(TAMPA, FL, April 8, 2021) -- The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida), the state's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, is pleased to announce their coordination of distributing donated dates to incarcerated Muslims throughout the state of Florida for the holy month of Ramadan.

CAIR-Florida’s Tampa Bay Regional Coordinator, Hiba Rahim stated, “As the Muslim prison population continues to grow, CAIR-Florida is also expanding its services in this area. Part of our Muslim Inmates Advocacy program is to advocate for incarcerated Muslims' rights to practice Islamic traditions. Just as the prisons accommodate Jewish and Christian sacramental foods, the Florida Department of Corrections is correct to allow date (the dried fruit) donations for incarcerated Muslims. Dates are a sacramental food that Muslims around the world break their fast on, and we want to make sure that those who are observing Ramadan in prison can honor this religious practice.”

In anticipation of the first day of fasting this year on Tuesday, April 13^th, CAIR-Florida has coordinated the distribution of 1,260 pounds of dates to over 2,000 incarcerated Muslims across 54 Florida Department of Corrections Institutions.

This is the second year that CAIR-Florida has coordinated the fundraising and date distribution on behalf of our incarcerated Muslim sisters and brothers so that they may enjoy breaking their fasts during the holy month of Ramadan with dates, as is the Islamic tradition of fasting Muslims worldwide.

#END#  

CONTACT: Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, CAIR-Florida Communications Director, 305-502-6749, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.