Eating is routine. Most mornings I’ll wake up to a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal (generously doused in milk). The toughest decisions of my day usually involve choosing a venue for my indulgence—do I want the convenience of Caffe Swish? Or maybe I’m in the mood for the taste of Le Monde? It is rare that I step back from my own comfortable lifestyle and “eat to live,” instead of simply living to eat. It is even less likely that, in these moments, I am concerned for the millions of people around the world who lack access to basic sustenance. When I began fasting this Ramadan, I realized that while I have the luxuries to pick between restaurants and even choose not to eat, these resources are not available to most. I decided that if this year’s holy month is to truly mean something to me, I need to foster a genuine awareness that there are those with less access to resources than me and do my part in bettering their lives.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time for Muslims to abstain from food and drink from sunrise until sunset. Ramadan is typically described blithely as “a month of fasting.” While in physical and literal terms this is accurate, for the almost 1.3 billion Muslims around the world today, fasting during this month has a much deeper connotation. The essence of Ramadan is to inspire adherents everywhere to look both inside and beyond themselves, beyond worldly pleasures, and beyond the comforts they take for granted. It is an opportunity for followers to challenge themselves to higher standards of excellence, and a time to refocus attention towards the real and continuous needs of those less privileged by experiencing firsthand, even if just for a few hours, the pains that accompany hunger. This holy month compels Muslims to purify their intentions through sacrifice and improve their attitudes towards others through patience and humility.
The concept of a Fast-a-thon was formulated by the Muslim Students Association of Knoxville, Tennessee over six years ago. Initiated as an event to bring together members of different faith communities, enlighten individuals about the significance of Ramadan, and raise funds for a worthy cause, Fast-a-thon has become increasingly popular among college MSAs across the United States. After hearing success stories at different universities, I realized that this event would be an ideal way to bring the issue of world hunger to the limelight while simultaneously wedding it to the significance of fasting and giving during Ramadan, engendering a deeper understanding of why Muslims fast during this month.
The central goal of the Columbia MSA’s Fast-a-thon, which is being held on Thursday, September 25th in Roone Arledge Auditorium, is to invite people outside the Muslim Community to “pledge” to fast with us for a day. Through the physical act of fasting, we hope to spiritually and intellectually acknowledge the over 800 million around the globe struggling to survive without access to the most basic human necessities. At sunset, there will be a large Iftar (breaking of the fast), to which all participants are invited. The Iftar will include speeches by community members as well as reflections from participants with the goal of promoting a greater understanding of Ramadan as well as an awareness of worldwide hunger.
To further the cause, Columbia’s MSA has partnered with non-profit organization Action Against Hunger. When searching for a non-profit, I remained very conscious of the idea that addressing global hunger requires more than simply sending dry goods to impoverished communities—it requires providing these people with sustainable access to food and long-term solutions to hunger. Unlike many other organizations focused on the issue of world hunger, Action Against Hunger maintains a necessary balance between immediate humanitarian action and continued support for and education on sustainability.
The author is a Barnard College junior.