Welcoming the holy month of Ramadan, Bay Area Muslim community are on high alert after recent attacks targeting religious communities in New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the US, News Channel 8 reported.
“It’s a very beautiful month. Every single dinner, many Mosques will have free dinners for the whole community, everybody is welcome, rich or poor, Muslim or not Muslim, everybody is welcome to come and break fast with us,” said Hassan Shibly with CAIR-Florida.
“There has been a dramatic increase in hate crimes and threats against the community. We saw the horrific shooting in New Zealand and we’ve seen now multiple Jewish Synagogues being targeted, we’ve seen even some churches targeted. It’s a really scary time for people of faith unfortunately,” said Shibley.
Ramadan is the 9th month of the Hijri Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad.
During Ramadan fasting from dawn until sunset, Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations) the same phrase.
Muslims in North America started fasting on Monday, May 6, on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.
American Muslims have been asking for more security for their mosques and Islamic centers after the attacks on mosques in New Zealand on a Friday prayer, churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, and a synagogue in California last week.
Shibly added that all places of worship in the Muslim community will be taking extra security precautions.
“That includes talking to local law enforcement to make sure they are aware of where there’s congregations and having extra patrols, hiring off duty sheriff’s deputies and having undercover, armed individuals that are professionally trained at those houses of worship,” said Shibly.