Peninsula Muslims break Ramadan fast with diverse congregation
BURLINGAME -- As the Muslim community around the world celebrates Ramadan this year, faith leaders are focusing their prayers on peace, as war wages in Gaza and other Muslim populated regions.
In Burlingame, volunteers at the Yaseen Foundation are preparing daily Iftar dinners. It is a timeless Ramadan tradition, breaking the daily fast with a date and a glass of water.
The community dinners are available to any visitors whether Muslim or not, says Ali Shehadeh, one of the faith leaders in the community.
He says the monthlong celebration is not complete without the joy of community connection.
"A fasting person has several moments of joy and one of them is when you break the fast. The celebration cannot be done on an individual level, it is a congregation," Shehadeh said.
As the congregation prepares for the meal gathering, Ali says this year's prayers focus on peace and relief in Gaza, where the World Health Organization says a famine -- due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict -- is imminent.
"Our prayers are always that Allah gives them the patience and the strength, the food, the shelter, the security that they need," Shehadeh said.
Security issues in Israel and Gaza have also bled into the United States, where hate incidents targeting both Jews and Muslims or those perceived as Muslim have increased dramatically since Oct. 7, according to the Anti-Defamation League and the Council on American Islamic Relations.
That's why Dr. Ramy Salah with the Yaseen Foundation says positive community engagement paired with prayer is important now more than ever.
"The silver lining to that is that, when there is backlash or attacks on our community, that's when you see our community the strongest. Whether it's our global Muslim community suffering throughout the world, in Gaza and Sudan and other places, we are making prayers for them nightly because it's such an important part of our faith, to keep peace and to protect people," Salah explained.
As Ramadan festivities continue until the official Eid celebration on April 10, the youth of the Yaseen Foundation mosque are preparing gifts for local children in need. Maya Fallaha, one of the youth volunteers, says the celebration encourages a spirit of gratitude.
"Ramadan is always special because it brings people together. It's a time for reflection and reconnecting," Fallaha said.
As Ali and others reconnect with their faith through prayers, fasting and communal meals, he hopes the holiday will be a reminder to other communities of faith that, regardless of what is happening in the world, inter-faith harmony is possible.
"Islam, just like Christianity or Judaism, they can co-exist."
The Yaseen Foundation is hosting a concluding Ramadan celebration at the San Mateo Expo Center on April 10, where they welcome individuals of all backgrounds to join.