Chicago – April 12, 2024
Mayor Brandon Johnson was one of several speakers during an event Wednesday that commemorated the breaking of the fast during the holy month of Ramadan, known as Iftar.
Members of Chicago’s Muslim community braved the cold and rain Wednesday night to pray near the intersection of West 63rd Street and South Fairfield Avenue in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood as a part of the Inner-city Muslim Action Network’s (IMAN) annual community Iftar.
Kamal Syed.
Zaki uddin, Engr Mujeeb Osman,
Sher M. Rajput, 1 st Democrat of IL, and Attorney Gaur Triburt, Federation of India
During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, and the breaking of that fast is known as Iftar. Shaakira Ali is a part of IMAN and said the organization is helping teach others about the Islamic faith.
“This is just a very positive organization,” Ali said. “Just to have the religion of Islam to grow and people to know more about Islam more where they won’t have all this hate towards Muslims.”
Political Candidate Bushra Amiwala also attended the Iftaar and made a speech on the occasion as well.
For nearly 30 years now, IMAN has served as a Chicago Lawn-based community organization providing health and behavioral health services, a fresh market and re-entry program, among other entities, for South Side residents.
Johnson addressed the crowd Wednesday night where he cited IMAN as a model that other cities across the nation are trying to replicate.
“You all are not just talking about or praying about it,” Johnson said. “But you’re working about it so, we know that faith without works is dead and I know that IMAN is well and alive in the City of Chicago.”
IMAN leaders said their goal is to raise $1 million during Ramadan, which they said will go toward the work the organization is doing in the community.
