Ramadan prompts fasting fundraiser

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, approximately 200 students from Loyola, Tulane University and Tulane Medical School gathered in the St. Charles Room at Loyola’s Danna Student Center to break their fast as part of the Islamic traditions celebrated during the holy month of Ramadan.

Loyola’s Muslim Student Association started a “Fast-a-thon” that has now become an annual event at Loyola to create awareness about global hunger. From the beginning of the semester, MSA members set a table at the Danna Center during the window and encouraged students on campus to sign up and join them for a day of fasting.

For each person who fasts, arrangements are made for a certain amount to be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and other charities on behalf of the person fasting, this year totaling around $7000.

Tuesday’s event opened up with the words “salaam alukium,” (“peace be upon you” in Arabic) from the president of Loyola’s MSA, biology senior Amna Aziz, who then introduced the  event’s speaker, Imam Omar Suleiman. The imam discussed the meaning of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar.

Ramadan is also the month in which the Quran, the holy text of Islam, was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad, through the angel Gabriel, in the year. As an observance of the beginnings of the religion of Islam, it is the holiest month for Muslims.

More than one billion Muslims around the globe refer to Ramadan as a “month of blessing,” marked by prayer, fasting and charity. Muslims retain a focus on self-sacrifice and devotion to Allah (the Arabic word for God). On a typical day, this means that Muslims don’t drink or eat anything during daylight hours for the entire month. However, when the sun sets, it’s time to feast.

Suleiman said that “humanitarianism has many faces and approaches. To be humanitarian is to feel the sense of poverty all over the world.” Suleiman added that “Fast-a-thons” are held in over 200 universities across the country and he expressed the opinion that Loyola was blessed to be part of this national collective experience.

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. According to Islamic tradition, fasting was an example set by the prophet Muhammad, and it is therefore an obligation commuted upon by all observant Muslims. Muslims fast to strengthen self-discipline as well as remind themselves of the experience of those less fortunate. While hungry and thirsty, Muslims are reminded of the suffering of the poor.

Many also believe that the process of fasting cleanses the body and mind and helps observers feel the peace that comes from spiritual devotion as well as kinship with fellow believers.

The sun set at 7:11 p.m. The students in attendance, who came from different faiths and background, were able to break their fast with water and dates — a traditional part of breaking the fast — provided at each table while witnessing Muslim students performing prayer.

MSA provided a variety of choices of food — from Chinese to Desi to Middle Eastern , fruits and desserts — while students mingled and shared their experience of fasting with one another.

“I did this for the third year. It is a wonderful event because it teaches Loyola students about Islam and the teaching of fasting and to be in solidarity with those who don’t have the basic necessity which teaches us to be more patient,” said Buddy Noel, a resident chaplain for Carrollton Hall.

Samantha Jannenga, an English writing junior, said that she usually drinks one to three water bottles each day, but had to remind herself to avoid any water fountain she came across. The hardest part for her wasn’t the desire for food, but not being able to drink water.

The night ended with a final guest speaker, Andrew Kinahan, a biology sophomore who has made fasting a tradition in his life. He first experienced this observance during the Fast-a–thon last year, and he said it had a profound effect on him.

“Fasting is an eye opening experience, opening awareness for the world and a feeling of emptiness inside you,” he said.

Mai Bader can be reached at mibader@loyno.edu

 

14 comments

Your name

Fri Oct 2 2009 15:05

Great article! I think the bigotry talk needs to stop!

Becky

Tue Sep 29 2009 15:20

Blake, I think it would be a problem for me to name names. I have several however, I do not think it would be kosher for me to reveal them in an email.

The archbishop has been to Loyola more than once to call them down on their unreligious practices. I had a now deceased priest tell me he did not believe that there was a devil.

I think Angela is right and you are a young man who has not lived long enough to realize that our present president was elected by the young and those who hated Bush so much that they would vote against anyone they perceived as like minded to him.

Hope you do not have to correct any my typos.

Blake

Fri Sep 25 2009 14:55

Angela: I don't think you can call Barack (not Barrack) Obama a "dissident", considering he's the president. The fact that he's president means the majority of Americans voted for him. As the minority in this country, you would be the "dissident". You also have no idea who I am or what I think. I'm NOT a registered Democrat (I'm a registered Libertarian, which is certainly more aligned with traditional conservatism than the modern-day Republican party), and you clearly show that your prejudice (definition: preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience) towards "liberals" is not based in reality. If you'd like to have an actual conversation, I'd love for you to give me your email address. If you'd prefer to make blanket statements and then say that it's a "waste of your time", then that's fine, but for future reference, don't insult people and then expect them to take it laying down.

The part that's infuriating me beyond belief is that no one is challenging my statement that allowing Muslims to practice their religion is a good thing. This is NOT put on by Fr. Wildes or any other member of the administration. It's a STUDENT GROUP EVENT. How is this such a bad thing? I don't see people challenging the right of fraternities to have parties involving alcohol, which is clearly against the Church's teachings about gluttony.

Becky: Name one of these "ex-priests and nuns who want to take down the Church." My 18 hours in Religious Studies and Philosophy courses have been taught by very respectful, knowledgeable staff members. Not all were Catholic, but I never heard a single negative word spoken against the Church.

angela

Fri Sep 25 2009 12:38

Blake, as a liberal, sarcasm against conservatism is your mantra. You have got this down pat. I am sure you will grow up to be a Barrack, an Al Gore, a John Kerry, and any other dissident and misguided figure.

Oh, let me apologize, was that sarcastic or the truth??

No more postings for me, this is a waste of my time.

Becky

Fri Sep 25 2009 12:35

I am a 2000 graduate of Loyola. I now have a Masters in Religion from a Catholic University.

Loyola has been controversial for a long time and has subscribed to non Christian values. They are crammed full with ex priest and nuns who want to bring down the church.

Too bad, Loyola was once a magnificent place.

Go Angela, you are right and the young man is wrong.

Blake

Thu Sep 24 2009 23:34

angela: i'd respond to your statement if it made any sort of sense, or refuted my statement in any sort of way. Also, look up what heretic means. I'm not one. Also, maybe try looking up sarcasm.

My name is Blake. I go to Loyola. I am proud of the fact that there are students at my school that are Muslim. I want to support them, as it is a difficult time to be a Muslim in America. If you went to Loyola at one point in time and you have in your mind that the school should not allow people of different religious backgrounds to attend and share their beliefs with the Loyola community, I'm sorry that your Loyola education let you down. The school is based on critical thinking and social justice. Deal with it.

angela

Thu Sep 24 2009 20:09

I guess like most liberals, their opinions are foremost, conservatives are nuts.

Our comments are just as valid as the non-Christian, atheistic students who flock to Loyola for their DIVERSITY

I notice no name for the heretic who wrote about the communion credit course.

Your name

Wed Sep 23 2009 17:02

Man, I totally agree. Fasting to raise money for a food bank is most certainly horrible. Loyola is clearly an atheistic, Islamic, radically liberal school. We should probably regain our Catholic (definition: including a wide variety of things; all-embracing. See universal) identity by prohibiting all non-Christian forms of worship and require weekly Mass as a Common Curriculum credit.

Get real. What the MSA is doing here is a good thing. If you're not okay with people of other faiths being at Loyola, your input really isn't wanted.

Rae Ann DiMaggio

Wed Sep 23 2009 11:47

This is not diversity, it is indoctrination.

I am a Loyola graduate and I know what I am talking about.

Beware if you are Catholic and go to Loyola.

Bob

Tue Sep 22 2009 12:59

I don't care whether it's Catholic or not.

But isn't a bit odd for white college kids to throw disparate cultural traditions together willy-nilly and call it "diversity?"

Your name

Mon Sep 21 2009 14:31

sweet article. lovely to see diversity at Loyola!

Your name

Fri Sep 18 2009 03:04

This is a great article. I hope more students join next year!

Your name

Thu Sep 17 2009 16:20

Wonderful article, it is great to see so many people observing such a peaceful practice together!

Your name

Thu Sep 17 2009 12:40

Well isn't this just ducky!!!!

I thought Loyola was Catholic, oh, we must have diversity.

Diversity is the new word for liberalism. It is not bad for Loyola to do this it is only bad that they no longer identify with Rome while still claiming to be Catholic.

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