CAIR-Florida Condemns ‘Religious Coercion’ After Muslim Firefighter Forced to Break Ramadan Fast (2025)

• April 26, 2025
• 1:01 pm

The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Florida), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned alleged “religious coercion” after a Muslim firefighter in Jacksonville, Florida, was reportedly forced to break his Ramadan fast.

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A district chief is reportedly under investigation and has been reassigned to desk duty over the incident. That fire official allegedly yelled at the Muslim firefighter and threatened to cut his hours and his pay if he did not comply with the demand to eat with his team.

[NOTE: Ramadan is the month on the Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims abstain from food, drink and other sensual pleasures from break of dawn to sunset. This year, it concluded at the end of March.]

Omar Saleh, Managing Attorney for CAIR-Florida, told a local media outlet:

“This is a case of religious coercion. We usually hear about cases of denial of accommodation, for somebody to pray, for example, or to have some time off, for prayer, but never something like this, forcing someone to abandon their religious practice.”

Before this year’s Ramadan fast, CAIR’s national office released a comprehensive resource designed to support Muslim employees, students, and community members in navigating workplace and school accommodations while promoting inclusivity in local communities.

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

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CONTACT:Wilfredo Amr Ruiz, CAIR-Florida Communications Director, wruiz@cair.com, (305) 502-6749; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com