Bay Area

Muslims Holy Month of Ramadan Will Be Very Different in Era of COVID-19

Published

5 years ago

April 22, 2020

The world’s 1.8 billion Muslims face the first Ramadan in recent memory under lockdown, curfews and other restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The holy month that begins April 24 and goes to May 23 is marked by daily fasting between dawn and dusk, followed normally by communal prayer at their local houses of worship just before sunset.

The prayer to break the fast, Maghreb, is at sunset and is followed by a communal meal, Iftar, provided by the mosque but also includes food that people have prepared and brought from home, like a potluck.

Each night of Ramadan, in a special prayer service called Tarawih, a portion of the Holy Quran is recited by a specialist, the Hafiz e-Quran, and by the end of the month, all 30 sections, or juz, of the Quran will have been heard.

“Muslims like to gather and pray together and be close to God” during Ramadan said Dhaifallah Mo., public relations officer for the Bay Area branch of the Yemeni American Association. “But the information we have so far is stay at home. We must do what is best for our community.”

Instead of the convivial gathering she’s accustomed to, Islamic activist Moina Shaiq will be at home in Fremont with her husband, Mohammad. Shaiq thinks that the restrictions of this year’s Ramadan may actually enhance the experience. “As Muslims, we follow the teachings and doings of Mohammad. In his time, he would pray at the mosque two nights and pray at home for one (during Ramadan).

“We have huge spreads of food now, but that wasn’t how it was done in his time. We get to go back to the origins, the roots of faith in its spirit and celebrate as such.”

She seemed most concerned about not being able to hear the recitation of the Holy Quran, as neither she nor her husband have memorized it.

“There’s nobody in my house who can do that,” she said. But they have been advised that in their homes someone can read a portion from the Quran as a substitute.

In many countries, mosques have been closed for weeks. Iran, grappling with at least 67,000 COVID-19 sufferers and 4,000 deaths, may bar all Ramadan gatherings. In Egypt, all Ramadan activities including group iftars and Zakah tables are banned.

Zakah are offerings for the needy – sometimes it’s a meal, or other donation but they are usually given personally. The threat of the virus presents a challenge to the customary ways the faithful ordinarily fulfill one of the pillars of Islam, which is charity amnd is required during Ramadan.

Dhaifallah Mo says members of the Yemeni American Association have already been distributing water and hand sanitizer to the needy and unhoused in the Bay Area and will step up their work during the holy period. And Saba Poultry, with stores in Oakland and San Francisco, are members of the association, began donating free chicken and/or eggs to local health workers, police and other first responders and will continue to do so until April 30, or when the order is lifted.

Also, common communal celebration is the last day of Ramadan, called Eid. During the month leading up to that day, markets sell regional wares that support the holiday: clothing, specialty foods, and in Egypt, lamps.

The restrictions have an impact on local economies, especially those at the lowest end.

“People are suffering because so many businesses are closed right now,” said Shaiq.

But unlike some church communities in California and other areas of the U.S. that have chafed at the shelter-in place orders on grounds of religious and personal freedom, sources for this story have uniformly invoked the advice of Islam’s Prophet Mohammad.

“Obey Allah, obey the Messenger (Mohammad) and obey those with authority amongst you,” quoted Imam Faheem Shuaibe of Masjidul Waritheen in Oakland. “There’s nothing I see that is against our religion. There’s nothing to protest, for a Muslim.

“This is a really a reclusive, meditative, prayerful time,” Shaibe continued. “This should not be an unsettling time for Muslims.”

Shaiq invoked the time of the Prophet when there had been a plague. “Caliphs at the time of Mohammad told people to stay at home – ‘let no one into cities and let no one out.’ People know that this (sheltering in place) is in line with our faith.”

Wanda Ravernell

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Bay Area

Glydways Breaking Ground on 14-Acre Demonstration Facility at Hilltop Mall

Glydways has been testing its technology at CCTA’s GoMentum Station in Concord for several years. The company plans to install an ambitious 28-mile Autonomous Transit Network in East Contra Costa County. The new Richmond facility will be strategically positioned near that project, according to Glydways.

Published

20 hours ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Image of planned Richmond facility courtesy of Glydways.

The Richmond Standard

Glydways, developer of microtransit systems using autonomous, small-scale vehicles, is breaking ground on a 14-acre Development and Demonstration Facility at the former Hilltop Mall property in Richmond, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) reported on social media.

Glydways, which released a statement announcing the project Monday, is using the site while the mall property undergoes a larger redevelopment.

“In the interim, Glydways will use a portion of the property to showcase its technology and conduct safety and reliability testing,” the company said.

The new Richmond development hub will include “over a mile of dedicated test track, enabling Glydways to refine its solutions in a controlled environment while simulating real-world conditions,” the company said.

Visitors to the facility will be able to experience on-demand travel, explore the control center and visit a showroom featuring virtual reality demonstrations of Glydways projects worldwide.

The hub will also house a 13,000-square-foot maintenance and storage facility to service the growing fleet of Glydcars.

“With this new facility [at the former Hilltop Mall property], we’re giving the public a glimpse of the future, where people can experience ultra-quiet, on-demand transit—just like hailing a rideshare, but with the reliability and affordability of public transit,” said Tim Haile, executive director of CCTA.

Janet Galvez, vice president and investment officer at Prologis, owner of the Hilltop Mall property, said her company is “thrilled” to provide space for Glydways and is continuing to work with the city on future redevelopment plans for the broader mall property.

Richmond City Manager Shasa Curl added that Glydways’ presence “will not only help test new transit solutions but also activate the former Mall site while preparation and finalization of the Hilltop Horizon Specific Plan is underway.

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

Last City Council Meeting of the Year Ends on Sour Note with Big Budget Cuts

In a five to one vote, with Councilmembers Carroll Fife and Janani Ramachandran excused, the council passed a plan aimed at balancing the $130 million deficit the city is facing. Noel Gallo voted against the plan, previously citing concerns over public safety cuts, while Nikki Fortunato-Bas, Treva Reid, Rebecca Kaplan, Kevin Jenkins, and Dan Kalb voted in agreement with the plan.

Published

20 hours ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Oakland City Council voted on a plan to balance the $130 million deficit at their last regular meeting of 2024. The plan reduces police spending by $25 million, temporarily closes two fire stations, and guts the cultural arts programs. iStock photo.

By Magaly Muñoz

In the last lengthy Tuesday meeting of the Oakland City Council for 2024, residents expressed strong opposition to the much needed budget cuts before a change in leadership was finalized with the certification of election results.

Oakland police and fire departments, the ambassador program, and city arts and culture will all see significant cuts over the course of two phases.

Phase 1 will eliminate two police academies, brown out two fire stations, eliminate the ambassador program, and reduce police overtime by nearly $25 million. These, with several other cuts across departments, aim to save the city $60 million. In addition, the council simultaneously approved to transfer restricted funds into its general purpose fund, amounting to over $40 million.

Phase 2 includes additional fire station brownouts and the elimination of 91 jobs, aiming to recover almost $16 million in order to balance the rest of the budget.

Several organizations and residents spoke out at the meeting in hopes of swaying the council to not make cuts to their programs.

East Oakland Senior Center volunteers and members, and homeless advocates, filled the plaza just outside of City Hall with rallies to show their disapproval of the new budget plan. Senior residents told the council to “remember that you’ll get old too” and that disturbing their resources will only bring problems for an already struggling community.

While city staff announced that there would not be complete cuts to senior center facilities, there would be significant reductions to staff and possibly inter-program services down the line.

Exiting council member and interim mayor Bas told the public that she is still hopeful that the one-time $125 million Coliseum sale deal will proceed in the near future so that the city would not have to continue with drastic cuts. The deal was intended to save the city for fiscal year 2024-25, but a hold up at the county level has paused any progress and therefore millions of dollars in funds Oakland desperately needs.

The Coliseum sale has been a contentious one. Residents and city leaders were originally against using the deal as a way to balance the budget, citing doubts about the sellers, the African American Sports and Entertainment Group’s (AASEG), ability to complete the deal. Council members Reid, Ramachandran, and Gallo have called several emergency meetings to understand where the first installments of the sale are, with little to no answers.

Bas added that as the new Alameda County Supervisor for D5, a position she starts in a few weeks, she will do everything in her power to push the Coliseum sale along.

The city is also considering a sales tax measure to put on the special election ballot on April 15, 2025, which will also serve as an election to fill the now vacant D2 and mayor positions. The tax increase would raise approximately $29 million annually for Oakland, allowing the city to gain much-needed revenue for the next two-year budget.

The council will discuss the possible sales tax measure on January 9.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Living His Legacy: The Late Oscar Wright’s “Village” Vows to Inherit Activist’s Commitment to Education

Kingmakers of Oakland (KOO), a nonprofit organization that works to improve educational and life outcomes for Black boys and men, stated that “Oscar Wright is one of the most prolific, consistent, and committed advocates of equity for Black students and Black Families here in Oakland for the past six decades.”

Published

20 hours ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Oscar Carl Wright, 101, who passed away on Nov. 18, was still involved in Oakland’s educational affairs until his death.

By Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌, California‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Media‌

Activists mourning Oscar Carl Wright’s death, have pledged to continue his lifelong mission of advocating for Black students and families in Northern California.

Wright, 101, who passed away on Nov. 18, was involved in Oakland’s educational affairs until his death.

Now, friends and admirers acknowledge that carrying on his legacy means doubling down on the unfinished work that Wright dedicated his life, time, and resources to, according to Y’Anad Burrell, a family friend and founder of San Francisco-based Glass House Communications (GHC).

“Mr. Wright did a lot of work around equity, specifically, for Black students based on their needs — whether it was tutoring, passing classes, or graduating,” Burrell said.

Wright became a champion for his children’s education, recognizing the disparities between their school experiences and his own upbringing in the Mississippi Delta.

Burrell told California Black Media (CBM) that the crisis of unequal access to resources and a quality education continues to affect the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).

According to Oakland Reach, in the city of Oakland, only 3 in 10 Black and Brown students are reading at or above grade level. In addition, only 1 in 10 are doing math at or above grade level.

Oakland REACH is a parent-run, parent-led organization. It aims to empowers families from the most underserved communities to demand high-quality schools for their children.

Wright’s work as an activist had impact across the state but he was primarily known in the Bay Area. Alongside the Black United Front for Educational Reform (BUFER), he filed a complaint against OUSD for violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In 2000, the OUSD school board proposed an action plan to address educational inequity, but it was never implemented.

Wright later founded the African American Honor Roll Celebration at Acts Full Gospel Church, an award that recognizes Black students with a grade point average of 3.0 or better.  Each year, more than 1,000 students are honored at this ceremony.

Burrell said that one of the main reasons Wright’s work was so essential for families and children in Oakland that is the direct relationship between acquiring a quality education and affording quality housing, maintaining food security, achieving mental wellness, and securing stable employment.

Wright was the child of sharecroppers from Coahoma County, Mississippi. He attended Alcorn State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

In the late 1950s, Wright and his family relocated to the Bay Area where he worked as a contractor and civil engineer. He later became an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Burrell said the people who will carry on Wright’s work are part of a “village” that includes KOO’s CEO Chris Chatmon.  Wright was a mentor to Chatmon.

“It will not be one entity, one person, or one organization that picks up the baton because it was a village effort that worked alongside Mr. Wright for all these years,” Burrell said.

Burell says that legacy will live on.