Regardless of political unrest sowing seeds of concern in New York Metropolis and abroad, Muslim communities are decided to proceed observing their holiest month of Ramadan.
This yr’s Ramadan, a month-long interval the place individuals quick from daybreak to sundown, and Eid al-Fitr –– a grand vacation celebrated on the Islamic lunar calendar on the shut of the fasting month –– will fall on March 29-30.
“It is a time to wish and quick for peace and understanding. In precept, all of us must be longing for readability and security, Muslim or not Muslim alike,” mentioned Harlem Senator Cordell Cleare. “We all know that our communities respect this era of non secular upliftment.”
Within the final two years, the town’s vastly various Muslim neighborhood had been struggling to accommodate an inflow of migrants and asylum seekers. Newly arrived Muslims from north east and west areas in Africa had been discovering it onerous to entry Halal meals, particularly these residing in shelters, and observe Ramadan correctly.
“I knew rising up it was powerful for me as a result of in my neighborhood I used to be a part of that first era of younger West African Individuals in that neighborhood,” mentioned Hussein Yatabarry, govt director of the Muslim Group Community (MCN), who’s a Bronx native of Gambian descent. “I don’t even suppose that they actually understood what Eid was. I believe there’s much more acknowledgement and understanding 1742565890.”
Yatabarry mentioned that regardless of the rising commercialism in relation to Ramadan and Eid, with decorations and toy distributions in faculties and at mosques, there’s undoubtedly nonetheless issue in offering Halal meals to Muslim communities in want. MCN not too long ago partnered with Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, a mayoral candidate this yr, Islamic Reduction USA, and 5 native organizations to distribute over 12,000 boxed dinners for “Iftar” throughout Ramadan. Locations the town can’t get to, nonprofits fill the hole, mentioned Yatabarry.
“It’s nonetheless troublesome to entry [Halal meals] in shelters,” mentioned Akinde Kodjo-Sanogo, assistant director of organizing and advocacy for African Communities Collectively (ACT). “We’ve got restricted funds, however we do our greatest with meals distribution, ordering meals and water for Masjids as a lot as we will.”
Franchisee Kamal Raza owns two Worldwide Home of Pancakes (IHOPs) which can be open 24 hours in Laurelton, Queens and on East 149th Road within the Bronx. He presents a particular Ramadan menu that’s out there all day and is often slammed with prospects within the wee hours of the morning that come for “suhoor meals.”
At current, Raza purchases Halal meats and items retail from native sellers at a dearer worth level since he can’t purchase in bulk. He mentioned the rationale extra fast-casual chains don’t decide to offering Halal meals is due to a difficulty with guaranteeing consistency and high quality. He created separate grills and makes use of completely different utensils for cooking and preparation to make sure that there’s no contamination. “I’ve been in New York Metropolis since 1987. I used to reside in Lengthy Island and drive all the best way to Jackson Heights simply to purchase Halal meat,” mentioned Raza. “Now we will not less than go to Restaurant Depot.”
Fortunately, there’s an outpour in demand from the Muslim neighborhood within the metropolis whatever the nervousness over the political local weather, mentioned Raza, who identifies as a Democrat.
In the meantime, the continuing Israel/Palestine conflict in Gaza had stirred many Muslim New Yorkers to political motion. They took to the streets, protesting the town and federal administrations for not taking a definitive stance in opposition to the conflict. Bloody conflicts between Israel and Palestine stretch again a long time. This latest spherical of preventing started on Oct. 7, 2023 when Hamas, a quasi-governmental terrorist group, attacked and kidnapped Israeli residents. Preventing lasted for 17 months earlier than leaders had been capable of dealer a ceasefire in favor of a prisoner alternate for the final two months. Israel launched recent strikes on Hamas forces in Gaza on Tuesday morning, March 18, 2025. Concurrently, U.S. forces commenced airstrikes in Yemen focusing on Houthi rebels.
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Motion, a nationwide Muslim political advocacy group, denounced the strikes in opposition to Gaza and Yemen. “This harmful alliance and militaristic strategy severely compromise America’s international credibility, safety, and ethical management,” mentioned CAIR Motion Govt Director Basim Elkarra. “These insurance policies will not be ‘America First’—they instantly undermine our nation’s pursuits, fueling resentment and violence worldwide. It’s time for American lawmakers to finish this complicity, halt funding for aggressive navy actions, and prioritize peace and justice.”
In New York Metropolis, faculty campuses, equivalent to Columbia College, had grow to be a hotbed of political outrage as college students loudly protested the conflict and therapy of Palestinian residents. Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian-American graduate scholar at Columbia till final yr, led a number of protest efforts on campus. He was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) brokers on March 8 inside his university-owned condominium “and not using a warrant” regardless of being a inexperienced card holder. He’s been transferred and detained in Louisiana with no costs as of but, reported the Related Press.
President Donald Trump has vowed to revoke Khalil’s inexperienced card and deport him, in an effort to silence scholar protests on campuses nationwide. In a latest open letter, Khalil referred to as himself a “political prisoner” and mentioned he’s been focused due to his use of free speech –– a assure within the U.S Structure’s First Modification.
Khalil has grow to be a central determine within the metropolis’s mayoral race in conversations about immigration and Trump’s deportation agenda, whereas Mayor Eric Adams has been slammed for his refusal to remark due to his settlement to not criticize Trump.
Khalil’s arrest has shaken Muslim New Yorkers of all backgrounds.
MCN has mentioned Khalil’s arrest with Columbia college students and many who have their visas or inexperienced playing cards or are already naturalized residents expressed a way of deep concern. Yatabarry is aware of of scholars that had been positioned on a “listing” at Columbia and “doxxed” within the final yr and a half. At the least two college students that he is aware of of are scared about being on a federal listing of some type.
MCN turned to ‘Know Your Rights’ periods in shelters, mosques, and faculties to teach the neighborhood on their rights final yr. But it surely feels a bit futile now when the federal administration disregards the town’s legal guidelines and depends on outdated alien sedition acts to detain folks with out warrants or due course of, mentioned Yatabarry. He wholeheartedly advocates for having attorneys on retainer for migrants and asylum seekers, and is pushing for the governor to cross the Entry to Illustration Act (ARA) S.141/A.270. He mentioned that it’s at present within the state legislature’s finances, so he’s hopeful it should undergo this yr.
Many additionally concern they might be blankly focused as “terrorists.” Yatabarry spoke a couple of comparable challenge after the 9/11 terrorist assaults triggered a spike in Islamophobia all through the town. He mentioned Imams and mosque leaders, who skilled that trauma and surveillance within the early 2000s, are opting to not discuss politics of their institutions.
He mentioned that it’s actually an uneasy time to watch Ramadan, however hopes that individuals prevail. “I believe the spirit of Ramadan is to persevere throughout powerful occasions. Bodily, you’re going via adversity with out ingesting water or meals through the time the daylight is out. I believe internally it’s to maintain your ideas at bay and put your religion in God,” mentioned Yatabarry.
“We’re believers. It’s not straightforward for folks to reside in concern however they’re hopeful,” mentioned Kodjo-Sanogo. “Some have stopped going out to work or coming to the masjid to wish as a result of they concern they’ll be recorded.”
Sanogo added that ACT serves a big group of Sudanese and Muslim immigrants as effectively. Although it’s much less spoken about in worldwide headlines, Sudan’s Khartoum can be gripped within the midst of a civil conflict that broke out throughout Ramadan in April of 2023.
“To me, personally, I’m in opposition to conflict. This isn’t the answer. They need to have the ability to sit down and discuss and are available to a compromise with out weapons,” mentioned Kodjo-Sanogo. “They make assumptions about Muslims. Muslim doesn’t equal violence.”
[updated Fri, March 21]
