"I planned it to be here so that I could participate heart and soul, body and mind with the people during these times," Ahmed Rehab said in a phone call.

Egyptians who have long voiced discontent with their government are now taking to the streets in unprecedented numbers demanding change. If Egypt succeeds, analysts agree that a domino effect is likely.

While people continue to protest in the streets of Egypt, hundreds of Chicagoans were rallying outside of the Egyptian consulate in Chicago Saturday afternoon. The pro-democracy rally was one of several protests that took place across the country on Saturday.

Ahmed Rehab has been hit 24 times with an acrid cloud of tear gas -- stopped in his tracks as he and thousands of other protesters march for democracy in Egypt. Unlike other American travelers, the Chicago-based civil rights activist, who heads CAIR-Chicago, went to Egypt in anticipation of the simmering revolution.

Ahmed Rehab of the Council on American Islamic Relations said the atmosphere was tense."It seems that every major square and every small street in Cairo was basically taken over by communities ... people are parading the streets, walking around with baseball bats and knives," he said from Cairo. "We didn't get any sleep all night."

Ahmed Rehab of CAIR-Chicago shares updates from the heart of Cairo where he is taking part in the pro-democracy revolution.

Dubbed “Rage Friday,” Egyptians took to the streets in massive numbers all over Cairo, Alexandria, and several other cities around the country directly calling for a regime change. Until recently, while the government tolerated a certain degree of freedom of speech, criticism of Egypt’s 30-year despot Mubarak was unimaginable; those who tried faced swift retribution by the government in one form or another.

Worldview's Jerome McDonnell talks to Ahmed Rehab from Cairo. Rehab flew to Cairo to participate in the protests and has been blogging about his experiences on his blog, Mindful of Dreams. LISTEN HERE

"How many mosques constitute an oversaturation in unincorporated DuPage County, according to the Zoning Board of Appeals?" asked Ahmed Rehab, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, at a news conference. "The answer would be one. One would be one too many apparently, and that's very disconcerting to us."

In tough economic times most neighborhoods would welcome development. But in suburban Willowbrook, they’re waving it off for an unusual reason: religious oversaturation.

The zoning panel voted 6-1 last month to recommend denial of the conditional use permit needed for a worship center.All seven members of the ZBA, along with 10 County Board members and former chairman Bob Schillerstrom, are named in a pending federal complaint [made by CAIR-Chicago] alleging they erred a year ago when they turned down an Islamic school and worship center.

“Islamophobia is the last form of racism that is tolerated in mainstream America,” said Amina Sharif, CAIR-Chicago's Communications Coordinator. “You won’t see Fox News go out of its way to defend anti-black or anti-Semitic comments but they went out of their way to defend an Islamophobic statement.”

“Islamophobia is the last form of racism that is tolerated in mainstream America,” said Amina Sharif, CAIR-Chicago's Communications Coordinator. “You won’t see Fox News go out of its way to defend anti-black or anti-Semitic comments but they went out of their way to defend an Islamophobic statement.”

Amina Sharif, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said she is concerned that officials are trying to limit religious institutions. In April, the group filed a lawsuit against the county alleging discrimination in rejecting a zoning proposal for an Islamic education center and place of worship near Naperville.

The DuPage County Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-2 to reject the petition by the Muslim Educational Cultural Center of America (MECCA). Last year, CAIR-Chicago filed a federal lawsuit against the county, alleging discrimination in the rejection of a zoning proposal for an Islamic educational center and place of worship near Naperville.

Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director, discusses the tragic bombing of a Coptic church in Egypt and the strong response of everyday Egyptians – Muslims and Copts.

Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director, discusses the tragic bombing of a Coptic church in Egypt and the strong response of everyday Egyptians – Muslims and Copts.

CAIR-Chicago is advocating on behalf of Jacqueline Pasha, a Muslim woman who was not allowed to ride a Greyhound bus because of her face veil, or niqab. CAIR-Chicago's Communications Coordinator discusses the case with NBC's Natalie Martinez.