Hundreds of Muslims gathered in Times Square, New York City, on Friday evening to perform Tarawih prayers in one of the world’s most visible public spaces, marking the start of Ramadan with a communal display of faith and charity.
Organisers served close to 2,000 free meals to attendees and members of the public, including non-Muslims, as part of the iftar celebration following the evening prayer.
The event was organised by the Times Square Alliance and local Muslim community groups. Africentra has confirmed the gathering took place. The precise attendance figure has not been independently verified.
Tarawih is the nightly congregational prayer observed by Muslims throughout Ramadan. Performing it in Times Square, in full public view, carries both religious and civic significance.
The free meal distribution extended the event beyond the Muslim community. Passersby, tourists, and residents were among those who received food, according to video footage and eyewitness accounts circulating on social media.
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Close to 2,000 meals were served. Times Square receives an estimated 330,000 visitors daily, making it one of the highest-footfall locations in the United States. The prayer gathering drew a visible congregation in the heart of that foot traffic.
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The exact number of worshippers present has not been confirmed by city authorities or organisers in an official statement. It is not confirmed whether this event will be repeated on subsequent nights of Ramadan.
However, El-Rufai went further, claiming he received advance warning from a source who had access to intercepted phone calls, including calls made by Ribadu. He accused the Nigerian government of tapping and monitoring citizens’ communications without legal authorisation.
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