Welcoming the month of Ramadan

Every year around this time, the same quiet shift moves through our community. Parents check school calendars around iftar. Volunteers text in to ask what time the kitchen opens. The regulars at our weekly Qur'an circle start arriving ten minutes early to set up extra chairs.

Ramadan is, for many of us, the spiritual core of the year. The Qur'an was first revealed in this month; the gates of mercy are open; the night of decree is better than a thousand months. It is a season we approach with intention, and a season we approach together.

How we observe it at mupla

Three practices shape our month:

• A weekly community iftar. Every Friday (and sometimes more) we open the doors at our community center thirty minutes before Maghrib. Dinner is on the table by sunset, followed by a short reflection, time to connect with neighbors, and plenty of food. We serve whoever walks in, Muslims and non-Muslims, longtime community members and first-time visitors. Childcare is provided.
• A daily Qur'an circle. Mornings before work, evenings after dinner. We read a Juz' a day, working through the Qur'an together, slowly, over thirty days. New readers are welcome at any pace.
• Zakat distribution. Our Zakat committee meets the first week of Ramadan to assess applications and distribute funds, staying in line with the eight categories the Qur'an names (9:60). 100% of Zakat funds go directly to recipients; we do not take an administrative cut.

An invitation

If Ramadan has felt like a season you observe alone, our doors are open. You don't need to dress a certain way, know the right du'a, or have memorized any Arabic. Come as you are. Bring a friend. Stay for the food. Stay for the conversation.

The full iftar schedule, and the volunteer sign-ups to help serve, cook, or set up, is on our events page. We hope to see you at the table this Ramadan.