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The Bosniak Chicago community is over 100 years old. It is a well-known fact that Bosniaks founded the first Muslim organization (institution) in America in 1906 when they founded Džemijetul-Hajrije (The Benevolent Society), which aimed to bring together Muslims and preserve the faith and tradition of Bosniaks. They also expanded their activities to the Bosniak communities in Indiana (1913) and Montana (1916). The primary task of these associations was to provide care for the sick and to bury Muslims, as well as to welcome and assist newly arrived countrymen.
After World War II, a new wave of migration occurred, and the Bosniaks established new vakuf properties and initiated the construction of a mosque in Northbrook.
During the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the genocide against the Bosniak people, a large number of refugees came to North America, and many of them settled in Chicago. This led to an initiative to purchase or build a new facility for the Bosnian Islamic Cultural Center.
According to data from 2002, including previous immigrants as well as those who arrived as a result of the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of Bosniaks who had migrated to Chicago was around 40,000.
The Bosnian Educational and Cultural Center of America (BECCA), also known as “the mosque on Western,” is located in the northern part of Chicago at the address: 7022 N. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60645. The community (Džemat) was primarily formed by people of Bosnian and Herzegovinian origin. Historically, the community has undergone several phases of organizational development.
The first written document about the community dates back to an initiative to open a religious school (mekteb) in the Kenmore neighborhood in 1999. Following that, the community was registered under the name Bosnian American Cultural Center in 2001. Shortly after, in 2002, the community was registered as the Bosnian Islamic Cultural Center at its current address. Finally, responding to the initiative of a large number of Bosniaks, the community was registered as the Bosnian Educational and Cultural Center of America (BECCA) in 2021.
The first imam of the community was Muhamed ef. Brka, who, together with the dedicated members of the community, worked on building this mosque. He served as an imam in the community for three years, and he was succeeded by Kemal ef. Karić, who initiated the project of purchasing a cemetery plot within the Bohemian National Cemetery for the community members.
Since Ramadan of 2012, hafiz Mr. Muriz ef. Mešić has been engaged as the imam of the community. In a relatively short period of time, the community has grown into one of the largest communities within the Bosniak Islamic Community of North America. It currently counts over 900 members.
From July 1, 2016, the community initiated a project to construct a new, larger, and more functional BECCA Center in Chicago. The aim behind launching this project is to provide better conditions for future generations to organize religious, educational, and cultural activities. The activities related to the realization of this project are currently in progress.
MEKTEB as a religious school is an institution of education and training that provides religious education, particularly in Islamic contexts, focusing on teachings from the Quran, prayers, and fundamental Islamic principles.
Over 180 children attend classes according to the curriculum of Islamic community of North American Bosniaks (ICNAB).
At the initiative of the professor of Bosnian language and literature, Amina Sendić-Mešić, and with the support of the Jamaat board and imam, the Bosnian School project was launched in 2012 with the aim of educating children in the Bosnian language and teaching them about their history, culture, and tradition.
Together with her colleague, Professor Enisa Omerovic, the classes are successfully organized and taught, and over 100 students attend. The Bosnian School is certified by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and as such is unique in North America. The Consulate General of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Chicago has also supported this project.
The Women’s Group ‘Bošnjakinja’ has been successfully operating within the Jamaat since its founding in 2012, and today it has over 50 members. Led by its board, the Women’s Group organizes a large number of educational and cultural events, all with the aim of educating the female members of the Jamaat and preserving our culture and tradition.
In addition, the Bosnian Youth of Chicago, founded in 2013, operates within the jamaat. This group brings together over 100 teenagers and organizes various sports and educational activities. An integral part of the youth group is the Nur choir, formed in 2016 and comprising 20 members.
The Parents’ Council was established in 2017 with the primary goal of improving the religious education in the mosque and contributing to the organization of various educational activities for our children. The Parents’ Council consists of 10 parents and has organized several successful projects so far.
Numerous religious activities are also carried out in the mosque: daily prayers are performed, Friday prayers are held, Islamic weddings are performed, gatherings are organized, promotions of numerous projects from Bosnia and the diaspora are carried out, zakaat and kurbani are paid through the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and lectures by numerous speakers are held, etc.
Due to the fact that the BICC congregation had grown into a proper mosque, the need for larger premises arose. Thus, on the night of Laylat al-Qadr, July 1, 2016, the BICC congregation launched a campaign to build a new center in Chicago under the name Islamic Center “Ćamil ef. Avdić”.
The goal of launching this project is to provide better conditions for organizing religious, educational, and cultural activities for future generations.
In the meantime, an Advisory Council for the construction of the new center was formed, and the name of the current and future center was changed during Ramadan 2021 to Bosnian Educational and Cultural Center of America.
“As of July 1, 2021, Bosniaks have endowed more than $3 million for the new center.”
We ask Almighty Allah to protect this mosque and to accept their good deeds. Amen!