Before breaking his fast on the first day of Ramadan, Imam Omar Niass opened his bills.
He tore open an envelope from Con Edison: an electric bill for $7,950.03. Another was a water bill: $10,962.76. His account was 90 days overdue and “seriously delinquent,” the letter warned. “Pay now before enforcement actions begin.”
For more than a year, Niass has allowed any needy migrants — currently about 100, most of them Muslim and from West Africa — to sleep in his mosque in the basement of his North Bronx home. But as he’s taken in more migrants, fewer longtime congregants have come to the mosque due to a lack of space, and he’s stopped receiving donations. He said he’s emptied his bank account to follow his religious and moral duties to care for the poor.
“I need help,” he said. “If nobody help me, we just pray for God.”
Niass’ mosque, Jamhiyatu Ansaru-Deen, is among the several throughout the city being stretched thin and struggling to pay bills as they shelter and care for a growing new wave of West African migrants landing in New York City.
And Ramadan — which began earlier this week — poses another financial struggle, with more worshipers to feed during twice-daily religious meals.
Imams with some of the roughly 20 mosques helping migrants said they are hoping the holiday’s emphasis on charity will help them take in more donations to keep operations running, but it’s unclear how much more money congregants can give.
The imams said they’re hoping the city will provide more help despite them receiving little to no financial support so far.
Helping immigrants, we don’t stop. Ramadan, not Ramadan, we’re still doing it.
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