Students fast to get taste of Ramadan

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By Laura Clark

Non-Muslim students may get a new perspective on Ramadan with an all-day fast Thursday.

At least 300 students will be taking part in the Fast-A-Thon fundraising event Thursday, said Aun Munis, president of the Muslim Student Association. The MSA, which is sponsoring the event, will donate the money raised to the Catholic Action Center.

During the Fast-A-Thon, both Muslim and non-Muslim participants will fast from sunrise to sunset. The event features a fast because during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, Muslims traditionally fast while the sun is up, Munis said.

Fast will be broken with a free dinner for participants at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Student Center Grand Ballroom.

Ramadan, which began Sept. 1 this year, is considered the holiest month of the Islamic calendar because it is the month in which the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Ramadan, a lunar month, will end around Sept. 30, depending on the cycles of the moon.

Fasting can help connect people to their faith and to the community, Munis said.

“Fasting is not only a spiritual experience,” Munis said. “It’s also to help people understand how it feels for those who go hungry all of the time in our own city.”

The event will raise money from donations from about 10 businesses as of Tuesday night, several of who will give $1 for every person that pledged to fast, Munis said. The MSA will also collect donations.

“This fundraiser is to feed other people,” Munis said. “But sometimes, we take our lives for granted, so this experience can help us put it into perspective and allow us to be thankful for our lives.”

The dinner event will also include a speech from Student Government President Tyler Montell.
Montell, who participated in the fundraiser last year, said participating in the Fast-A-Thon gave him a higher level of awareness for others who go without food.

“It’s cool to be able to be doing something with those who practice this faith, who have been doing it every day,” Montell said.

For more information about the Fast-A-Thon, visit the MSA Web site  (www.uky.edu/StudentOrgs/MSA/).