Sacred Spaces, Shared: Altadena Islamic Congregation Experiences Ramadan Without Their Spiritual Home

For the first time in over two decades, Altadena’s Muslim community is observing Ramadan without their spiritual home, Masjid Al-Taqwa. Instead, they’re finding refuge in the sanctuaries of Christian neighbors and classrooms of a local Islamic school following January’s Eaton Fire.

The blaze reduced the mosque to ashes weeks before Ramadan began on Feb. 28. Fueled by 90 mph Santa Ana winds and drought conditions, the fire claimed at least 17 lives and left homeless so many community members, including mosque leaders.

“This masjid is sort of like a home, a family place,” said Wynona Majied-Muhammad, a Board member of Masjid Al-Taqwa. “You can always go back to someplace where you can always find familiarity like a family with friends who basically grew up together, or at least your children grew up together.”

The loss has been poignant during one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar, when community gatherings are central to religious observance. Muslims pray five times daily and traditionally congregate at mosques for breaking fast and evening prayers.

“This is now the month of Ramadan, which occurs once a year,” Majied-Muhammad said. “It’s one of the two main holidays that Muslims have, and the whole daily community and event situation is particularly something that we have missed.”

In response, interfaith solidarity has emerged throughout Altadena. Churches have opened facilities for Muslim prayers, while New Horizon School Pasadena has provided space for Friday prayers and iftar (breaking fast) on some evenings.

“I’m especially warmed by the fact that surrounding churches and organizations, social organizations have opened their facilities to us,” said Majied-Muhammad. “Clearly we don’t have a place to pray and a place to meet, but area churches and social organizations have offered their meeting halls, their rooms, their facilities have said, ‘come and use.’”

The community is splitting Ramadan activities between various locations, including the Jackie Robinson Center. This allows them to maintain religious practices while highlighting bonds across faith traditions in Altadena.

Founded in the 1970s by African American Muslims transitioning from the Nation of Islam to mainstream Sunni Islam, Masjid Al-Taqwa served as the first mosque in the Altadena-Pasadena area. The mosque evolved from the Altadena-Pasadena Dawah Center to purchase its Lake Avenue location in 1999.

The building, formerly a 1950s-era thrift store, was transformed into a sanctuary with jewel-toned carpets, gold-embossed Qur’ans, and a fig tree that shaded generations of children.

“Masjid Al Taqwa has its own personality, just like Altadena itself has had its own particular personality,” Majied-Muhammad reflected. “And I think that generally in the region, Altadena does have a special place. It holds a special place.”

Before the fire, the mosque community was integrated into local politics and social services. Members participated on library boards and committees and hosted programs supporting the homeless, creating connections that have proven vital during this crisis.

Aaron Abdus-Shakoor, a co-founder of the mosque, described the scene after the fire as devastating and noted that “these areas are flat to the ground.” Despite this, he remains optimistic about rebuilding.

“It’s a process of planning and building, but I’m confident we’ll get through all this,” he said.

The community has launched a fundraising campaign on LaunchGood, raising $745,000 of their $1 million goal. Plans include preserving the mosque’s historical essence while integrating safety features and possibly acquiring surrounding properties to address parking challenges.

Majied-Muhammad described a gathering place at the back of the former mosque that she hopes to recreate.

“People enjoyed being there, coming together and having events there,” she said. “It reminds me of the idea of ‘a garden beneath which rivers float’ – the language that the scripture uses.”

As reconstruction continues, the community’s experience this Ramadan may strengthen interfaith relationships in Altadena long after their new mosque rises. The tragedy has fostered cooperation, demonstrating how communities can support each other across faith boundaries during crisis. Ramadan ends March 30.