written by Rayed Qureshi
On the 16th of March 2024, Bellaire’s residents celebrated the display of a crescent moon. Bellaire, a city with a very diverse population, usually displays a Christmas tree and a Menorah to mark the beginnings of Christmas and Hannukah, respectively. Until now, the city of Bellaire had never presented anything to mark the start of Ramadan. As such, the Crescent moon was of massive importance to the Muslim community of Bellaire
To commemorate this event, Winfred Frazier, the Mayor pro-tem of Bellaire, gave a heartfelt speech highlighting the momentous occasion. In his speech, he reinforced the idea that Bellaire is a melting pot of many different cultures. “The City of Bellaire re-affirms our collective commitment to ensuring a safe, welcoming, and inclusive city for all. Our city has a collective commitment to promoting and cultivating a sense of community, unity, and togetherness while celebrating, respecting, and valuing diversity” remarked the Mayor Pro tem.
(*Dr. Moghazy speaking at the event)
Dr. Dalia Moghazy, one of the main organizers of the crescent unveiling ceremony, shared her reflections about the significance of the crescent. “The crescent moon is a symbol deeply intertwined with Ramadan and Islamic culture. It marks the beginning of each lunar month in the Islamic calendar, and its cyclical nature serves as a reminder of the passage of time. During Ramadan, this becomes a window for self-reflection, repentance, and deep devotion to God,” Dr. Moghazy explained.
(*Dr. Sabbahi speaking in front of the Crescent)
The MCA (Muslim Community Association) was instrumental in the establishment of the display. One of the members of the MCA, Dr. Sabbahi, also delivered a profound speech expressing her thanks to everyone involved in the project.
Acquiring the moon display was a difficult task. The journey for the crescent moon to arrive was long and treacherous. The moon had to be shipped from overseas and was assembled by hand.. Dr Dalia Moghazy supervised the installation of the crescent moon. Metal rods were inserted into the ground to support the display, and LED lights had to be connected to a power source. Finally, colorful flowers were planted to furnish the moon.
All of this effort was eventually rewarded when the young children, accompanied by the Mayor pro tem cut the ribbon and the bright LED display was switched on. Radiating light, the display put a smile on the faces of all the attendees. Everyone was eager to get a picture taken with the new ornament and the already vibrant location of Bellaire Boulevard was immediately improved with the addition of this new decor.
Many muslims are saddened because of the current state of affairs in the muslim world and find it difficult to express happiness. CAIR (Counsel of American Islamic Relations), has reported that since Oct 7th, anti-muslim bigotry has increased by 8000%. The crescent moon display shows all of Bellaire that in the face of adversity, Muslims stand strong. If anything, the hateful and dreadful acts committed against Muslims makes them more passionate in campaigning for their causes. For many muslims, this display is more than a decoration. It is a light in dark times.
While it may be true that Muslims face discrimination and bigotry, the City of Bellaire has done an amazing job preventing racism towards Muslims. Mr, Karl Miller, the Director of Parks in Bellaire, was instrumental in the execution of this project.
Like I mentioned before, the City of Bellaire was very welcoming to the idea of the crescent moon, as they sent their Mayor Pro-tem, Winfred Frazier, to commemorate the arrival of the moon display. God willing, one day, the whole of America will be as welcoming to diversity as the city of Bellaire is.
(*Image credits to Humza Hanif)