Taraweeh prayers offered at New York’s Times Square

NEW YORK: In an unprecedented event, over 1,000 Muslims broke their fast and offered congregational Taraweeh prayers at New York City’s Times Square, marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramazan, according to foreign media.

Times Square is a major commercial area and tourist destination in midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is one of the “most visited tourist attractions”, which draws around 50 million visitors a year.

The organisers distributed around 1,500 lunch boxes to those who attended the prayers from the United States and Canada. They also recited verses from the Holy Quran before iftaar and explained the significance of the month. “We are here to explain our religion to those who do not know what Islam is,” an organiser, SQ, told the media. “Islam is a religion of peace,” he added.