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NEWS
| OCTOBER 18, 2005
Breaking the Fast
Muslim students observe Ramadan
and dine together
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| The Shorthorn: Manikandan Sachidanandan |
| Members of the UTA Muslim Students
Association worship for Ramadan Friday night
in the University Center Concho Room. The group gathers
every Friday during Ramadan to break the daily fast. |
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By Elyse
Malanowski
Contributor to The Shorthorn
Misjudeen Raji woke up and ate his predawn meal because if he didn’t,
he would not eat all day.
The doctoral student and Muslim Students Association president is
observing Ramadan this month along with many other Muslims.
During the month, Muslims’ everyday customs, such as praying
and reading the Quran, increase the rewards Muslims receive from
Allah, Raji said.
“This month is meant to attain spiritual discipline and bring
yourselves closer to God,” he said.
From about 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Muslims don’t eat or drink anything,
and they pray 11 to 12 times a day, he said.
Abdullah Jibaly, software engineering graduate student, said many
break their fast with family and friends when the sun sets.
“For us, we have soup and salad with bread in it,” he
said. “But it really depends on the culture.”
Raji, a Lagos, Nigeria, native, has no immediate family here, so
he breaks the fast at a mosque in Arlington.
“It is encouraged to break with family or friends to share
the joy,” he said.
The meal usually begins with dates and fruits followed by a prayer.
Then a Middle Eastern or Indo-Pakistan dish is served, Raji said.
Islam has some origins in Christianity but follows the teachings
of the Quran and Allah, said Abdulrahman Kelani, Muslim Students
Association adviser.
“Islam is not a child of yesterday,” he said. “It’s,
like, 1,400 years old.”
The association, which has about 100 members, will host dinners
every Friday until Ramadan is over so students can break the fast
together, Kelani said.
This month the club is focusing on breaking the fast together and
getting to know other Muslims on campus, Raji said. Non-Muslims
who would like to fast with the club Oct. 25 can sign up from noon
to 1 p.m. today, Wednesday and Thursday in front of the Central
Library.
Club members will also visit local Muslim businesses to inform them
about the event and accept money, which will be donated to the Tarrant
County Food Bank, Raji said.
CORRECTION
This story should have stated that according to
doctoral student Misjudeen Raji, Muslims pray five times a day.
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