Masjid Rahmah, a former church building on more than 8 acres off Monaville Road in Lake Villa, is converting five large classrooms of its on-site elementary school into temporary living quarters for its anticipated guests.
Two of the 20-by-20-foot classrooms already have been transformed into bedrooms with furniture donated by mosque community members. The other three classrooms also will be equipped similarly, said mosque President Ashfaq Hussain, who lives on-site in the imam's quarters.
Hussain doesn't know whether the mosque will be receiving families, individuals or both, and how many refugees to expect. Mosque leaders will accommodate them accordingly, taking into consideration their cultural and Islamic values, especially with respect to housing men and women, girls and boys separately as is customary, he said.
For how long is another unknown, as the refugees might stay three months, six months or more, Hussain said.
"At this point in time everything is fluid," Hussain said.
"We only have a vision in our mind. The community is well-informed of what is expected out of them and how much support we need to accommodate these people for transitional housing."
The 38,500-square-foot mosque building is well-equipped to handle their daily needs. It includes a prayer hall that can accommodate roughly 350 congregants, a separate area for women to worship if needed, offices, a conference room, a small food pantry, a commercial kitchen and separate showers/bathrooms for girls and boys. The attached school wing has eight classrooms and a large high school-size gymnasium, Hussain said.
Hussain, who is from Hyderabad, India, said the mosque's membership comprises a mix of cultures, including Arab, African American and the South Asian subcontinent.
"(We) don't know what challenges are ahead," said Hussain, adding, "Do we have the confidence that we can help them? Absolutely, yes."