Celebrating Ramadan and the Muslim expertise at NYU

Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims, is upon us. With celebration and religion come questions and issues for Muslims right here at NYU and within the metropolis.

The month of Ramadan begins on the night of March twenty second. For one month, from dawn to sundown main as much as Eid, the apply of fasting and the celebration of breaking quick is noticed by praying and visiting family and friends. 

For many first-year Muslims at NYU, together with myself, that is the primary time we’re spending Eid away from dwelling. That adjustment raises many questions for college kids, corresponding to how we are going to rejoice Ramadan and apply fasting whereas nonetheless attending class. Residing away from dwelling and transitioning to dwelling within the metropolis is already an enormous adjustment, however being separated throughout Ramadan makes dwelling really feel even additional away.

Regardless of many college students being away from dwelling, there’s nonetheless a Muslim neighborhood at NYU. There are a number of golf equipment particularly for Muslims, together with the Muslims Scholar Affiliation, The Black Muslim Initiative at NYU and Mu Delta Alpha, a Muslim sorority. When Ramadan begins, many of those organizations maintain iftars — dinners the place you break your quick — prayers and occasions surrounding the preparation for Eid. Not solely are these golf equipment nice methods to satisfy mates who share your religion, additionally they enable for Muslims to apply Islam and really feel included. 

“It’s my first time spending [Ramadan] away from my household and residential,” mentioned CAS first-year Nouran Carcora. “I all the time had the time to interrupt my quick with my household on the identical time, however now with the schedule and courses I’ve, I’ll most likely have to regulate my schedule somewhat bit.” 

Carcona isn’t alone. Many Muslims at NYU are fighting comparable adjustments in how they observe the vacation. Fasting and breaking quick with household are among the many most essential facets of Ramadan, making a kind of communal feeling. With NYU college students dropping this piece of the custom, some query whether or not the month will nonetheless really feel like a spiritual vacation. 

“Residing within the metropolis hasn’t affected my religion, I nonetheless have the identical beliefs I had and I nonetheless maintain on to them irrespective of the place I am going,” Carcora mentioned. “It’s simply with the busy schedule I’ve, it’s laborious to do my prayers on time. I apply Islam by praying, studying the Quran and avoiding what’s prohibited in Islam.” 

Studying the entire Quran is one other Ramadan custom through which Carcora and different Muslims partake. Many Muslims college students have introduced their Quran with them to their dorms, whereas others borrow a replica from Bobst. For some college students, finding out away from dwelling has strengthened their religion as they determine faith’s position of their lives and growing values.

However not all Muslim college students really feel the identical strengthened religion, together with CAS first-year Alia Arafeh. 

“Residing within the metropolis has undoubtedly made me really feel extra disconnected from my religion,” mentioned Arafeh, who’s initially from California. “My mother and father would remind me to wish and I’d go to the mosque throughout holidays to wish or simply to do volunteer work with my mother. I really feel distanced from all of that. I do know another folks have really strengthened their religion and located neighborhood on the NYU MSA, however I’ve had a whole lot of apprehension about going there.” 

Many Muslim college students agree with Arafeh on the truth that although there’s a Muslim neighborhood at NYU, being away from household nonetheless results in a level of disconnection. Regardless of this, college students reminisce concerning the household celebrations they maintain expensive. As an illustration, Arafeh’s household likes to make a paper chain to mark the completely different days.

“With completely different colours representing the midway mark and 10-day mark, I rip somewhat chain off every night time,” Arafeh mentioned. “We often embellish the home with lights and pray taraweeh as a household every night time as nicely, and get up for suhoor as a household.”

Muslim college students usually embellish their rooms and shared areas in preparation for Ramadan and Eid. Muslim college students also can really feel extra at dwelling by visiting ethnic shops and eating places within the metropolis. Regardless of the problem of value, meals performs an essential position in bringing communities collectively.

“We eat largely Lebanese/Syrian dishes and a whole lot of desserts, which is one thing I’m going to overlook quite a bit being in faculty,” Arafeh mentioned.

There may be seemingly no single path to feeling utterly linked to your religion whereas dwelling away throughout faculty, as a result of it received’t be the identical as coming along with your loved ones. Nonetheless, college students can nonetheless acknowledge the significance and worth of golf equipment that remember religion and togetherness. These NYU golf equipment convey Muslims collectively, offering a neighborhood that helps soothe the homesickness that lacking household throughout Ramadan and Eid brings.

Contact Pritheva Zakaria at [email protected]