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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 13:33:17 |
A calm patience permeated through the Adirondack Room in the Tivoli Sept. 12 as friends and members of UCD’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) waited to break their daily fast in observance of Ramadan. Falling in the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, typically September, the holy month of Ramadan includes daily fasting by Muslims worldwide.
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Photo by Linh Ngo/lngo@mscd.edu
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During the daylight hours, participants fast, or refrain, from eating or drinking anything, while also taking particular care to control their thoughts, behavior and beliefs in order to reap greater benefits from their faith. Through fasting, Muslims are supposed to focus on charity, self-accountability and better realization of Islamic values.
According to student Hajer Sasi, fasting for Ramadan isn’t just about not eating or drinking.
“You have to watch your mouth, what you’re looking at, what you’re doing, so all that combined…it’s really hard, just by the end of the day you’re just tired, but that’s the whole point,” she said.
Another student, Saad Baradan also stressed these points.
“Ramadan is about good moral character. It’s about trying not to get angry in situations, to have a nice mouth and be kind with people…it’s really about trying to better yourself during Ramadan,” he said.
Typically, practicing Muslims begin their day with a before-sunrise breakfast called Sahoor. This meal is followed by fasting all day, until the sun sets. Traditionally, the fast is broken by eating dates and drinking either water or milk. They do not immediately eat their evening meal, or Iftar, but complete their evening prayer first.
There will be two or three fast-breaking dinners per week on campus during Ramadan. Sasi said,
“It depends on who wants to volunteer and cook dinner for everybody, really.” Sasi said. That night, dinner was donated by the father of a club member and consisted of several traditional dishes like chicken curry, kofta and rice.
According to Sasi, donating meals to break fasts during Ramadan has been a tradition on campus for several years. While MSA is a relatively small organization, it does not consist solely of UCD students. According to Jahed Nabiyan, all Muslim students are welcome and both Metro and CCD students participate in MSA activities. He estimated more than 60 people take part in MSA activities on campus every year.
Dr. Robert Hazan, chair of Metro’s political science department, is a leading authority on Middle Eastern studies and describes Ramadan as a “massive celebration.” Ramadan is one of five of the pillars of Islam, and the level of involvement with its practice is based loosely from community to community, he said. Hazan, a native of Turkey, relates Ramadan to the American celebration of Christmas.
“Some celebrate Christmas in a pious way, and some without even going to church. In Saudi Arabia, it’s a countrywide celebration…but in a more secular country like Turkey, it’s like the United States.”
Ramadan begins when an Imam, the leader of a mosque or Islamic community, declares it should start, usually coinciding with cycles of the moon. However, the end of Ramadan is marked by an important holiday, Eid ul-Fitr. Many Muslims believe Eid falls on the 27th day of Ramadan.
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Photo by Muna Suleiman/moona2188@yahoo.com
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The occasion is traditionally celebrated by gathering with friends and family and wearing new clothes and enjoying food and festivities. The MSA this year is celebrating Eid ul-Fitr on Sept. 25. Anyone on campus is invited to join them in fasting for the day, followed by Iftar, at 7 p.m. in Tivoli 440. Please RSVP by Sept. 23rd to kakam@mscd.edu.
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