Hundreds of Muslims gathered in New York’s Times Square on Sunday (10/3) to mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan, some of whom waved Palestinian flags as a form of solidarity with the people in Gaza.
They performed the Tarawih Salat against the backdrop of bright billboard lights illuminating Manhattan landmarks.
“I was surprised, this is my first time here. I wanted to come and see the people,” said one of the congregants, Salman al-Hanafy, 20, a forklift operator from Cairo wearing a pristine white thobe.
More than 100 worshipers gathered for prayers despite cold and windy conditions. Someone chanted Nasheed, and children recited the Koran, copies of which were distributed to Muslims and passersby.
“Many people are interested in the Koran, we are almost out of French Korans. “This explains the importance of fasting during Ramadan,” said Ahmad Yasar, 20, an IT student in New York, who and his team participated in distributing holy books.
Yasar said joint prayer activities were important to raise awareness and show the public what was happening throughout the world, including in Gaza.
Nearby, a man wore the red, white, green and black colors of the Palestinian flag on his hat, while a boy in an electric wheelchair waved a Palestinian banner.
New York has been the scene of dozens of protests, some pro-Palestinian and others pro-Israel, since the October 7 attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas sparked a long-running conflict. (AFP/M-3)
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