UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
5A
Wednesday, January 15, 1997
Muslim students fast to observe Ramadan
By Umut Bayramoglu
Kansan staff writer
As the Christmas season and the greatest food consuming holiday for Christians comes to a close, Muslim students at the University of Kansas are getting ready for Ramadan, a whole month of fasting.
"Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims," said Daniel Breslauer, professor of religious studies. "It's a time of self-discipline and spiritual reflection."
Ahmed Zafer, Saudi Arabia sophomore and president of the Muslim Students Association, said fasting during Ramadan became an obligation for every Muslim man and woman after puberty.
"At the age of six or seven we start pretending that we fast, but our parents know we are just fooling around." Zafer said. "It's a way of training for kids."
Zafer said that the reason he fasted every year was not only because it was an obligation, but it was also a learning experience.
"Giving up food from dawn until dusk every day for a month helps you understand what a poor person feels like, and this experience teaches you self control," he said.
Ramadan started Jan. 10 and will continue until Feb. 9 or 10, depending on the position of the moon. The length of Ramadan is determined by a lunar calendar.
Zafer said that being a full time student did not make it difficult to fast at all.
"In this weather, it's really not that hard," he said. "All you think about is going home and sleeping."
Almas Abdullah, Pakistan junior, agreed that it was an advantage to have Ramadan during the winter.
Abdullah said it only took a few days to get used to fasting.
GR Gordon-Ross / KANSAN
"It's easier to go through a day of fasting when daws are shorter like now." she said.
"You get hungry once in a while, but you get over it eventually," she said. "Fasting is a really good feeling. It is not suffering at all."
"You don't feel like it's Ramadan here at all." she said.
Aesar Alnajar, Kuwait freshman, said that although it was easier to go through Ramadan during winter, it was still tough to go through it away from home.
Members of the Muslim Students Association bow their heads in prayer at sunset, Muslim custom. This prayer also marks the end of a daily fast that is part of Ramadan.
The breaking of the fast with family and close friends is a big part of the tradition that Muslims miss out on when they are in Lawrence. Alnaar said.
Zafer said Ramadan in Lawrence was spiritually the same, but culturally different.
"I miss the call of prayer and I miss my mother's cooking," he said.
Alnajar said instead of the call of prayers, Muslim students relied on the prayer schedule they receive from the mosque in Lawrence.
The mosque also provides services at the breaking of the fast every day with food and
prayers.
"We have people from all around the world at the mosque," Zafer said. "It's like gathering of United Nations every day."
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