NEW YORK – Hundreds of American Muslim from New York region gathered on Sunday, September 25, at the annual Muslim Day Parade, showing dedication to God and America.
“Muslims generally are people of peace, those people who are really subscribed to Islam according to Islam,” Zaki Abdul from East Harlem told WNYC News.
“People should see that.”
The event started on Madison Avenue and 38th Street where dozens of men, women and children performed a prayer.
Sunday’s event was the 31st Annual United American Muslim Day Parade, the event that has been taking place since 1985.
Scores of revelers, many waving American flags and clutching flowers, marched down the iconic avenue to 24th Street.
The street fair featured spoken word and musical performances, Halal food and drinks and other family-friendly activities.
Officers from the #109pct at the Muslim Day Parade with Mr. Khizr Khan, father of fallen soldier Capt. Humayun Khan
Attendants included Khizr Khan, the father of late Army Capt. Humayun Khan who was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq.
Khan served as the grand marshal for the parade, according to the parade Facebook page.
Members of the New York Police Department (NYPD) Muslim Officers Society also marched and were seen in Twitter photos and video.
Parading on Sunday, New York Muslims wanted to show there’s no contradiction between being a good American and a good Muslim at a time when some people are conflating the actions of terrorists with Islam.
“Inherently American values and Islamic values are in line,” Imam Shamsi Ali said.
“It is about democracy, it is about freedom, it is about religious tolerance, it is about working together with all people. Justice for all.”