I found myself last weekend looking for some sort of Islamic escape. My plans to drive down to Houston, TX for Texas Dawah Conference XI were laid to rest so that left me stuck at home. Christmas weekend weather in Chicago was gloomy and there was nothing much to do. Family from Michigan was due in town, but weren’t all coming in until Monday morning. I found myself bored.

Real bored. So bored, in fact, that I fell asleep at the computer after Maghrib and woke up three hours later on my bed. A post sunset nap on a Saturday evening? That’s a sign that I needed to get out.

While checking my Email and various blogs 8,000 times to pass the time, I saw Umar Lee posted that he was in Chicago for the weekend. Was he here for the MAS-ICNA convention at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare? Had to be. I Emailed him and he replied.

Umar Lee to me

was, I am at the MAS convention in Rosemont by the airport. Are you near to this area? I will be free tomorrow… wa salaam, Umar

There it was. The perfect escape that I had wanted for the weekend. Plus my friend AbdelRahman was already attending the convention until Sunday evening with Ahmed Mustaffa. I replied to Umar and informed my mom that I’d hit up the conference sometime during the weekend.

I texted AbdelRahman to find Umar and set a time to chill. They hooked up and Umar suggested Monday night which worked our for the both of us. AbdelRahman would go home Sunday night, relax at home in the daytime from a weekend at the conference then catch ride with me back there Monday evening. I could spend time with relatives before heading out to the conference with AbdelRahman. I called my friend Aamair to see if he could come, but couldn’t get a hold of him. I left home, picked up AbdelRahman, and we headed towards Rosemont for the Hyatt.

When we got there, I asked AbdelRahman where were we going to park; hotel parking is usually pretty darned pricey. AbdelRahman told me not to worry, it’s Christmas Eve. The lot guard will be more than happy to let us in for free, and the lot might just be open for free as it is. We pulled up and the guard asked us if we were here for the conference. We said yes, he said “eight dollars.” I looked at AbdelRahman.

“We’re just here to meet a friend,” he said from the passenger seat. The guard stepped out of his post, waved his key card and let us in. Merry Christmas.

I walked into the Hyatt from the rear entrance. Immediately the first thing I noticed was the concentration of Arabs the Hyatt was filled with. MAS is obviously a mainly Arab organization. It was an interesting feeling being one of the only Desis in the building. I was really impressed with the sense of community I felt there, too. If there’s something about the Ikhwanis in the US that’s straight, it’s their organization and their catering towards Muslim families. The Hyatt Lobby and hallways weren’t filled with Muslims, but with Muslim families. Tons of Arab uncles, aunties, strollers, babies with balloons, the works. And the gag inducing visuals of the ISNA Hyatt lobby were nowhere to found. Instead there were dozens of females in jilbabs and abayas, young and old, and no obvious signs of “omg hiiii lolz!” mixing between the youth. May Allah (SWT) strengthen MAS-ICNA.

We stood outside the bazaar exit and exchanged salaam with Umar Lee. He was helping out with one of the charity booths that poured out of the actual bazaar area. “You guys are a little early.”

To be continued…