Res. No. 515

Resolution recognizing the month of Ramadan annually in the City of New York and celebrating the significant role of Muslims in the multicultural fabric of New York City communities.

By Council Members Williams, Farías, Krishnan, Hanif, Dinowitz, Cabán, Louis, Richardson Jordan, Abreu, De La Rosa, Narcisse, Hudson, Marte, Restler, Won, Ung, Riley, Ossé, Avilés, Velázquez, Gennaro, Rivera, Carr, Vernikov, Kagan and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams)

Whereas, Islam is one of the world’s major religions and an important part of faith traditions in the United States (U.S.); and

Whereas, Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, as determined by physical sightings of the new moon and astronomical calculations, and varies in its exact dates from year to year; and

Whereas, Ramadan is observed by over 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide as a time for spiritual renewal, reflection, worship, devotion to God, self-control, charity, and doing good deeds; and

Whereas, Fasting is one of the pillars, or religious obligations, of Islam and is central to the observance of Ramadan as a way of developing sympathy for the less fortunate and of learning thankfulness and appreciation for what God has given; and

Whereas, Fasting is observed during daylight hours during Ramadan, with Muslims usually having a pre-fast meal (“suhoor”) before dawn and a post-fast meal (“iftar”) after sunset; and

Whereas, Typically the 27th night of Ramadan, known as the Night of Power (“Lailat ul-Qadr”), commemorates the night on which the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad; and

Whereas, Muslims spend time during Ramadan reading the Qur’an and listening to its recitation at mosques around the world and throughout all five boroughs of New York City (NYC); and

Whereas, The month of Ramadan ends with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, a festival at which Muslims say to each other, “Eid Mubarak” (“a blessed Eid”); and

Whereas, U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., issued a statement marking the observation of Ramadan on April 12, 2021, saying that “Muslim Americans have enriched our country since our founding” and that they “are as diverse and vibrant as the America they have helped build”; and

Whereas, President Biden subsequently issued a statement marking the observation of Ramadan on April 1, 2022, saying, “During this holy month, as Muslims everywhere honor God’s great mercy, let us also renew our shared commitment to show kindness, mercy, and understanding to one another”; and

Whereas, Muslims have been part of the multicultural fabric in the U.S. since first arriving 400 years ago as slaves; and

Whereas, According to World Population Review in 2023, Islam is the third-largest religion in the U.S., after Christianity and Judaism; and

Whereas, According to World Population Review in 2023, American Muslims are one of the most racially and ethnically diverse U.S. religious groups-about 25 percent Black, 24 percent white, 18 percent Asian, 18 percent Arab, 7 percent mixed race, and 5 percent Hispanic; and

Whereas, According to 2016 data from Muslims for American Progress, a project of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, more than 765,000 Muslims make up about 9 percent of NYC residents and own more than 95,000 businesses in NYC; and

Whereas, The NYC Department of Education has recognized both Eid al-Fitr (Festival of the Breaking of the Fast) and Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice), two major Muslim holidays celebrated for the past 1,400 years, as official school holidays since 2015; and

Whereas, American Muslims and Muslim immigrants have enriched the multiethnic, multiracial, and multilingual landscape of NYC; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York recognizes the month of Ramadan annually in the City of New York and celebrates the significant role of Muslims in the multicultural fabric of New York City communities.

LS #12029, #12039, #12128, and #12183

2/15/2023

RHP