During Ramadan, Muslims take part in prayer, fasting and celebrations during the holy month. But for some this year, the holiday has a heavy feeling with rising levels of Islamophobia and a war in the Middle East, where the Israeli military has killed over 30,000 Palestinians following the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7.
Members of New Jersey’s Muslim community talked with NJ Spotlight News about how the events have shifted the tone of Ramadan this year. New Jersey is home to roughly 300,000 Muslims.
Wail Rasheed, President of the Islamic Center of Union County, said, “There’s no decoration… We’re fasting the entire day from sunset to sundown. We break fast together … and we eat together as a family and mingle.
“This year, actually we feel guilty with our family and Gaza not having any water to drink,” he said.
