Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, which follows the lunar cycle. Because it is tied to the moon’s phases, it is not on the same date every year – when thinking about Ramadan in terms of the more commonly utilized Christian calendar (with the months of January, February, March, etc.), the month of Ramadan arrives around 10 days earlier every year.
For Muslims, the entire month is significant and thought of as a blessing. To celebrate this time, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset as an obligation from God. They do this not only because of their Islamic duty but as a reminder to be appreciative of the privileges they do have. It is also a time of giving, and Muslims are encouraged to donate to charities and engage in volunteering and community service during this time. It is thought that fasting further cultivates and motivates the act of giving. At the end of the month, Muslims celebrate the holiday entitled Eid-al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.
Here are five ways to support your Muslim friends during Ramadan:
- Educate yourself about the month
Though Ramadan tends to be perceived as an exciting time for Muslims, it is acknowledged that there are a lot of sacrifices that happen during the month. For outsiders, sometimes it is difficult to understand the concepts of Ramadan because of the amount of sacrifice that goes into it. It is important to educate yourself about the month in order to stop the spread of misinformation. A common misconception is that fasting for such an extended period of time is unhealthy. In reality, fasting actually has a lot of health benefits– it can decrease resting heart rate and blood pressure, improve overall heart health and fitness, could help boost cognitive performance, and could protect from obesity. In addition to this, fasting is meant to teach about self-discipline and self-actualization.
It is important to remember that fasting is not self-harm, nor is it starving yourself. Fasting should not be something that is detrimental to your health, and if it does become detrimental, then it is a requirement to break your fast.
2. Learn the basic vocabulary
These terms may be difficult to remember, but learning them insinuates a commitment to allyship and respect. By learning this basic vocabulary, it could make things easier for your Muslim friends and peers— they wouldn’t have to constantly explain themselves or translate basic terms.
- Fasting: in the Islamic religion, it generally refers to abstaining from eating or drinking anything from sunrise to sunset (so, not eating or drinking anything from approximately 5:30 AM to 8:30 PM; note that this time varies every day)
- “Breaking your fast”: Ending your fasting period by drinking and eating something
- Iftar: The meal eaten right after sunset to break the fasting period
- Sehri/Suhoor: The meal eaten right before sunrise to initiate the fasting period
- Maghrib: One of the 5 daily prayers; this prayer occurs right at sunset; some Muslims tend to break their fast by drinking a beverage, praying Maghrib right after, and then having their full Iftar meal
3. Be mindful about the questions you ask
It is more than okay to ask questions— a lot of people will feel happy about your curiosity and interest. However, there are some questions that can be easily Googled or are too personal to ask. Keep in mind that it is not an obligation for Muslim students and peers to answer your questions and completely educate you about the topic. In general, it is never a minority’s responsibility to be your teachers and educators. They are already living the experience themselves and constantly having to explain themselves can be frustrating and overbearing. Always ask for consent before posing a question.
For instance, some Muslim students may not want to answer the question of why they are not fasting. Exemptions to fasting include being on your period, being sick, having medical and mental disorders, traveling, and pregnancy. Although none of these things are shameful by any means, some students may not want to disclose that vulnerable information, and it is important to respect their boundaries. Additionally, although fasting is an Islamic obligation, some students may have their own reasons– outside of these exemptions– for not participating. It is human to be curious but keep in mind that your questions don’t always warrant answers.
4. Give them grace and patience
Adjusting to the Ramadan schedule is not easy, especially when you are a full-time college student. Since Ramadan is not at the same time every year, students can’t really stick to a single fixed schedule. For instance, there have been years where Ramadan coincidentally fell during summer break/school recesses, making it easier for students to become accustomed to the month of fasting since they didn’t have to attend classes, meetings, and extracurriculars. Adjusting from the remote and hybrid teaching methods due to COVID-19 to fully in-person courses is especially difficult for Muslim students for this reason.
Additionally, Ramadan has a significant community aspect— breaking fast together, praying together, etc. Some Muslim students on campus are international students who come from Muslim-majority countries and are used to having a large community to celebrate and observe Ramadan with. Others are domestic Muslim students who may be used to spending the month with their family and friends. Not having that same large community on campus is a huge change and requires an adjustment in itself. The Muslim Student Associations across campuses try their best to provide that community aspect essential for Ramadan, but becoming familiar with those communities is also an adjustment.
There are other adaptations and changes to consider as well. For some Muslim students, this could be the first Ramadan that they are participating in. This could be the first Ramadan that they are devoting themselves to finishing the Qur’an, the Islamic holy book. This could be the first Ramadan that they are dedicating themselves to participating in more of the longer prayers, such as Taraweeh. All of these circumstances are added time commitments that they have to schedule.
With all of these adaptations that students need to make, they are more likely to become easily irritable, lethargic, inattentive, and exhausted. It is important to be mindful and kindly take these things into consideration before making assumptions.
5. Be loud and proud about your support
Talking about Ramadan should not be a taboo topic and being more knowledgeable about the month could foster more conversation. A significant way to combat the feelings of isolation that Muslim students may experience fasting in a Muslim-minority country/ community is for people to publicly share their support. Whether that be having casual conversations with peers about Ramadan, reposting social media infographics about Ramadan, or wishing someone “Ramadan Mubarak” (Happy Ramadan), any support is greatly appreciated.