New Mural at Los Angeles Mosque Represents Patience in Response to Hate Crime

New Mural at Los Angeles Mosque Represents Patience in Response to Hate Crime
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A new mural unveiled at the Islamic Center of Southern California in Koreatown symbolizes resilience, cultural heritage, and community healing following a recent hate crime, Iqna.ir reported. The artwork, titled Sabr at Fajr, was revealed on Monday, weeks after the mosque was defaced with hate-related graffiti, according to LAist.

Created by artist Saj Issa, the mural prominently features a prickly pear cactus—known in Arabic as sabbaar—which represents patience and endurance. The title combines “Sabr,” the Arabic word for patience, with “Fajr,” the Muslim pre-dawn prayer. The cactus connects not only to the Arabic concept of patience but also reflects the cultural heritage shared by Middle Eastern and Latino communities in Los Angeles.

Robin Toma, director of the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations, described the mural as more than just art, emphasizing it as a symbol of the community’s strength in the face of prejudice and a message of inclusion and belonging.

Funded partly by the county’s LA vs Hate initiative and created by the public art firm MuralColors, the mural is believed to be the first of its kind at a mosque in the United States, according to Salam Al-Marayati of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Dina Chehata from CAIR-LA highlighted that amid rising anti-Muslim hate crimes, the mural serves as a powerful reminder that patience is a form of resistance.