Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked the beginning of Ramadan on Wednesday, becoming New York City’s first Muslim mayor to observe the holy month while in office.
Mamdani attended a housing event Wednesday morning after beginning his fast, according to reports. When asked how it felt being the first Muslim mayor of New York on the first day of Ramadan, Mamdani joked, “Right now, I feel parched.”
The mayor called Ramadan his “favorite month of the year,” describing it as a time of spiritual reflection and community connection.
“This is a month of reflection, it’s a month of solidarity,” Mamdani said. “And it’s month that is so often characterized just by the fact that we are not eating or drinking from sun up to sun down, but it misses what actually drives us through the course of the day, which is a chance to actually reflect.”
New York City is home to more than 1 million Muslims, according to the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, which reports that more than 20% of Muslims in the United States live in the city. This significant population makes Mamdani’s historic role particularly meaningful for the community.
Mamdani said he looks forward to connecting with Muslims across the city through Iftar dinners and service projects that align with Ramadan principles. “Whether they be waking up in the morning for Sahur as they start their jobs, or whether they be working through the night and pausing for one moment to have a date to break their fast, I look forward to meeting them,” the mayor said.
The mayor posted a “Ramadan Mubarak” message on YouTube, using the traditional phrase to wish others a blessed Ramadan.
City Council Member Yusef Salaam, a practicing Muslim, shared his perspective on the holiday’s significance. “The spiritual fast gets deeper and deeper and deeper every single year because you’re really focused on making yourself the best version of yourself every single time,” Salaam said.
The Islamic Cultural Center of New York on the Upper East Side prepared to accommodate around 1,000 people for prayers on the first day of Ramadan, according to center leaders. Yahaya Abubakar, director of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, emphasized the historic nature of having a Muslim mayor.
“It is not something that is common to have a Muslim mayor in New York City. That’s something very, very, very important for us,” Abubakar said.
The timing of Ramadan follows the Islamic lunar calendar, with the holy month beginning when religious leaders sight the crescent moon, according to Abubakar. “When we sight the crescent moon, we start fasting,” he explained.
Sheikh Imam Chernor Sa’ad Jalloh of the Islamic Cultural Center described Ramadan’s deeper spiritual significance. “It’s a month that in which the Quran was revealed,” Jalloh said. “For Muslims, opportunity is not only to make money, it’s not only to win elections … Opportunity is when your relationship with God is excellent.”
Mamdani’s observance of Ramadan while serving as mayor represents a milestone for Muslim representation in New York City government. The month-long period of fasting from sunrise to sunset, combined with increased prayer and charitable giving, will continue as the mayor carries out his official duties throughout the holy month.
The mayor’s participation in community Iftar dinners and service projects during Ramadan is expected to strengthen connections between City Hall and the city’s substantial Muslim population during this significant religious observance.
