Campus Strives to Meet Ramadan Needs

As the last bits of light drop below the horizon tonight, Muslim students around campus will likely find themselves starving. But after avoiding John Jay, Hewitt, and Lerner all day, food can finally be consumed once the sun has gone down.

For the next month, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, nearly one billion people around the globe will be observing Ramadan by fasting, doing good deeds, and practicing good habits that will hopefully extend beyond the end of the 30-day period. Muslims believe that Ramadan was the month in which the Quran was revealed to their prophet, Mohammed. According to Amreen Vora, the vice president of Columbia’s Muslim Students’ Association, “It is believed that the gates of heaven are opened and that the gates of hell are closed, and that the shaytan [devil] is locked up and unable to influence us [during this time].”

During Ramadan, Muslims are forbidden to eat or drink anything between sunrise and sunset. Observing these traditions is known as following sunnah, which translates to “in the way of the prophet.” Most Muslims rise before the sun for Suhoor, eating something to sustain them throughout their day of fasting, and then conduct their morning prayers sometime between five and six in the morning, depending on the position of the sun. Different people observe the morning traditions in varying ways, some choosing to eat only a date and have some water, while some eat a large breakfast in anticipation of the fast. After sunset, there is a larger meal and prayer-time, called Iftar. The fast is traditionally broken by eating dates, salt, or water. The Iftar meal is generally a family meal, marked by certain traditional dishes, breads, and desserts. Sunnah dictates that the meal be eaten in a ratio of one-third food, one-third water, and one-third empty stomach as a way of displaying self-control.

Both Columbia and Barnard attempt to accommodate those students observing Ramadan, with the MSA picking up where the schools leave off. For Barnard students, the northern dining hall in Hewitt will be open from 4 to 5 a.m. during Ramadan, making Suhoor accessible and communal for those students in need of a meal before sunrise. John Jay will not be open early for Columbia students but will provide meal boxes to be picked up the night before and eaten in the morning at each student’s convenience. Students will be charged one swipe in the dining hall for a meal box, or they may purchase a box for $11 if they are not on a meal plan.

After sunset, the MSA will put on events throughout the month and provide catered food from different Halal restaurants each weeknight, along with dates to break the fast and the traditional Maghrib prayer. According to Vora, it is difficult to observe Ramadan as a student—the fasting, prayer, and reflection important during the month are nearly impossible to fit into the life of a serious university student. In light of the challenges, “the MSA does its best to cater to the needs of students and provide a home and community feeling away from home,” he said.

Students interested in breaking fast with the MSA should look to their Web site, www.columbia.edu/cu/msa, for details on times and locations. On the Web site, students may subscribe to the MSA mailing list in order to receive all Ramadan and MSA updates. For those looking for a change of pace or for weekend options, there is an extensive list of Halal dining establishments around the city at www.columbia.edu/cu/msa/community.shtml. MSA events are not exclusively for Muslim students, and all those interested in learning more about Muslim traditions are welcome to attend nightly Iftar and prayer.