Family Services
A very important feature of the Al-Taqwa Islamic Center is the Family Counseling service. People from the Muslim community often come to us with family problems. This includes parents who might file for divorce and potentially leave their children on the streets. The Al-Taqwa Islamic Center brings family members together to resolve their differences according to Islamic principles. The Center staff also counsels people who have personal issues, such as recovering from the civil war in their home country. We relieve their anxiety and pain and bring them closer to the community.
Our Center is very open to law enforcement. If anything out of the ordinary occurs, we are in close contact with the police force. We advocate our peaceful nature. The hate crimes that are happening are forbidden and nowhere found in Islam. They go against everything we believe in. Our religion teaches us to respect everybody, no matter what their religion may be.
Youth Programs
Al-Taqwa Islamic Center is very proactive in dissuading our youth from violence and keeping safe. Our staff organizes group dialogues among youth. Our goal is to give them an opportunity to know the consequences of engaging in violent extremism. We work to discourage them from becoming involved with any violence here or any other place.
The youth discussion topics include but are not limited to the following:
• Youth Radicalization & Terrorism
• Drug & Alcohol Abuse
• Crime Prevention and Awareness
• Hate Crime
• Value of Education
Field Trips
Our children’s health and well-being are vital to the community. We encourage participation in sports and social events. It is not unusual to find young people playing basketball outside our Center. We hope by offering healthy activities that, by the grace of Allah, our youth will avoid the temptations of drugs, gangs, and sexual activity that is so rampant in the inner city. Every two months, the kids go on field trips and do outside activities such as:
• Swimming
• Hiking
• Soccer
• Volleyball
Community Events
Al-Taqwa Islamic Center is a welcoming place for those who want to celebrate their Muslim and ethnic heritage. We provide many events for our community, such as:
• Iftar during Ayamul-Bayt three days every month.
• Iftar during the first 20 days of Ramadan and Iftar and Suhur during the last 10 days of Ramadan
Emergency Assistance
Al-Taqwa Islamic Center provides Emergency Assistance to the new refugee families or the needy local people who seek help from our Center. The Northeast area is home to many low-income families. Government assistance and/or low wages does not always get them through the month. Al-Taqwa Islamic Center is often the only charitable help they can rely on. The types of assistance we provide include:
• Cash assistance.
• Utilities,
• Medical,
• Transportation to work,
• Food assistance.
Family Affairs and Matrimonial Services
The mosque advises and reconciles family members. It provides Islamic matrimonial services to meet the needs of the community.