Students break fast with the Muslim Students Association

After abstaining from food and drink all day, more than 50 people dug into a Mediterranean feast in the Great Hall of the Student Union Wednesday.

UNC’s Muslim Students Association hosted its annual Fast-a-thon , the biggest event of Islam Awareness Month, to raise money for a Syrian relief fund.

Though Muslims typically fast throughout the month of Ramadan, which was in July this year, the participating students chose to experience just a small part of this Muslim tradition.

Tickets were $10 at the door and $7 at the Union Box Office.

Brother Aatif Abdul Qadeer, the founder and president of various Muslim organizations and the youth director of the Islamic Center of Morrisville, spoke to participants before they began the meal about how fasting brings Muslims closer to God.

Qadeer said the fast reminds people to be grateful.

“We are forced to think about all that we have,” he said. “All other times of the year, whenever we are hungry and thirsty, we can have whatever we want whenever we want, and that is truly a blessing.”

Qadeer said the experience inspires compassion for people like those in Syria who are experiencing violence and insecurity.

“Let us really ask for God to help those people who are living in a state of hunger or fear,” he said.

Sophomore Sarah Ahmed, the publicity chairwoman of MSA, said all the food was donated by local sponsors like Mediterranean Deli and McAlister’s Deli so that MSA could give the most money possible to the relief fund. The organization used its own money for the speaker, decorations and other expenses.

Ahmed said the event is extremely important both to her and the association.

“The whole point of this event is to get people to understand the religion more because there are a lot of misconceptions and a lot of people don’t understand the real religion,” she said.

Ahmed said though fasting is a part of many religions, it is particularly significant in Islam.

“There is a particular part of the Quran that says that fasting has been prescribed to you,” she said. “There is an awareness that God is watching you 24/7.”

Sophomore Michaela Meredith said she learned more about the Middle East and Islam at the event.

“I’m going because it’s a great cultural event that also supports an important cause,” she said.

Ahmed said the event allows students to become more globally aware.

“We are in such a global environment these days, and you can’t just be in your own little bubble,” she said.

Sophomore Katelyn Robertson said she was surprised by the extent of the violence in Syria that she learned about at the event.

“I didn’t know anything about that before I came,” she said.

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