On the eve of Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims, the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh looks different from prior years. Every window of the mosque on Bigelow Boulevard is plastered with signs that say "Free Palestine" and "End Genocide."
While data from the Pew Research Center shows that less than 1% of Pittsburgh residents are Muslims, hundreds of believers fill the rooms at the Islamic Center each day. Among them are people from around the globe, including Morocco, Bangladesh, Lebanon, and more.
Their faith unites them — and now in their support for the people of the war-torn Gaza Strip, where Islam is widely practiced.
"Now more than ever, it is crucial for American Muslims to advocate for our brothers and sisters in Palestine," Shafiquil Muhshna, government affairs department coordinator at the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said in a statement issued Friday in advance of the start of Ramadan.
Ramadan is based on the Islamic lunar calendar; the start date this year is expected to fall on Sunday, following the sighting of the moon over Mecca, according to CAIR.
Since Oct. 7, when Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by the U.S., attacked Israel, killed 1,200 people, and took more than 200 hostages, the people of Gaza have been subjected to one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history.
An estimated 30,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Gaza. A quarter of the 2.3 million population faces starvation.
"As we engage in worship and reflection during Ramadan, we must also stand in solidarity with those experiencing oppression and injustice," Ms. Muhshna said.
In Pittsburgh, many members of the Muslim community hail from Gaza, said Imam Christopher Caras, executive director of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh.
"We have connections to what happens on the ground through them, and many of us know people from there," he said Saturday.
Since October, Imam Caras said the center has been raising money for some of the few organizations allowed by Israel to deliver aid to Gaza. They often gather for a Dua, or special prayer, for a cease-fire in the war.
"There's been talks of a cease-fire during Ramadan," Imam Caras said. "That's something we're looking forward to."
Ramadan falls during the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, when the Prophet Muhammad is said to have first received the revelations of the Koran and "the mission of Islam began," Imam Caras said.
Muslims commemorate the sacred month by fasting from food, drink and sexual activity from sunrise until sunset each day to be closer to the Koran.
It's also a way to bring people together. "At the end of the day, people will come to the masjid [the Islamic Center] to break their fast, bringing the community together every night."
There are exceptions to the fast: if people are traveling, sick, or are experiencing uncommon hardship.
Imam Caras' congregation prays that during a holy month that calls for fasting, more Gazans will be provided with meals, as they stand on the brink of starvation.
Since Oct. 7, there's been an increased number of threats against both Muslim and Jewish communities nationwide, according to data from the FBI and the Anti-Defamation League.
Some members of the local community have grown fearful of discrimination or violence since October, Imam Caras said.
"[But] for so many to speak out [for Palestine], that has helped ensure many others to keep on staying with their faith and staying courageous," Imam Caras said.
"Muslims are encountering unprecedented levels of discrimination," Ms. Muhshna said.
Imam Caras wants people to feel encouraged to visit the Islamic Center and learn more about their culture.
"To actually approach and meet people, ask them curious questions, and be respectful takes a lot of courage, but it also leads to a lot of understanding," he said.
First Published: March 10, 2024, 12:19 a.m.