Khaberni - Hundreds of Muslims gathered in Times Square, New York City, to hold a communal Iftar and perform the Tarawih prayers as part of an annual event organized since 2022 celebrating the holy month of Ramadan.
Despite the winter rains and cold weather, worshippers congregated on the third day of the holy month in the heart of Manhattan, among the bright lights and giant billboards, where they spread out in the square to break their fast, then performed the Maghrib prayer followed by Isha and Tarawih, in a scene that repeats each year and garners wide interaction on social media platforms.
The event included a group recitation of the Quran, speeches by several imams and preachers about the meanings of Ramadan, the role of the Muslim in society, and the importance of embodying the values of mercy, mutual support, and coexistence in everyday life in this multicultural city.
This Ramadan occasion is the first of its kind in New York since Zahran Mammadani took office as the mayor of the city at the beginning of the year, becoming the first Muslim to hold this position in its history, in a move that activists describe as reflecting the demographic and political changes in one of the most important cities in the world.
Activists on social media platforms shared video clips documenting the atmosphere of the Iftar and Tarawih prayers under the rain in Times Square, amid curiosity from passersby, many of whom stopped to watch the scene and film it, while the event organizers provided brief explanations about the meanings of prayer, fasting, and the atmosphere of Ramadan.
