بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الحمد لله رب العالمين
الرحمن الرحيم
مالك يوم الدين
إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين
In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, all praise is for God, Lord
of the worlds, the most compassionate, the most merciful, master of the day of judgment.
You alone we worship. You alone we ask for help. Guide us along the straight path, the
path of those who you have blessed, not those who you are displeased with or those who are
astray. Amin.
Al Fatiha en español.
agraciado, no de los que han incurrido en la ira, ni de los extraviados.
Amén.
Thank you.
Good evening, everyone.
I am Pastor Billy Evans, Chief of Faith Engagement in the Mayor's Office.
The Mayor's Office of Community Engagement and Collaboration with the Muslim Coalition
and Muslims across this great city welcome you to Mayor Brandon Johnson's 2026
week's Ramadan Iftar reception. I want to personally thank Dilara Saeed and our thoughts
and our prayers are with you and your family during this time of bereavement. For her vision
and partnership with our office to help bring tonight's occasion to fruition, along with her
entire team, it has been a joy to work with them for the second year in a row. This event follows
the wonderful tradition that our city has in recognizing the importance of Ramadan and the
integral part of the Muslim community and the part they play in our great city. We know that Ramadan
is a time of reflection, a focus on community, a time of spiritual renewal, and our hope is that
through your dedication and sacrifice, these efforts are achieved. We also join you in your
pursuit for peace and justice in our world, and we believe that being unified and together as a
faith community, it can cause real change and transformation in our world. Again, thank you for
being here, and God bless each of you. Thank you so much, Pastor Billy. Let's give a hand for Pastor
Billy. Thank you. Shout out. My name is Ndidi Okapu. I lead a social impact firm here in the
city of Chicago. We're excited to be here today in the room. I'm not sure if I've seen Alejandra's
days. Okay, great. So next we have on the schedule, yes, there you go, Alejandra Oliveira.
And she has a prayer for Ramadan during critical times. Thank you, everyone. Good afternoon.
So in a few seconds, we'll start off with a prayer. But first, I'd like us to take three
intentional breaths so that we can be in the presence of God.
First breath, thank you, mind, for the inner dialogue.
Second breath, thank you, body, for housing the spirit.
And last breath, God, I've come to see you. May you please hear us today.
Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim. In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Eternally Merciful.
May God forgive and clean our hearts of hatred. May he remove the stain of hatred
or even resentment towards the oppressors
and those holding in place the chains of systemic injustice.
And instead, may God plant seeds of love
and grow luscious, bountiful blooms of compassion
and make our roots towards him, the Almighty,
as long and resilient as those bamboo trees and willow trees.
For we all deserve to live a life where the lowest bar is commonplace dignity and where souls are lit up with fire in their bellies and hearts full of love, starting with the self and expanded outwards to our families, our communities, and society, where our God-given talent is globally expressed with light, radiance, and joy.
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, for whom no ask is too big, deliver this prayer in our lifetime.
Inshallah. God willing.
And we have Gifts of Ramadan, a poem by Rafiq Green.
Bismillah.
I stood at sunset, waiting for you to come.
Staring into the western skies, my heart heavy, but you, you give me relief and strength.
I feel your nearness. You come bearing gifts for those who believe. Gifts of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. I embrace you. You teach me all about sacrifice, patience, and perseverance.
I leave my food, drinks, and desires from the white thread of the night
to the cherry blue skies at sunset, losing myself to sincere devotion in you.
I hear a beautiful call.
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
Between hope, fear, and certainty, I lift my palms to the sky.
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
me. Oh God, forgive me and have mercy on me. Using the divine name, seeking the blessings
that Allah has provided. From Qiyam to Ruku to Sujud, I stand, bow, prostrate to my Lord
day and night. Numbering my days with you saddens me as I cry out in the last ten nights,
searching for what's hidden within you.
Layla til Qadr.
And what is Layla til Qadr?
It is the night of power.
The night of decree.
The night of destiny.
The night of measure.
The night of value.
The night that is better than 1,000 months of worship.
The night that the first revelation of Qur'an
was sent to the Prophet Muhammad
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
from Allah to Lawha Mahfud
to Baytul Izzah
from Angel Jibreel
who appeared before the Prophet in Mount Hira
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
hugging him, squeezing him
pressing upon his chest
saying to him
Iqra, Iqra, Iqra
Read in the name of your Lord who created.
Imagine the prophet running home to Khadijah,
Zamiluni, Zamiluni,
and she comforting him,
consoling him,
reassuring him of who he is,
sallallahu alayhi wa sallamah.
Then Allah, the all-knowing, the eternal,
calling him,
Ya Muzamil,
Ya Mudathir.
recite in the third of the night
convey the message that I have given you
do not be afraid
you are my prophet
you are my messenger
I have sent you as a mercy to all of creation
and those who follow you
their rewards are rivers
underneath which rivers flow
forever and ever and ever
I mean Yadah Bilal Amin
from Mecca to Medina
over a period of 23 years to its completion, to the prophet's return to his Lord,
sallallahu alayhi wa sallamah, to the gathering of the revelation written on stones, bones,
gazelle skin, and hearts of man, to the sacrifice of the companions,
to the spread of Islam all around the world.
I am reminded, this is the month of Siyam, this is the month of Qur'an,
This is the month that all of the gates of heaven are open.
The sheltering are chained.
Sins are forgiven.
Rewards are gained.
I'm praying for Palestine, Sudan, those living in poverty-stricken lands, and the poor and oppressed in these streets,
knowing that God won't change the condition of the people until the change starts inside of we.
and to the next Hilah we see.
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Assalamu alaikum.
May God's peace be with you.
Ramadan kareem.
I'm Dilara Saeed, board member of the Muslim Civic Coalition
and CEO of Penny Appeal USA,
a humanitarian organization that is investing deeply in the South Side of Chicago.
Like you, I am also a Chicago kid.
This week was the first week of Ramadan
and we lost a dear brother and ally in Reverend Jesse Jackson.
And I want us to remember him as someone who stood for all people,
who stood for us.
I'm also a Chicago kid that lost her mother the same day that we lost Jesse Jackson.
They came to Chicago about the same time.
Mommy brought my sister and I, two little babies, to Chicago.
Where Jesse Jackson came to fight the civil rights,
my mother came as an illegal alien to build a better life for her children.
She did the best she could.
The first thing she did was she enrolled us in Head Start Preschool for low-income children.
She brought us into a neighborhood where there was crack cocaine and gun violence.
One of her favorite spots was right here at Buckingham Fountain
because she knew that all Chicagoans came to places like that.
And I'm sure our mayor from the west side of Chicago may have come to Buckingham Fountain,
and maybe we all met each other in those spaces.
I share this because when Aleem came and tried to build a better life for her family, she wished for more.
When Reverend Jesse Jackson came to Chicago to fight for all of us, he wanted better times.
He left us with an America that I truly believe is better and can be much, much better.
My mother left us in her bed in the city of Chicago, surrounded by four generations of American Muslims that she had nurtured,
that she had taught, and that she had demanded serve this country, serve him by serving his creation.
Today's iftar is hosted by our dear mayor, Brandon Johnson, another Chicago kid, himself.
He's raising his family on the West Side, and he wanted more.
He was a teacher in the Chicago public school system, and he wanted more.
He was an administrator and a union member, and he wanted more.
Under his leadership and becoming a Chicago mayor, we have seen declines in violent crime.
We've seen expanded investments in communities, schools, and housing.
He recently made national headlines with innovative local orders like putting federal immigration enforcement on notice.
He passed the first ceasefire resolution in the largest city in the United States of America.
When I went to New York City, Mayor Mamdani's team told me that they had just spoken with you
to get your insights on how to run a large city as a mayor full of justice and equity.
Mayor Johnson understands, though, that work and faith aren't separate.
Faith is not confined to houses of worship.
It lives in how we treat one another, how we pursue justice,
how we build a city where every community can flourish with dignity.
My mother met you a few years ago when you were actually running,
and she said,
which means he's a good kid
and if you have her support
you have ours
welcome Mayor Brandon Johnson
Ramadan Kareem
thank you Dr. Saeed for that introduction
I greet you in peace
and Ramadan Mubarak
to everyone that is here this evening
I'm truly honored to be with you all here tonight
to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan
with all of you
Again, I want to thank Dr. Delaria Saeed and the Muslim Civic Coalition for co-hosting this event and for your ongoing partnership and your support.
I also want to thank Brother Ahmad Al-Amin for giving the opening prayer.
He is one of my favorite individuals.
Of course, to my Deputy Mayor of Faith Engagement, Pastor Billy Evans, and the work that the faith community is doing as a whole.
Ramadan is not just a time for fasting and reflection.
It's a time to celebrate friendship and to come together as a collective community.
It's time for sacrifice and reflection, renewal, and a time that reminds us that strength is not found in power alone,
but it is in our patience and the belief that we can endure collectively through our faith.
Gathering to break this fast during Ramadan not only reaffirms and strengthens our faith,
but it emphasizes the values of generosity and compassion,
but it also ensures that this important tradition continues for generations to come.
Chicago has a proud and vibrant Muslim community who have greatly contributed to the fabric of our city.
members of our diverse Muslim community serve as leaders and activists
business owners, educators, public servants
and have stood on the front lines for social change
our city is what it is today because of our great shared history
cultural exchange and the mix of rich traditions
the holy Quran is a constant reminder
that indeed we created you and made you
into peoples and tribes so that you may get to know one another.
Unfortunately, we have political structures in this country and around the globe
that have intentionally worked to demonize and to undermine and to separate us from one from another.
And those of us may have arrived here by different means,
but we do know that white supremacy worked overtime to separate us on the bottom of slave ships.
But yet here we stand together, worshiping one God under one roof in the greatest, most amazing city in the world, the city of Chicago.
In closing, that is why I'm honored to stand with you all today,
so that we can continue to celebrate this incredible celebration and celebrate the vibrant, proud Muslim community.
By gathering today, we are showing the country and the world that Chicago is not just one of the most diverse cities in America,
but it is the most welcoming city in the country.
My administration will continue to work to ensure that Chicago remains a city where people are able to live, thrive, and worship in peace.
And now, look, I just want you all to know that fasting all day from sunrise to sunset, I know that's not easy.
So I don't want to stand in the way of food, and as I'm being told that I have one minute before we have to prepare to break fast.
And so, again, blessings to you all.
And just know that your brother on the fifth floor will continue to work to protect you.
And I am still very much proud that not only did we pass the ceasefire resolution,
we continue to stand firm on our values, and we will be justified, not in just this moment, but for generations to come.
God bless you.
God bless the greatest city in the world, Chicago.
Takbir.
Takbir.
Takbir.
So we're going to call, have the Adan called.
For those who are going to be praying, go through these two doors, please, and line up for prayer.
Please leave your shoes at your table.
And if you are observing, or if you're not Muslim but you'd like to observe the prayer, you're welcome to observe.
Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest
I see that there is no God but Allah
I see that there is no God but Allah
I see that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
I say that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
Salah
So we have Imam Amir Kautz to make a dua for us as we break our fast.
Special prayer, inshallah.
Assalamu alaikum. Good evening, everyone.
Please join me in prayer. I will begin.
In the name of God, the most compassionate, the most merciful.
O God, bless the people of Chicago of all faiths and backgrounds.
Strengthen the bonds between us.
Replace suspicion with trust and indifference with care.
As we prepare to break our fast, accept from us our hunger and thirst as acts of devotion.
Feed the hungry in this city and around the globe, especially in Gaza and the Ummah.
Shelter the unhoused, heal the sick, comfort the grieving, guide our youth, protect our families.
O God, make Chicago a city of safety.
opportunity, and dignity for all, except from us our fasting, our prayers, and our efforts to do good.
Amen. Thank you. Enjoy.
We will now proceed to prayer being led by Dr. Abdul Ghani Hamadeh of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago,
and it will be in the Rotunda Room. Please leave your shoes at the table for those who are praying.
There are restrooms to the rear
And if you are not praying and you are observing
You are welcome to observe
The salat, the buffet will start at 5.50
And we will be led by Ahmed Ashram with Oud