As Ramadan begins the month of fasting, thoughts here are with the families of the 17 people killed two months ago in a deadly fire at a nearby apartment complex.
“We can’t bring the lives back but we want to bring the community back,” said Husainou Waggeh who serves on the mosque’s [Masjid Ar-Rahama] executive board member.
The victims included nine adults and eight children, many of whom worshipped at this mosque where donations from a Manhattan law firm try to ease the suffering of those who survived.
“Some are living in hotels, some are living far away,” said Waggeh.
“If this thing happened to you and you’re an immigrant, you cannot get a job,” said Mariama Suwareh.
“Because knowing that those people, most of them they are undocumented and some of them lost their family members. Their family back home needs them.”
Imam Musa Kabba says care packages will also be take to those still recovering, fitting at a time when Muslims think ways to do good deeds.
“Ramadan they are coming five times a day to pray together and also to love one another and also to repent to Allah to ask him forgiveness,” said Imam Kabba.
The outpouring of support is also inspiring gratitude that the victims have not been forgotten, and that the tragedy has shown how much people care.
“People from different faiths all came here to help us, to support us to ask us ‘what do you need?’ This is true brotherhood, this is what religion supposed to be,” said Waggeh.
