30 Mosques in 30 Days: An American Trip

Day 26: Streamwood, Ill.
Baitul Ilm, the mosque in Streamwood, near Chicago, is a former funeral home that was converted into a masjid. The congregation is growing in size, and there are plans for an extension. The mosque attendees are primarily Pakistani Shi'ites. In the Shi'a tradition, the forehead must touch something naturally from the earth when prostrating, so the worshippers have placed rocks (one of which is visible on the right in this photograph) on the floor for this reason.

• For more photos and stories, visit the 30 Mosques project website