Students reflect on their experiences of practicing Ramadan while at university
By IQRA AHMAD — arts@theaggie.org
Muslim students at UC Davis are observing Ramadan, an annual month of fasting, reflection and generosity, this February and March. Many students use this time to strengthen their religious practices while continuing to pursue their academic and extracurricular activities.
Ramadan is the ninth month in the 12-month Islamic lunar calendar. This year, Ramadan is estimated to begin Feb. 17 and end March 19., though the exact date depends on the sighting of the moon. During this period, Muslims fast daily from dawn to sunset, abstaining from food and drink. It is a month that emphasizes self-discipline and encourages compassion.
Many students share that Ramadan is a period that provides an opportunity for them to reflect on their faith and instill better habits.
“One of the main strategies I try my best to incorporate during Ramadan — to balance my academics with fasting and other acts of worship— is being more intentional with my mindset and daily habits,” Maseera Ansari, a second-year biological sciences major, said. “Before Ramadan begins, I make a list of goals and focus on getting rid of distractions so I can use my time as efficiently as I can. This includes limiting my social media use, avoiding pointless scrolling and listening to less music.”
These mindful changes help students like Ansari feel the virtues of the month.
“I noticed how this shift in my mindset gave me a greater sense of peace and clarity, and it definitely played an important role in helping me stay on top of my coursework and other extracurriculars last Ramadan,” Ansari said.
Other students create similar goals to enter the month with a purposeful and peaceful mindset.
“I try to set clear spiritual and educational goals for myself daily during Ramadan in order to keep myself motivated,” Salma Farahat, a second-year managerial economics major, said. “Creating goals helps me carve out time in my schedule to balance my responsibilities while still staying spiritually connected.”
Students also shared how participating in Ramadan while being away from home has shaped their relationship with faith and practice.
“[Fasting in] university has made me become more independent in a way,” Sharmeen Eshal, a second-year biochemistry and molecular biology major, said. “For example, my mom would wake me up for suhoor every day, and she was the one making most of the iftar when I was at home. In university, I have to do everything on my own: wake up for suhoor, make suhoor and then make iftar. In a way, the university experience has taught me more about myself and how I would spend Ramadan when I am alone.”
Various groups on campus, including the Muslim Student Association (MSA), the Pakistani Student Association (PSA), the Afghan Student Association (ASA) and the Arab Student Union (ASU), host events such as iftar during Ramadan. Iftars are meals that are eaten when breaking the fast at sunset, and these events provide students with the ability to connect with other students observing Ramadan.
“For me, the most challenging part of Ramadan being in university was dealing with feelings of homesickness. I’d constantly miss my family and feel like there were things I was missing out on [by] not being home during such a meaningful time,” Ansari said. “Despite this, I think that it [cultural clubs] has made me appreciate the importance of community even more because they really helped fill in those gaps. I’m forever grateful for the friends and found family I made along the way.”
Eshal noted that these gatherings help to create a sense of community, especially for those observing Ramadan away from home.
“Various clubs on campus host many cultural iftars and suhoors, which is really helpful because it gives a space for friends to bond,” Eshal said. “For many people who are away from home, this ends up being really nice because they still get a chance to be around other people rather than being alone.”
Despite balancing the rigor of academic responsibilities, students reflected that Ramadan remains an important and meaningful part of their winter quarter.
“The most challenging part about fasting as a student has been balancing studying and exams,” Farahat said. “Since finals week falls on the last few days of Ramadan this year, it’s even more difficult to be intensely studying for your finals while being low on sleep and fatigued from the fast. But Islam is a very community-oriented religion, and it’s emphasized even more during Ramadan. I try to surround myself with like-minded friends as they encourage me to stay on track without burning out.”
Some students adjust their academic routines and schedules during Ramadan. For example, many use designated reflection rooms on campus located in various spaces to coordinate their schedule around prayer times. Some rooms are located in the Student Community Center (SCC), the International Center, Tercero Residence Halls and in the Women’s Resources and Research Center.
“One of the highlights of spending the majority of my Ramadan [at university] was seeing how much effort the campus community put in to make Ramadan feel special for everyone,” Ansari said. “One campus resource that I found really helpful was the designated prayer space in the [SCC]. Having the space made managing staying on track with my prayers so much more convenient.”
Ansari also noted the accessibility and inclusivity of having prayer rooms on campus.
“During hectic or stressful times, it gave us a quiet place to reflect,” Ansari said. “The prayer room was only a four to five minute walk away [from the library], which made it super convenient to just pause, pray and recharge before I returned to my tasks. Looking back, I’m so grateful to have had access to these resources. They really showed me how much of a difference small acts of kindness and a support system can have [on] maintaining a sense of community and connection during such an important time.”
Written by: Iqra Ahmad — arts@theaggie.org
