New York City’s Muslim World Day Parade, an annual event, serves as a vibrant celebration of the region’s diverse Muslim community. This parade, unique in its focus on showcasing Islamic culture, heritage, and values, transformed the streets into a symbolic outdoor mosque at its inception.
In a gathering on September 09, 2017, Dunya News witnessed the convergence of diverse Muslim organizations, leaders, and scholars for the Muslim Day Parade Conference. This momentous event was dedicated to enhancing security, unity, and collective endeavours within the Muslim community, setting the stage for the subsequent Muslim Day Parade held on September 24, 2017. Representatives from varied backgrounds united to strategize and synchronize the logistics of the parade, highlighting the paramount significance of solidarity and cooperation among Muslims not only in New York but also on a broader scale.
In a bid to finalize arrangements for the Muslim Day Parade on September 24, 2017, a pivotal conference convened in New York City. The event drew various leaders from the Muslim community, including representatives from different organizations and community figures like Imam Shams Ali, Dr Ammaar Saeed, the Chairman of the Muslim Foundation of America Ainul Hoque and other religious leaders of New York joined the conference and fundraising. During the conference, the members of the Muslim community emphasize the importance of reaching out to different segments of the Muslim community through multiple channels to ensure broad participation and unity for the New York event.
“We can explore various avenues, such as engaging with different imams and visiting various Muslim neighbourhoods to speak with them, ask them, and invite them. This event is solely aimed at uniting the Muslim community in New York.”
One member underscored the importance of reaching out to elected officials to enhance the event’s international appeal.
“I am currently in discussions with all the elected officials involved. It’s our primary responsibility to strategize on how to attract the international community. This is one of the objectives we aim to accomplish.”
Dr Ammaar Saeed, a prominent figure in the Muslim community, shared his insights on the significance of the Muslim Day Parade during the 2017 conference. He emphasized the event’s role in fostering unity and solidarity among Muslims in New York. Dr Ammaar Saeed remarked,
“We are here to unite our Muslim community. The gathering on Muslim Day Parade is a message to the world that Islam teaches peace.” (Ammaar Saeed)
Imam Shams Ali eloquently underscores the significance of the Muslim Day Parade in addressing the challenges faced by Muslims, both domestically and internationally. Imam Shams Ali emphasized that the Muslim Day Parade is not just a parade but a significant event to demonstrate Muslim unity to the world. He highlighted the dire situation faced by Muslims in Kenya, Burma, where violence has led to widespread suffering, including killings, rapes, and the deaths of innocent children. Imam Shams Ali underscored the importance of standing in solidarity with those facing hardship, asserting that being present in a country as vast as the United States is a divine opportunity granted by Allah.
This parade, my brothers, and sisters, is crucially important because of the issues that Muslims are facing at the moment. Domestically, we are facing Islamophobia, prejudice, and anti-immigration sentiment. Internationally, our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters, as the United Nations describes, are the most persecuted people on this planet. On that day, during the parade, we are going to stage a demonstration in support of our Muslim brethren in Burma. _ (Imam Shams Ali)
In an interview with Duniya News, Ainul Hoque, Chairman of the Muslim Foundation of America, highlighted the overarching goal of the Muslim Day Parade 2017 conference, emphasizing the significance of uniting Muslims residing in New York. Hoque stated,
“The purpose of this parade is to unite all the Muslims living in New York and bring them together at one platform.”
 He stressed the importance of providing a collective voice for the Muslim community, stating,
“They can prove their existence and speak their voice, and so their voices can be heard, and we can participate in the process.” (Ainul Hoque).
This sentiment underscores the core objective of the conference in fostering unity and amplifying the voices of Muslims in New York City.
The conference concluded on a note of unity and compassion, with a total of $25,000 raised during the event. As attendees gathered for the closing moments, a heartfelt dua (prayer) was offered, specifically directed towards the Muslims in Myanmar who are enduring immense hardship and persecution. This gesture symbolized the collective empathy and support of the community towards those in need.
