Your first time
The hardest part is the door.
Everything after it is easier than you are imagining right now. Here is what you actually need to know before Friday.
You do not have to say a word.
If you read nothing else on this page, read that. You can walk in, sit down, listen for an hour, and leave without speaking. Nobody will call on you, nobody will ask you to explain yourself, and nobody will follow you out to the car.
Whatever you are carrying — shame about what you have done, fear that this makes you a bad Muslim, the certainty that you are the only one — the room you are walking into is full of people who arrived thinking exactly the same thing.
There is nothing you could say that would be the worst thing anyone there has heard.
Straight answers
The things you're actually worried about.
- Do I have to speak?
- No. When it comes round to you, "pass" is a complete answer, and nobody will follow up. You can come for weeks and say nothing beyond a first name.
- Do I have to give my real name?
- No. First names only, and you can use a different one or none at all. Nobody asks for a surname.
- Does it cost anything?
- No. There is no fee, no dues, and no collection. There never will be.
- Do I need to sign up?
- No. There is no registration and no list. You can decide on Friday afternoon and simply come.
- What should I wear?
- Whatever you would wear to walk into a shop. Come as you are — that is not a figure of speech here.
- What if I'm not sure I have a problem?
- Then you are in good company, and you are still welcome. Nobody will ask you to label yourself or to say anything you are not ready to say.
- What if I'm still using?
- You are welcome. Please don't bring anything in with you — leave it at home or in the car. Beyond that, come as you are.
- Will anyone tell my family?
- No. Everyone in that room is protected by the same rule, and walked in carrying the same fear.
Where and when
Every Friday, 7:00 – 8:00 PM Central
Masjid Al-Muhajireen
3777 W Columbus Ave
Chicago, IL 60652
If you would rather not come in person
If you want to ask something first
Everyone is welcome
If you take medication for your recovery
You are welcome here, and you are in recovery. If you take buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone, or anything else prescribed as part of your treatment, no one at MRA will ask you to reduce or stop it. You will not be asked to justify it.
Muslim Recovery Anonymous is not a medical or treatment organisation. We do not diagnose, prescribe, dispense or manage medication, and we do not advise anyone to begin or stop any treatment. Those decisions rest with you and your prescriber alone.
What this is, and what it isn't
Muslim Recovery Anonymous is a peer recovery fellowship for people recovering from addiction. It is not a medical service, and a meeting is not a consultation.
Meetings are a place to speak about your own experience. Sharing something personal about your own recovery — including what has and hasn't worked for you — is the heart of what we do. Giving or seeking medical advice about someone else's care is a different thing, and it is not what these rooms are for.
Nothing said in a meeting, and nothing on this website, creates a doctor–patient relationship or replaces care from your own clinician. Our facilitator attends as a peer facilitator, not as your physician.
Urgent help
If you need help right now
Our meetings are once a week. If you are in danger, or you cannot wait until Friday, these lines are open every hour of every day. They are free, and you do not have to give your name.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
SAMHSA National Helpline
Illinois Helpline
Emergency services