Opinion | This year, Ramadan in Minnesota feels different

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For the first time in my life, I will be observing Ramadan with my passport card in my wallet.

As an American citizen, I had never felt the need to carry documentation simply to step outside my home. Yet as this Ramadan approached, I have found myself doing exactly that, including when I go to prayer.

The buildup to Ramadan in Minnesota is usually unmistakable. Mosques prepare for crowded nights. Restaurants extend their hours for iftars. Nearly every mosque and Islamic center plans its major fundraising drive during this month. Families and friends look forward to gathering each evening to break the fast.

This year, something is different.

Since the recent surge of ICE activity in the metro area, conversations across the Muslim community have shifted. During the height of enforcement activity, several mosques in Minneapolis reported declines in attendance. Friday prayer rows were thinner. Early morning and late evening congregations saw fewer faces.

Ramadan, which began at sundown on Feb. 17, is the one month when every mosque in Minnesota usually operates at full capacity. For 30 nights, Minnesota Muslims gather shoulder to shoulder in prayer. Gathering in large numbers has always drawn its share of attention and risk.

According to a Council on American-Islamic Relations report last year, Minnesota recorded 44 mosque-related incidents — mostly vandalism, threats or harassment — over the previous three years, more than any other state, with the next highest reporting eight during the same period. Security has therefore become routine with some mosques hiring private security, others coordinating with local law enforcement and many relying on volunteers from within their congregations.

During Ramadan, families head to neighborhood restaurants and community spaces for iftars. Conversations continue over tea and late meals. For many small businesses across the Twin Cities, these nights help sustain the year. Many are still recovering from the economic shock of COVID-19. When attendance dips, those evenings grow quieter not just in mosques, but across entire neighborhoods.

Families are adjusting as well. I know parents who now remind their children to carry identification. I know citizens who keep documentation close to avoid unnecessary escalation in an encounter.

During COVID-19, fear reshaped public life. People avoided gatherings, attendance dropped and businesses suffered. Daily routines were disrupted. The cause is different this time, but the pattern feels familiar. When fear enters public space, people pull back.

Ramadan is meant to expand the spirit. It is a month of discipline, charity and community. Mosques across Minnesota will still host “Taking Heart” iftars, welcoming neighbors of all backgrounds. The Islamic Resource Group is seeing increased requests from schools and civic organizations seeking to better understand Minnesota Muslims. The requests are still coming in. People still want to understand.

When citizens feel compelled to carry documentation in their daily lives, something deeper than attendance numbers has shifted. That is not a theological concern. It is a civic one.