During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, members of the University of Rhode Island’s Muslim Student Association gather for Itfar to pray, break their fast and build community.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Practicing Muslims observe this month by fasting from sunrise to sunset and devoting time to prayer and family, according to Essam Abdulraouf, fourth-year student and fundraising chair for the MSA.
“They call Ramadan like a training camp for Muslims,” Abdulraouf said. “It comes once a year, and you try your best to be closer to God, to fix mistakes you’ve made in the past and to become a better person, and that sets you up for the rest of the year.”
MSA President Sanah Feroz started the meeting with a Duah, a prayer in Islam. Translated, the Duah read, “O Allah, You are forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me.”
During the last 10 days of Ramadan, there is a night of great importance, a night of forgiveness and remembrance of God, according to Feroz.
“In our religion we don’t know which of the last 10 nights this special night falls on,” Feroz said. “So we like to emphasize the last 10 nights and hope all of our members and Muslims across the world really dedicate and devote [themselves to] prayer during these last 10 nights.”
This Iftar, hosted on Thursday, March 20, was a collaborative effort between the MSA and The Middle Eastern Student Association, according to Abdulraouf. MESA provided food from Al-Shami, a Middle Eastern restaurant in Providence.
These Iftars see consistent attendance, with larger events during the month of Ramadan seeing up to 50 students in attendance, according to Feroz.
“Everyone is fasting so everyone likes to come together and hang out with each other,” Feroz said. “We can all relate to [each other’s] experiences during this time.”
The MSA is a diverse community, with many international students who cannot spend Ramadan with their families back home, according to Feroz.
“This month people spend a lot of time with their families, and family is an integral part of breaking fast,” Feroz said. “Because these students don’t have that, they really find a home with MSA and at the Multicultural Student Services Center building.”
Feroz said that Ramadan can be draining due to the fast, but organizing events like Itfars and the MSA’s upcoming banquet keeps her motivated.
“It’s been a great time to get to know some students and have a reconnection with my friends,” Feroz said. “I am very close to our [executive board], so I’m not only working with them professionally, I’m also spending time with them as friends.”
The Muslim population at URI is relatively small, according to Feroz, but they have built a tight-knit community in the MSA.
“We all come here for the same reasons,” Feroz said. “We want to spend some time together and want a sense of family and community again, and nothing better to do that with than food.”
To celebrate Eid, the end of Ramadan, the MSA is hosting a banquet on April 6 in the Memorial Union Ballroom.
