Masjid-e-Abubakr

This small, and seemingly unknown mosque is located in the heart of Lakeview. For those familiar with the area, it is on Roscoe Street, one block west of Sheffield. The mosque used to be one of the many row houses that line the street and so therefore is easy to miss. On Fridays, the plethora of taxi cabs in the driveway will give it away. This mosque is great for the Muslims everywhere. Friday services start punctually at 1:25 p.m. The sermon lasts (invariably) seven minutes and is entirely in Arabic. People stand for prayer around 1:32 p.m. You can be in and out within fifteen minutes. I noted the mosque as predominantly Arab but the actual demographics are probably 75% Arab, 20% South Asian, 5% other. There are two prayer areas -- one on the main floor and one upstairs. Friday services are held upstairs so don't be surprised if you come across an empty prayer room on the main floor when you arrive. The mosque is clean and quiet. The only major drawback is that there is no accommodation for women.