Ramadan is a time for self-reflection on where we are as individuals and as a community.
“O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for tomorrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” (Al-Hashr 59:18)
Salaam Friends,
As we enter the most sacred period of Ramadan, with the Night of Power almost upon us, I find myself turning inward. Ramadan is a time for self-reflection, a moment to take stock of where we are as individuals and a community. This is particularly painful now, when Israel has shattered the ceasefire in Gaza. Witnessing the renewed violence with horror, we must ask ourselves as Muslims: Have we done enough? Can we do more to bring justice to our Palestinian brothers and sisters and to strengthen our ummah here in America?
A generous donor has offered to match every contribution made in the last 10 days of Ramadan up to $8,500. Turn $100 into $200. Turn $500 into $1,000!
When the war on Gaza began on October 8, 2023, our community leapt into action. Since that day, CAIR-Philadelphia has led our community’s political response. Less than a week later, we organized over 60 mosques, Muslim community centers, and other community partners to sign an open letter to Governor Shapiro criticizing his harmful, one-sided statements and failure to recognize and respect all Pennsylvanians. We organized meetings with elected officials, ran a rapid response billboard campaign demanding ceasefire, and supported student protesters on university campuses. We generated more activism than I imagined possible, and I’m so proud of our work.
Throughout 2024, we continued to fight to make our voices heard. Before the primary, we educated Muslim voters about where candidates stood on important issues and advised them to vote their conscience. In the leadup to the general election, we encouraged our community members to Get Out the Vote while keeping candidates accountable to their promises. There is no doubt that our activism changed the conversation. We made a difference.
(Above: CAIR-Philadelphia activists and allies protesting congressional funding war crimes in Gaza, with Councilmember Rev. Nicolas O’Rourke, Imam Kenneth Nuriddin, Delaware State Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton.)
But in the past year, it’s become devastatingly clear that we still don’t have enough power to make our representatives listen. Moving into 2025, we need more Muslim Americans to vote—even when we feel that the candidates don’t adequately represent us. We need more Muslim Americans to tell our stories at public hearings and in meetings with our representatives. We need more Muslim Americans to speak out at rallies and protests. Friends, we must make our political voice an undeniable force in order to build real, long-lasting power for our Muslim communities. Individually, each of us is a tree standing alone in the forest, rustling quietly. But when we combine our forces, we can generate a powerful wind that will bend the political arc in our direction. We can’t give up on civic engagement. We must lean into this power for the sake of all Muslims, locally and globally.
This Ramadan, we at CAIR-Philadelphia are rededicating ourselves to our mission to build Muslim political power. We are effecting change by:
- Educating voters about candidates and where they stand on our issues;
- Registering voters and getting out the vote on Election Day;
- Bringing Muslim leaders, community members, and students from around Pennsylvania and Delaware to Harrisburg and Dover to meet with their representatives during our annual Muslim Capitol Days;
- Organizing and mobilizing our community to turn out for rallies and demonstrations;
- Training our community members to speak out at city council and school board meetings.
Next year during Ramadan, when I reflect on our work, I want to be able to affirm that we did more than ever to bring justice to Muslims here in America, in Gaza, and around the world. Together, we will create a future where Muslim Americans are safe, seen, and valued, and where justice and mutual understanding are powered by vibrant Muslim activism.
When you support CAIR-Philadelphia, you’re helping to create the infrastructure we need for this effort. Can we count on you to help us POWER through the last ten days and double your impact?
JazakAllah Khair,
Dr. Ahmet Tekelioglu, Executive Director
CAIR-Philadelphia
