OSHKOSH, Wis. (WFRV) – Muslims across the globe are celebrating the holiest month in Islam, Ramadan and local mosques have had to adapt because of the pandemic.

Khurram Ahmad is the Oshkosh Muslim Society Public Relations Coordinator and says, “Ramadan is mainly a month of fasting and when we say a month of fasting people say oh my God you’re not eating anything for a whole month, but it’s only from sunrise to sunset that you don’t eat or drink anything.”

During this Holy month, the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Oshkosh has opened its doors to a limited capacity because of the pandemic.

Ahmad says, “We’re practicing social distancing, allowing members who have been vaccinated to come on in, still wearing masks and stuff like that so it is still a limited basis but at least we are coming together.”

The pandemic has also forced the Ahmadiyya Muslim community to host their open mosque event, virtually, and even though the platform has changed their message remains the same.

Ahmad says, “The theme is that whenever we look at each other if our focus is to find common ground we will find more commonality not differences. This pandemic is not picking and choosing by color or race or anything right. It is for everybody to have and in that sense, everybody’s coming together to fight it in that unison as well.”

Hate has found its way into some communities in Wisconsin during this pandemic but it seems this community speaks the message of friendship to members of this mosque.

Ahmad says, “Oshkosh especially has been very welcoming to us. I’ve always said that. Being here is second to none from how the community treats you. So I would say nothing negative has been there and that is very heartwarming.”

Ramadan Virtual Interfaith Iftar. The general public is all invited.

Event: Ramadan Virtual Interfaith Iftar
When: Saturday, May 1 @ 6:00 PM
Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/OshkoshIftar2021