The Mecca Center — Attraction in Darien

When we decided to return to the United States and specifically to Chicago, I was very hesitant and was very concerned about the alienation that was awaiting me given the distance from our parents, our Arabic culture, heritage and our Arab atmosphere which I love so much and hold so dearly to my heart. One of my top priorities was to find a mosque where I would get to know the Muslim community in my vicinity. It was very important for me to find one since I regularly go with my family to pray Jumu'ah every week and to pray Taraweeh in Ramadan . I was adamant that I would never find such a mosque with the same ambience like the ones in the Arab world here in the United States... and oh how wrong I was... As soon as I first set foot in The Mecca Center mosque it was as if a wave of comfort, peacefulness and pleasantness has rushed through me and I felt at place as if I have been going here for as long as I could remember. The Mecca Center is not only a mosque but is also a social center where one may practice many religious,sports and recreational activities. Ones eyes have need to wander with the place so you can truly appreciate every aspect of it. From the beauty of design to the cleanliness of the building, to the open and warm welcoming arms of everyone in it. I will personally never forget our greetings from Sheikh Hassan Aly ,the imam of the Mecca Center.Being the new group of friends who have started our journeys here in the states only to move to Dubai together and come back here together I thought that was going to be one of my only blessings here but then I came across this mosque and within my very first meeting with the sheikh I remember telling the Sheikh that this actually is truly one of the most beautiful and best thing to happen to me since coming back and I meant that literally. Whenever I felt down and I was longing for my family, my country, my people and to the sound of the Athan playing in every other corner of every other street I turned to the Mecca center as a safe haven. By the time it was Ramadan (my very first ramadan back since moving back), I was at my peak of nostalgia for my homeland, my parents and the Ramadan atmosphere in my country. I thought to myself that I wouldn’t be experiencing that this year and how wrong I was yet again, it was actually one of the most beautiful Ramadans I have had and it was all thanks to this center, the sheikh and our little big Mecca center family. A home away away from home. Taraweeh prayers in this mosque had a special and different feel to it, after every prayer, everyone would gather around and exchange stories and traditions from their home countries of how ramadan would be spent in their respective countries creating one of the greatest ramadan atmospheres and vibes I have ever experienced. And on the last ten days of Ramadan, we would spend the time between Taraweeh and Fajr prayers in the mosque where we would gather and eat suhoor together. Truly like one big family, everyone would sit and converse and check on the wellbeing’s of one another, that even in the absence of one individual we would notice. As for Sheikh Hassan Aly , he has a great role in this achievement. He makes sure to check on every individual personally and to involve them and make them feel welcomed and a part of the family. He sets the example to the youth by forming a brotherhood kind of relationship with them and to the elderly where he plays the role of a great son. The Sheikh has a great role in introducing our true Islam and working to connect the Muslim community here with everyone and establish a beautiful civilized relationship between everyone regardless of their religious affiliation or ethnic origins. Not only is our sheikh a divine worshiper and preacher of our faith but he is also a student pursuing his advanced education in conjunction with his teaching at the university here as well. Our Sheikh is a fan of literature and poetry and has many articles written that he shares with us with his distinctive voice and his engaging speech. We’re so...

Since this group of what they call themselves “professionals” feels the need to misrepresent and publicly attack a family-owned and operated business that has served our community for generations, we believe the public also has every right to understand the facts. This group arrived with an expectation that they should receive more than every other paying guest not because of anything we did wrong, but because they assumed they were entitled to special treatment. They are more accustomed to visiting places that operate like playgrounds, not a full-scale working pumpkin farm with established rules, safety protocols, and processes designed to protect all visitors. They received far more value and experiences here, yet chose to complain about the very policies that keep our guests safe and operations running smoothly. Our procedures are clearly communicated prior to visiting on our website, at admission, via TV screens, and through our speaker system. Our staff remained professional and respectful while simply asking that the same rules every guest follows be respected. Instead, this group responded with hostility, treated employees poorly, and attempted to weaponize unfounded accusations when they did not get preferential treatment. To be clear: ✅ No one was targeted. ✅ No rule was unique to them. ✅ No discriminatory behavior occurred. ✅ The only issue was their refusal to follow posted policies. They proudly welcome thousands of families of all backgrounds every season who have a wonderful time. We will not allow a small group’s fabricated narrative to damage the reputation we have built through honesty, hard work, and genuine hospitality. They stand strongly behind employees and business values and will continue providing the safe, fun, and fair farm experience guests know and appreciate. Not one of the staff from Mecca were friendly even though after the disrespect shown, employees still kept a respectful and polite attitude towards them. This organization should be ashamed...

Though this masjid is absolutely beautiful, the staff and sheikh are the complete opposite!! VERY rude, disrespectful and truly sad to see them represent the faith this way. I had my nikkah here and sheikh hassan aly is by far the worst person i have met! he absolutely ruined my nikkah by pulling both me and my husband in to yell at us ON OUR NIKKAH DAY. He had to wait 20 minutes for just myself to arrive. everyone else was there on time (actually 20 minutes before) so while my father, brother, uncles, aunts, cousins and my husbands family all informed him that there had been a crash on the freeway and i will arrive very shortly- they can track me on find friends. He lost his temper and was rude and disrespectful beyond words. in the chaos i then signed my papers in the office and although i had my cameraman there, i wished to have my mother and father and brother watch me sign it too which did not happen and i wish i had the time to calm down and ask for this- this should not even be something i need to ask for! the staff is very unorganized. i had called prior to my nikkah several times and left voicemails but received no reply, the basement we paid to rent was not clean nor organized and it was a mess. hassan then came down to eat our dinner for the nikkah as if nothing had happened and was clearly in no rush to leave so he had lied to all of us in a mosque! and my father was too nice and let him stay there. if we were not in the masjid i would have given him a piece...