An imam gave the invocation to begin Thursday’s Will County Board meeting for what officials believe is the first time in the board’s history. Imam Haroon Ahmed of the Muslim Association of Bolingbrook presided over the invocation at the beginning of the board’s monthly meeting after the call to order and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Board member Michelle “Mimi” Cowan, D-Naperville, introduced Ahmed and said they believe this was the first time a Muslim faith leader gave the invocation at a Will County Board meeting.
Board members are responsible for asking a faith leader or some other community member to deliver the invocation ahead of board meetings, with Democrats and Republicans switching off each month.
Cowan said she wanted to make sure the leaders of the invocation reflected the diversity of the county and the area around her district in Bolingbrook, Naperville and Aurora, which has a substantial Muslim population. She said trying to have different faiths represented in the board’s business was a small but positive way to reach out to communities in the county.
