US Muslim leaders urge Ramadan boycott of public officials who have not called for Gaza ceasefire
Muslim organisations in New York are calling on their local mosques and spaces this Ramadan to not invite - or decline invitations from - any elected official who has not called for a ceasefire in the war on Gaza.
In New York City, Majlis Ash-Shura - Islamic Leadership Council of New York released a statement saying that they found the silence of local and national political leaders to be “profoundly disappointing”.
“It is in this context that we assert a definitive stance: our mosques must be bastions of worship and communal comfort, untouched by the tumult of worldly affairs, particularly during these critical times of spiritual observance,” the statement read.
The umbrella organisation added that it explicitly advises its member mosques and the wider community to “adopt a strict no-entry policy for politicians and political campaigning within our sacred spaces” during Ramadan, Eid celebrations, and Friday prayers.
“The presence of politicians or political discourse in these spaces, we believe, would profoundly disturb our congregants, already distressed by global injustices, and infringe upon the sanctity of our worship and the dignity of our faith,” the statement said.
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Elected officials, and those who plan on running for office, often visit mosques to appeal to Muslim voters. Many times, mosques themselves invite elected officials to speak and show their support. But Muslim organisations are arguing that it is no longer worth it.
The Gaza health ministry said the Palestinian death toll from Israel's current war on Gaza has risen to 31,112, with over 72,400 wounded and at least 7,000 missing, who are believed to be dead and buried under rubble. The majority of all the victims are women and children.
On the first night of the holy month of Ramadan, which began on Sunday, Israeli forces beat and prevented Muslim worshippers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem.
The director of the government information office in Gaza spoke to Al Jazeera, telling the news outlet that the humanitarian situation is dire in Gaza on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The director said that thousands of Palestinians did not find a meal to break their fasts on Monday evening.
“We urge elected officials and leaders, particularly those who claim to hold God-fearing values, to introspect on their responsibilities and to act decisively to halt the loss of innocent lives to gain the trust of the Muslim community,” Majlis Ash-Shura said.
“True piety and leadership extend beyond mere rhetoric to encompass bold, principled actions that reflect the tenets of justice and humanity.”
Calling for a ceasefire
As of 7 March, eight out of 26 members of the New York Congress, four out of 63 New York state senators, eight out of 150 New York assembly members, and 17 out of 51 New York City council members have called for a temporary or permanent ceasefire in Gaza, City and State New York reported.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has not called for a ceasefire. In February, Adams was confronted by pro-Palestinian protestors who shouted, “You have blood on your hands Eric Adams”, and “How many killed Palestinian children will it take for you to call for a ceasefire?”
Adams walked up to a protestor, and said simply, “Bring the hostages home”.
Middle East Eye reached out to Adams’ office for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Last month, New York City council member Shahana Hanif called for a boycott of any events Adams hosts during Ramadan.
“Ramadan is coming up, we got to boycott the mayor’s Iftar,” Hanif said. “You’re not going to let my colleagues go to the mosques in our neighbourhoods if they’ve not called for a permanent ceasefire. They are not allowed.”
Hanif told Middle East Eye that the Muslim community in New York City is “crystal clear” in its demands for a permanent, lasting ceasefire.
“When the New York City Muslim community observes Ramadan, we will be mourning the mass slaughter in Gaza and praying for liberation, compassion, safety, and empathy. As the death toll in Gaza passes 31,000, our grief is overwhelming,” she said.
“Politicians who deny the humanity of our siblings in Gaza should expect to be pushed for a ceasefire if and when they visit.”
Noura Farouq is a Palestinian mother and activist in Long Island, New York. She is also the co-founder of Mothers4Justice, a collective of women supporting Palestine and Palestinian children.
'It is antithetical for public officials to visit mosques seeking the Muslim community’s support, and then turn a blind eye to Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians'
- Dina Sayedahmed, Cair New Jersey
She told Middle East Eye that working with and breaking bread with “those who actively starve our brothers and sisters is a disgrace to the bedrock of Islam and of the ummah”.
“It perturbs the morals we stand for and sets a dangerous precedent by which we abandon ourselves and our morals. If we cannot expect our masjids (mosques) to be a place of morality and confidence - where can we go?” she said.
She added that mosques and their leadership should be held accountable by their constituents, as it is something Islam implores Muslims to do.
In New Jersey, the Council on American–Islamic Relations (Cair) has also released a guide for mosques, which highlights their right to only welcome public officials who support a Gaza ceasefire to mosques during Ramadan.
Cair - New Jersey’s communication manager, Dina Sayedahmed, told Middle East Eye that mosques have always been more than just a place of worship. She explained that historically, social movements have often been born out of them.
“Our audience as Muslims must be earned, not given,” she said.
“It is antithetical for public officials to visit mosques seeking the Muslim community’s support, and then turn a blind eye to Israel’s ongoing and well-documented genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, many of whom are Muslim, during one of the holiest times of the Islamic year.”
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