Muslim families gather for the first night of Ramadan after losing mosque during Eaton Fire
"The fact that Ramadan is coming up in this time period with so much pain and devastation, it couldn't have come at a better time," said real estate broker Jihad Abdus Shakoor. "You have some sense of comfort that Ramadan's here. You're going to have a lot of community involvement, a lot of unity, a lot of love."
Aaron Abdus Shakoor, Jihad's father, founded Masjid Al-Taqwa more than 40 years ago. However, after the Eaton Fire destroyed it in January, the family will not gather at the Altadena mosque for the first time in 20 years.
"It's very difficult because it's a place where we pray," Aaron said. "It's a place we have jumah (Friday prayer) and connect."
The family lost a home, their real estate office and other properties during the wildfire.
"It's something that you have to make adjustments to, but I'm confident we'll get through all this," Aaron said.
The community is helping them raise funds online to begin recovering. Meanwhile, New Horizon School in Pasadena welcomed the Shakoors' tight-knit congregation to its campus and offered them the space to celebrate the holy month of worship.
"We'll be breaking fast there," Aaron said. "We'll be having our evening prayer."
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset every day.
"Hopefully, that normal energy of Ramadan will uplift the spirits of everyone in the community," Jihad said. "All of the faith-based communities came together and everyone seems to want to help each other. Which, I think, is probably the best thing that's come out of all of this devastation."
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