Muslim students find community, God during Ramadan

NAHAN ABUBUCKER Staff Writer

Muslim community.

It is currently the month of Ramadan — an Islamic holy month where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day for 30 days — and Muslims around campus are doing their best to make the most of the experience.

The experience of fasting can definitely be challenging.

“The worrying part about fasting while being a full-time student is that walking between classes, it just gets a little tiring, and I’m afraid that I’m gonna be really thirsty or get exhausted,” Amira Fernandez said.

However, Ramadan isn’t just about fasting. In fact, abstaining from food and water only scratches the surface of what Ramadan is truly about.

Students with the Muslim Student Association gather for a scripture reading during Ramadan. Courtesy of Muslim Student Association

Every day for the past few weeks, dozens of students at UT have been abstaining from food and water. While this may seem like an unusual practice, this is commonplace in the

“Fasting is just the most outward, obvious deed that you can do, but the purpose of it is to increase your God consciousness so anything and everything that does that for you is the focus,” Hana El-Messidi said.

Ramadan is a time when Muslims work to increase their spirituality, build their relationship with God and participate in extra worship. This can make Ramadan quite overwhelming, especially if you’re also a full-time student.

Aissata Diallo, vice president of the Mus- lim Student Association, often goes to the Mosque for Taraweeh — nightly congregational prayers held specifically during Ramadan.

“You’re trying to still pull in those extra acts of worship, but it’s just really difficult to do when you’re a full-time student because you just have all of these other obligations,” Diallo said.

Despite the challenges, students still say that they enjoy the experience and find it very fulfilling.

“You’re working for the life after this one instead of for everything that’s around you right now,” Fernandez said.

Many students also find that the community helps them a lot. The Muslim community on campus, and the wider Knoxville community, help make Ramadan a positive experience for students.

The local Mosque hosts iftar — the meal Muslims eat after sunset to break their fast — every night.

The MSA also regularly plans events during Ramadan. One of these events is a daily Quran reading, where different students take turns hosting a reading and iftar event each evening.

“You get to eat with your community, family, friends and it’s just a really good time,” Diallo said. “It gives you more of a sense of comradery … you feel like you’re not in this alone, you’re in this together.”

Another event planned by the MSA is open to all UT students.

On Monday, April 17, the MSA is having its annual event known as Fast-A-Thon. The event invites anyone, whether Muslim or not, to try fasting for a day. At the end of the day, they will be hosting a dinner and fundraiser at the Student Union Ballroom at 6:30 p.m. All donations will go to aiding earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria.

Information booths for the event will be on Ped Walkway from April 3-5 and April 10-14. Spots are limited. To RSVP, go to the MSA’s Instagram page, @utkmsa, and click on the link in the bio.

Additionally, after Ramadan, Muslim students have something else to look forward to.

Marking the end of Ramadan is a day when the community gathers together in celebration and festivities. The day is called Eid Al-Fitr and it is one of two major religious holidays in Islam.

Muslim students are looking forward to Eid while still cherishing their experiences during Ramadan.

“Ramadan goes by fast, and Eid is the ending of that ... so it is bittersweet, but it’s also really beautiful,” El-Messidi said.