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Safa Saleh 22, a member of MSA, said she agreed to be part of the working group to ensure younger students have a good experience during Ramadan. She recalls her own nervousness as a first-year, contemplating Ramadan away from home for the first time. "You usually experience it with family and community," she said. "So I wanted to make it the best experience possible and to create community for other students."

The working group also discussed raising awareness of Ramadan more generally across campus. For instance, Goodrichwill be posting about Ramadan on social media throughout the month, which ends with the next crescent moon in April.

The MSA will be also be contributing to this effort, said co-president Eisa Rafat 25. One action they're taking is hanging a large informational poster in Smith Union. "We're often faced with questions," he said, "and it would be cool to shine more light on it."

He said some of his non-Muslim friends have also said they will join him in fasting, even if it's just for one day, while other friends have volunteered to cook meals for him and other MSA students.

At the end of the month, students in the Catholic Student Union, Hillel, Christian Student Association, and Multifaith Fellowship program are all invited to join the Muslim Student Alliance to fast for the day and enjoy a meal together at day's end.

Irfan said having knowledge about other people's traditions and religions is an important attribute to cultivate, especially for young people building their careers. "As soon as a student steps out of Bowdoin, they will likely work in a diverse area where there will be people of different faiths and cultures," he said. "That type of cultural knowledge and cultural awareness is an essential component of life in a multicultural society."

Though the fasting at times might be strenuous, Irfan said he eagerly anticipates Ramadan. The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Ramadan commemorates the angel Gabriels visit to Muhammad in 610 CEand the revelation of the writings that eventually became the Quran.

Irfan described the month as "our training period, when we rigorously practice all the elements of serving God." During Ramadan, Muslims are obligated to not just fast, pray, and read the Qur'an, but to also give away at least 2.5 percent of their wealth to charity, to care for family members and those less fortunate, and to serve the common good.

Ramadan Accommodations

Rafat said the Ramadan accommodations working group has done a great job of addressing Muslim students' concerns. Now that Ramadan is upon us, "it's justseeing if our solutions work and tweaking them when neccesary," he said.

Iftar, the meal after sunsetBecause the dining halls stop serving after sunsetwhen Muslims may break faststudents have the option to eat in Moulton or Thorne.Thorne will have a halal protein available at every meal. But Rafat said many of his peers will likely prefer to eat in calmer, quieter spaces. So students have the option to take their meals to go, in green reusable containers that they can pick up at 30 College Street and use at any of the days' three meals. Rafat said it's likely students will congregate and eat together at 30 College for many iftars, or in a reserved lounge in Thorne, as well as occasionally treat themselves to takeout from local restaurants.

Suhoor, the meal before dawnDining will be stocking the halal kitchen in 30 College every two days with items like eggs, bread, bagels, peanut butter and jelly, hummus, cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, dairy and non-dairy milks, and juice. This way, students can make their own meals or get late-night snacks. Fisher said dining bought the items students said would be most helpful, but comments can be submitted through a QR code posted in the kitchen if supplies run low or they want to request something different.

Salat/PrayerThe prayer room on the second floor of 30 College will be accessible 24/7. Maghrib, the sunset prayer,will be held each evening in the dining room there, followed by a communal iftar. Jummah, the Friday midday prayer, will continue every Friday at 12:40 p.m. in the Great Room. The library in Russwurm has been reserved from 5:00 p.m.6:00 p.m. daily as an additional prayer space.

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After Months of Preparation, Bowdoin is Ready for Ramadan - Bowdoin College