As Salaamu Alikum and Ramadan Mubarak! Yes, Ramadan is finally here! The Free Library of Philadelphia wishes our Muslim friends in Philadelphia and all over a blessed holiday!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ramadan, it is the most awaited month of the year for Muslims. In addition to abstaining from food and drink from dawn until dusk for about month, Muslims seek to purify and spiritually elevate themselves through acts of worship, generosity, and kindness toward family and community, bringing them closer to God.

Surah Al Baqara in the Holy Quran states:

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous ( 2:183).

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims usually gather daily with family and community members for a meal (iftar) to break their fast at dusk.

COVID-19 is changing the way Ramadan is celebrated this year. By following social distancing preventative measures, iftars are expected to be smaller and limited to immediate family. At the end of Ramdan, which lasts either 29 or 30 days based on the lunar calendar, there is an Eid celebration that usually consists of a feast, festivities, and a community celebration. Celebrating Eid, like Ramadan, will also be different because of social distancing measures. We, therefore, encourage all Muslims to reach out to their local community masjids to obtain the most updated information.

Finally, in celebration of Ramadan, on May 12 at 2:00 p.m. the Free Library invites everyone to participate in the first-ever QURAN TEEN, a virtual live and online experience organized by the Free Library of Philadelphia to inspire and bring us together during the Covid-19 pandemic. Participants will enjoy an enlightening talk by a local imam, and a presentation of historic handwritten Qurans in the Free Library. The highlight of the event will be a melodic and heartwarming recitation by Philadelphia teen Abdullah Ibn Hanif who will recite beautifully from a Sura in the Quran. We are excited to present this program in connection with members of Philadelphia’s Muslim community, one of the largest in America (approximately 250-300,000 Muslims live in Philly). We hope that you will join us for this program.
Click here to pre-register for this free live event »

Also, when you see a Muslim, feel free to greet them with "Ramadan Mubarak or Ramadan Kareem" (with a smile). Stay home, stay safe, and may we all be blessed.