Iftar, Ramadan Events Color US Campus

CAIRO, October 4, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – The Islamic Society of Stanford University (ISSU) will partner with official university bodies to provide Muslim students with free Iftars (breakfast meals) and to hold events throughout Ramadan, promoting understanding and awareness on campus, the university paper reported Tuesday, October 4.

As part of Ramadan, iftars will be served nightly throughout the month on the campus of the Stanford University, Florida, following evening prayers in the Nitery, The Stanford Daily said.

Last year was the first year ISSU worked with Stanford Dining to formally organize the meals, the paper added.

“Last year’s format worked very well and was very convenient, so we will continue working with Stanford Dining as they have been so helpful to us,” said ISSU President Mehdi Javanmard.

“We really appreciate the support they have given us throughout the years,” Javanmard, a fourth-year graduate student in electrical engineering, told the daily.

Support

Other than providing iftars to fasting students, ISSU, along with the Muslim Students Awareness Network (MSAN), plans to hold several other events throughout Ramadan, the paper said.

On October 6, ISSU and MSAN will collaborate with Students Taking Action Now: Darfur (STAND) to coordinate the Darfur Fast.

Participating students will fast for one day in order to raise money for the displaced people and refugees in the Darfur region of Sudan.

On Saturday, October 15, ISSU and MSAN will bring an inter-faith panel discussion titled “Jesus Across Faiths” to campus.

The Christian, Jewish and Muslim perspectives of Jesus are the focus of the discussion with the goal being to increase communication and understanding between the three religions.

The final event for the month will be the annual Fastathon in Tresidder Union on October 23, the paper said.

Awareness

Besides raising money for local charities, the purpose of the Fastathon also includes increasing general awareness about Islam.

“We’ll be holding our annual Fastathon with the goal of not only raising money,” Javanmard told the paper.

“But also with the aim of sharing the Ramadan experience with the local community in order to create more awareness regarding the religion of Islam, which is so often misunderstood by people in this country.”

All Ramadan events are open to the entire Stanford community and both Muslim and non-Muslim students are encouraged to attend, as per the university paper.

“This year, we are doing our best to share the wonderful experience of Ramadan with the whole Stanford community,” Javanmard said.

“We hope that by joining us in this fast during the month of Ramadan, we will have taken a step towards unifying the local community to not only fight poverty and hunger, but also ignorance towards each other’s religions and ways of life.”

If non-Muslim students or students who choose not to fast would like to join an iftar, they may get a ticket from an ISSU officer.

“Ideally, we’d love to provide free meals for the entire Stanford community during Ramadan, but because of budgeting constraints, we’re not able to every day of the month,” said sophomore Sanah Parvez, the ISSU treasurer.

“But we’d love to have everyone come break fast with us at our events, especially during the FastaThon, because we really want to share the message and spirit of Ramadan with the Stanford community.”

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a month of fasting and is considered by Muslims to be the holiest month of the year, during which Muslims around the world will abstain from eating or drinking during daylight hours.