Mayor of London Sadiq Khan took part in the Hajj pilgrimage while New York’s Zohran Mamdani participated in public celebrations this week marking Eid al-Adha , the most important festival in the Islamic calendar.
Khan shared a photo of himself near the Kaaba in Mecca, where millions of Muslims gather yearly from around the world to partake in the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Eid al-Adha, the "festival of sacrifice," falls in the middle of the Hajj.
The photo showed the London mayor wearing the white 'ihram' garment Muslim men wear at Islam’s holiest site.
The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and obligatory for Muslims who are physically and financially able to carry out the pilgrimage.
According to Islamic tradition, Eid al-Adha commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God before God provided him with a ram to sacrifice instead.
The holiday usually sees Muslims sacrifice sheep or other livestock and give the meat to the poor, while taking part in communal prayers, and holding large family and social gatherings.
"Hajj at its essence symbolises humility, self-improvement, and our collective humanity," Khan said in a video shared on his social media on Wednesday, as he stood in front of the Kaaba, the stone building at the centre of Mecca's Grand Mosque that worshippers circle.
"I feel truly honoured and blessed to have performed Hajj with more than 1.5 million Muslims from across the globe. Hajj Mabrook to all those performing this life changing and fulfilling pilgrimage," he said.
The London mayor has often been targeted by Islamophobic abuse and conspiracy theories during his time in office, which began in 2016, some of it promoted by US President Donald Trump, who he has a history of feuding with.
In the US, Zohran Mamdani donned an Arsenal thobe – celebrating the London club’s win in the English Premier League last week – as he joined worshippers for prayer in the city’s Bronx borough.
"Today as we honor Prophet Ibrahim, Eid al-Adha reminds us that sacrifice is not a burden. It is an opportunity to see ourselves as part of something larger. To extend a hand to those who need it most," the New York City mayor wrote on X on Wednesday .
"I am honored to be New York City's first Muslim Mayor and I am determined to lead through solidarity. Together, we are working to ensure every New Yorker can afford the groceries, housing, and child care they need," he added.
Mamdani performed his first Eid al-Fitr prayer in March since assuming his role in Brooklyn. That festival commemorates the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Since his election in November, Mamdani has come under attack from pro-Israel and far-right groups, which have tried to portray him as hostile to the Jewish community, while targeting him because of his Muslim faith.
According to a 2021 census, London is home to about 1.32 Muslims, with a total of around 4 million in the United Kingdom.
Estimates vary in New York, with most figures placing the number of Muslims between 750,000 to a million in the wider metropolitan area.
Both global cosmopolitan cities have seen a rise in Islamophobic attacks in recent years, particularly since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and as conflict continues to rage throughout the Middle East.