St. Pete's Muslim Community Honors Ramadan 2021 At City Hall

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Muslim community members and Mayor Rick Kriseman gathered on the steps of St. Petersburg City Hall Tuesday morning for the Ramadan Proclamation Day in honor of Islam's most holy month, and to celebrate the city's growth in diversity.

Ramadan requires those in the Muslim faith to fast from food, drink, smoking, sex and anger from sunrise to sunset for a month. Daily activities during the holiday can include prayer to Allah, reading the Quran and volunteering with charities. Ramadan 2021 is celebrated from April 12 to May 12 in the United States. Eid-al-Fitr, which is Arabic for"Festival of Breaking Fast," marks the end of Ramadan.

Originally from Morocco, Khalid Ouanain, has lived in different Florida cities for the past 25 years and currently resides in Tampa. He told Patch as he waited for the event to start, "This event today means a lot...It's about time to see something like this. What makes America a great country is the people's heart to bring others together, to build the bridges. The point of today's gathering and today's event is to be an example of bringing people together. We may have our differences, but that doesn't mean we have to be enemies."

Tuesday's event seemed nostalgic for the mayor as time in his position comes to an end. He hopes the city's tradition marking the holy day with the Muslim community continues with whomever becomes mayor.

"This is my last opportunity I have to do this as mayor," Kriseman said as he stood behind the podium. "So before I read this proclamation, there's just a couple of things that I want to share. One of the things that we've tried to do in this city, and as the time I've been in this position, is recognize the importance of diversity, tolerance, love, kindness and compassion. Of being one community where everyone is part of our vision statement...and that includes the Muslim community."

Kriseman proclaimed April and May 2021 coordinated on the Hijri calendar year 1442 as the month of Ramadan in St. Petersburg.

"To me, it's (Tuesday's event) a sign of how far we have come," Saad Rahamouni, a leader with the Islamic Society of St. Petersburg said. "One of the things that we have always talked about is this concept of tolerance. And I think we've moved way beyond that. We've come now to expect appreciation. I'm not talking about we as a Muslim community, but all communities. We should appreciate what we bring to the table, and what other communities bring to the table as opposed to just tolerate. Sometimes tolerance has a negative connotation because you tolerate things that are unpleasant sometimes."