Renewing a fresh perspective
It's a Christian tradition during Lent. It's a Jewish custom during Yom Kippur. And Muslims are no different - fasting is an important component of the holy month of Ramadan.
Last night at the Baptist Student Union, the Muslim Students Association hosted its first major event of this year's Ramadan. Keynote speaker and Religious Studies Professor Abdulaziz Sachedina helped kick off the holy month, which will continue until Dec. 17.
"Ramadan is a time that kind of lets everyone get back on track," MSA President Sana Khalid said. "Everyone comes together and focuses on purpose in addition to wanting to do as much good as possible."
Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and commemorates the month when the Koran was revealed to the prophet Muhammed during the seventh century, Khalid said.
During the holy month, Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset and eat only simple foods to break a fast. Khalid added that the traditional method of breaking the fast is with water and dates.
Khalid, a fourth-year College student, said Ramadan is particularly helpful in reminding oneself of the importance of "doing what's pleasing to God."
But for Muslims, the fasting during Ramadan extends beyond the actual act of abstaining from food.
"It's about abstaining from all things that aren't positive, like lying and cheating," Khalid said. "And it shows that if you can abstain from the necessities of life then you can also give up the desires of the world and focus on God."
Khalid emphasized that Ramadan also is considered a time of unity among the Charlottesville Muslim community. Each day, Muslim students gather at the mosque on 10 Street downtown for morning prayers and a snack before sunrise. And in the evening, students return for more prayers and a home-cooked meal made by a community member. On the weekends, Muslims congregate at a large dinner, called iftar, that often draws crowds of 100 students to Newcomb Hall or the Baptist Student Union.
"You find out what a great support system there is out there," Khalid said.
Khalid said the fasting and emphasis on the community during Ramadan is not unique to the religion of Islam.
"Even Jews and Christians fast as a way to purify themselves," she said. "The whole point [of fasting in any religion] is to reassess yourself and to find ways to improve"
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