The voice is thin but it carries into the busy night, because there, somewhere, there is someone in prayer. Muslims travelling beyond their own countries are often concerned about how they will perform their daily religious duties. But New York presents no problem as there are well over half a million Muslims in the city along with around one hundred fifty mosques.
The Big Apple, as it is nicknamed, is one of the world’s most most vibrant and visited cities. It consists of five boroughs – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island. And each one offers many places of interest. New York has one of the largest populations of Muslims in the USA. The presence of Muslims dates back to the late 19th century CE, when Arabs arrived in the city and settled in Washington Street. Today most Muslims here are immigrants from the Middle East, Asia and the Caribbean.
Large communities of Muslims can be found in several areas especially Midwood, Boerum Hill, Kensington and Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn and Harlem and Jackson Heights in Manhattan. Hundreds of halal restaurants - including Keur Sokna, Mariachi and Marrakesh - offer food from just about every country. And there are over 200 street food vendors offering fresh halal favourites.
The Islamic Centre of New York is a religious and cultural organization established in 1960 CE. it comprises a Mosque, madrissa (school), a library, a lecture hall, a museum, and a residence for its Imams. It aims to serve the Muslim community, educate with true knowledge of Islam and provide rulings of Islamic Law in questions about religious, social and cultural matters. From time to time open days are held and the public are welcome.
The Statue of Liberty is the main landmark in lower Manhattan. One of the most prominent buildings in Midtown is the Empire State. And Times Square is a must-see as is a play on Broadway. Central Park is huge and has lush sprawling lawns, cycle and jogging tracks, restaurants and boating on the lake. It is home to the Egyptian Obelisk , the pink stone of which was mined from the quarries at Aswan. The park's ice rink is popular in winter and Columbus Circle is a landmark to the southeast.
Greenery abounds in the city, if you know where to look. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, Queens Botanic Gardens, Coney Island and Staten Island are great places to visit, especially if you have children in tow. More flora can be found on the new landscaped elevated walkway - the HighLine. Here the black steel columns that once supported abandoned train tracks now hold up an innovative and inviting public space – part promenade, part town square, part botanical garden. It runs from Gansevort in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street on Manhattan’s West Side.
Some of the world’s best know museums - The Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Whitney and the Metropolitan Museum of Art - can be found in the city and many are located on the Upper East Side in an area known as Museum Mile. The Met, which was founded in 1870 CE, has recently opened 15 new galleries for Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and later South Asia.
Reveals Met Director Thomas Campbell, “In sequence the new galleries trace the course of Islamic civilization over a span of 113 centuries from the Middle East to North Africa, Europe and Central and South Asia.” Highlights include early and medieval Qur’ans, the Damascus Room and royal miniatures. Furthermore LTMH Gallery focuses on emerging artists from the Middle East. And Arte East on Broadway screens films as well as showcasing fine art from the region.
Indeed the Islamic Centre of New York University arranges a year-round programme open to the public. A summer highlight is a Halaqa held in the
Gardens of Faith in Battery Park. A halaqa is a religious gathering or meeting for the primary purpose of learning about Islam. Halal dining is available at the Kimmel Centre’s third floor cafeteria between 1200-1500 and1700-2000. Khairat is a programme which aims to foster interaction and understanding through community outreach. Every fortnight volunteers gather to work in children’s hospitals and soup kitchens as well as doing environmental clean-ups and holding toy drives. The culmination is NYU Khairat service day attended by some 200 students. Come autumn weekly classes are held. Subjects include Stories from the Qur’an, Introductory Arabic, an Introduction to Tajweed, Selected Stories from the Prophets and an explanation of Nidaa ul Mu’mineen fil Qur’an al-Mubeen. Tajweed of the Holy Qur'an is the knowledge and application of the rules of recitation so the reading of the Qur'an is as the Prophet Mohammed peace and blesings be upon him, recited. Separate classes for Tajweed are held for men and women and there is also a regular Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah). An Umrah trip (pilgrimage to Mecca) is taken each year too.
In September a Muslim Day Parade is held along Madison Avenue. Sponsored by the Muslim Foundation of America, it takes place on the last Sunday of the month, usually along 41st Street and Madison Avenue. If you are in town, don’t miss it. The MFA was formed in 1983 CE with the aim of promoting a better understanding of Islam Stateside. Each year the parade grows in size and significance as merchants and supporting Muslims combine to celebrate their religion, culture and traditions. New York is said to be the world’s fashion capital and houses many malls and shopping districts. Manhattan has the largest concentration of shops with upmarket departments stores Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys and Bloomingdales. In the mid range are Saks and Macys, both hugely popular. And Madison Avenue between 57th and 86th Streets is crammed with top designer labels such as Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Prada, Chloe and Gucci The Malcolm Shabazz market in Harlem is full of fabulous traditional African crafts and textiles and there are many halal shops in the area too. New York’s public transport system is easy to negotiate and inexpensive so you can have fun exploring by bus or subway. Taxis and rental cars are good value too. Although these days the Big Apple is generally a safe destination, it is best to avoid Williamsburg, Alphabet City, Chelsea and the Meatpacking District at night.