews.’” ^{6 7}

Background

The Islamic Center of Chicago (ICC), also known as the At-Takaful Islamic Society, is an Islamic community organization created in 1987 that claims to serve hundreds of Muslims across North Side Chicago and the surrounding area. ⁸

The ICC operates a mosque and full-time Islamic school for children, which it states,“begins from pre-kindergarten and has currently reached 8th grade,” as of 2024. The school was established in 2003 to “provide quality Islamic education” that focuses on “intensive Quranic memorization” and learning the classical Arabic language, alongside secular subjects. ^{9 10}

On its documentary page, the Islamic Center of Chicago states it created its school because raising Muslim children in the West is difficult due to children “constantly being exposed to the unIslamic thoughts, concepts, and behaviors that Islam forbids and rejects.” ¹¹

The organization is governed by a board of “five to seven permanent trustees,” and the executive director. ¹²

Antisemitic Preaching

On its documentary page, the Islamic Center of Chicago notes that its Imam is Hussain Kamani, who studied at the Darul Uloom Bury in England, which British newspaper The Times reported in 2016, “preaches contempt for non-Muslims and warns of the ‘repulsive qualities’ of Christian and Jewish women.” ^{13 14 15}

Kamani co-founded the Qalam Institute, a seminary based in Texas. “The Prophetic Code” is a course at the Qalam Institute which Kamani teaches. The Middle East Forum alleged that the course materials advised Muslims “to seek ‘cleanliness’ and ‘purity,’ so as to ‘not resemble the Jews.’” ^{16 17}

The Middle East Forum further claimed that “The Prophetic Code” argued that parents should “Order your children to pray at the age of seven. And beat them (lightly) if they do not do so by the age of ten.” ^{18 19}

Financials

The Islamic Center of Chicago receives most of its revenue from contributions. The organization had a total revenue of $561,184 in 2021, with $555,924 from contributions, while in 2022 the organization had a total revenue of $725,033, of which $722,192 came from contributions. ²⁰

ICC’s total expenses amounted to $489,244 in 2021, $162,430 of which was spent on salaries and wages, while in 2022 the organization’s expenses totaled $573,396, of which $149,887 was spent on salaries and wages. ²¹

The Islamic Center of Chicago’s net assets amounted to approximately $3.3 million in 2021, which slightly increased in 2022 when the organization’s net assets totaled just under $3.5 million. ²²

1. “About « ICC.” At-Takaful Islamic Society. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.icconline.org/about/.
2. “Documentary « ICC.” At-Takaful Islamic Society. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.icconline.org/documentary/.
3. “Documentary « ICC.” At-Takaful Islamic Society. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.icconline.org/documentary/.
4. Norfolk, Andrew. “Prisons chief praises extreme Islamic sect.” The Times. April 19, 2016. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/religion/article/prisons-chief-praises-islamic-sect-that-warns-of-repulsive-christian-women-srjb6cdc6.
5. Phelps, J.M. “Canada’s Conservative Leader Shares Platform with Infamously Extreme Islamist Clerics.” Middle East Forum. December 25, 2021. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.meforum.org/islamist-watch/canada-conservative-leader-shares-platform-with.
6. Swindle, David M. “Silicon Valley-Subsidized Hate Speakers: Hussain Kamani.” Middle East Forum. March 27, 2017. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.meforum.org/silicon-valley-subsidized-hate-speakers-hussain.
7. “The Prophetic Code.” Qalam Institute. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.qalaminstitute.org/propheticcode.pdf.
8. “About « ICC.” At-Takaful Islamic Society. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.icconline.org/about/.
9. “About « ICC.” At-Takaful Islamic Society. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.icconline.org/about/.
10. “Documentary « ICC.” At-Takaful Islamic Society. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.icconline.org/documentary/.
11. “Documentary « ICC.” At-Takaful Islamic Society. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.icconline.org/documentary/
12. “About « ICC.” At-Takaful Islamic Society. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.icconline.org/about/.
13. “Documentary « ICC.” At-Takaful Islamic Society. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.icconline.org/documentary/.
14. Norfolk, Andrew. “Prisons chief praises extreme Islamic sect.” The Times. April 19, 2016. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/religion/article/prisons-chief-praises-islamic-sect-that-warns-of-repulsive-christian-women-srjb6cdc6.
15. Phelps, J.M. “Canada’s Conservative Leader Shares Platform with Infamously Extreme Islamist Clerics.” Middle East Forum. December 25, 2021. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.meforum.org/islamist-watch/canada-conservative-leader-shares-platform-with.
16. Swindle, David M. “Silicon Valley-Subsidized Hate Speakers: Hussain Kamani.” Middle East Forum. March 27, 2017. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.meforum.org/silicon-valley-subsidized-hate-speakers-hussain.
17. “The Prophetic Code.” Qalam Institute. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.qalaminstitute.org/propheticcode.pdf.
18. Swindle, David M. “Silicon Valley-Subsidized Hate Speakers: Hussain Kamani.” Middle East Forum. March 27, 2017. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.meforum.org/silicon-valley-subsidized-hate-speakers-hussain.
19. “The Prophetic Code.” Qalam Institute. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://www.qalaminstitute.org/propheticcode.pdf.
20. “At Takaful Islamic Society – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363701681.
21. “At Takaful Islamic Society – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363701681.
22. “At Takaful Islamic Society – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed September 12, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363701681.