Urgent Call for Boycott: Stand with Gaza, Disengage from NYC Mayor's Iftar

#CeasefireNOW

Assalamualikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,
Today is March 18, 2024/ 8 Ramadan, 1445

"O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted."

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are at a time that requires moral clarity, in the face of a modern day genocide with over 30,000 people martyred and over 70,000 people injured, and counting in Gaza and beyond.

Majlis Ash-Shura New York is calling for a boycott of NYC Mayor's Ramadan Iftar, highlighting the mayor's lack of initiative in advocating for a permanent ceasefire and his failure to address the humanitarian crisis, escalation of aggression, genocide, and land theft in Gaza and Palestine constructively. This action accompanies a strong recommendation to mosques throughout NYC, especially our member mosques and organizations, to disengage from political events during Ramadan, Friday prayers, and Eid, due to the perceived hypocrisy of politicians and their failures to provide a dignified response to our community in addressing the situation in Gaza.

It is an affront to the spirit of this blessed month and our values to engage with elected officials and leaders who remain silent and/or openly defend and support a regime engaged in pro-genocidal tactics ethnic cleansing and murder into our community spaces.

This stance showcases a commitment to prioritizing humanitarian values and constructive engagement over political participation. The genocide in Palestine must come to an end.

Sincerely,
Abdelhafid Djemil, PhD
President
Majlis Ash-Shura of NY
Islamic Leadership Council of NY
abdelhafid.djemil@shuranewyork.org