PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — During the holy month of Ramadan, observers like Salim Weldon fast, pray and reflect.
On Sunday, Weldon is hosting dozens of people to break fast at sunset at the Ubuntu Fine Art Gallery in Germantown.
“No matter your wealth status, we are all fasting,” Weldon said. “So from the richest to the people that are less fortunate than us — we're all on the same level. We're all fasting, and we're all trying to please Allah. And then when we are breaking fast, it doesn't matter who it is, if you know this person or not. All Muslims are trying to feed other Muslims, fasting Muslims.”
Steven CW Taylor, who owns and curates Ubuntu, went with Weldon to the holy city Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in 2016. A pilgrimage to Mecca is a mandatory religious duty for all able-bodied Muslims to fulfill at least once in their lifetime.
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Taylor says, even though he is not Muslim, he is grateful to be welcomed into the “very sacred experience” and to be hosting the iftar meal at his gallery.
“For practicing Muslims that are in this season of reflection during Ramadan — it's almost surreal to watch the camaraderie, to watch how they fellowship within prayer, and then share this meal together and to be able to now have a venue space where I can actually host my friend's iftar,” Taylor said.
And observing their practices is something Taylor has been doing for quite some time now. Included in the vast photo collection from his travels that line the walls inside Ubuntu is a large print from their visit to Mecca. It’s one of Taylor’s favorite photographs, and it sits at the storefront’s corner window.
“The fact that I share this experience with [Weldon]. And I know his face, I remember his face, his smile from ear to ear, when we were there — and how proud he was to be there as a Muslim, to be in ... Abu Dhabi — and the fact that I can steal time with my photography and bring this back to Philadelphia … and in a way to pay tribute ... to the Muslim population,” Taylor said.
Weldon noted that, while misconceptions about Islam have clouded many non-Muslims' perceptions of the religion, there was nothing but happiness when they were on that pilgrimage.
“It's like, everybody was smiling, and everybody was happy. ... And we just had a great time,” Weldon said. “I was able to pray inside the masjid, so that was very exciting for me. It was just one of the best times of my life.”
Weldon says he’s proud to be a Muslim, especially during the sacred month.
“I think Sunday is always very, very, very special to us. We're all gonna come together. We're all family, and we all know that Steve is one with us, right? So Stephen opening his doors for us is such a blessing, more than he understands, because with him doing that, it also shows that not only Muslims are kind people, the world is too. And not only other religions accept us just like we accept them.”
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