Mosque Maryam

Mosque Maryam
Mosque Maryam in February of 2009
Religion
Affiliation Nation of Islam (formerly Greek Orthodox)
Leadership Minister Louis Farrakhan
Location
Location 7351 S. Stony Island Avenue
Municipality Chicago
State Illinois
Geographic coordinates 41°45′39″N 87°35′6.2″W
Specifications
Dome(s) 1
Minaret(s) 0
Website
www.noi.org

Mosque Maryam, also known as Muhammad Mosque #2 or Temple #2, is the headquarters of the Nation of Islam, located in Chicago, Illinois. It is at 7351 South Stony Island Avenue in the South Shore neighborhood. Louis Farrakhan's headquarters are not on the premises. The building was originally the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church before it relocated to suburban Palos Hills. Elijah Muhammad, Farrakhan's predecessor as head for NOI, purchased the building in 1972. Muhammad was lent $3 million from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to convert the former church.

The main hall in the mosque is for meetings, since it was originally the church's nave that contained pews later replaced with seats, Mosque Maryam has an area within the mosque with plenty of open floor space to spread prayer rugs on which to kneel to pray. They use that area every Friday for Jumuah prayer and for prayer (with prayer rugs in general). The NOI's Imam gives the Prayers for Jumuah prayer.

Adjacent to the mosque is the Muhammad University of Islam, an educational institute for boys and girls from preschool through 12th grade.

See also