Religious Observance

Please use the accordion below to learn more about religious holidays observed on campus!
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  • Ramadan

    Ramaḍān is the 9th month of the Hijri (Islamic lunar) calendar and is the month in which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. Fasting in this month is one of the five pillars of Islam and is a mandatory religious duty for all able adult Muslims. The fast includes abstinence from food and drink. During this month, Muslims go through intense training of the mind, body, and soul as they learn through patience and composure. Muslims believe the benefits also extend to society in that it increases empathy for the poor, encourages charitable giving, and provides opportunities for fellowship with the community. The month of Ramadan concludes with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

    The Chaplaincy offers several worship opportunities during the Holy Month of Ramaḍān, including biweekly ifṭārs, nightly tarāwīḥ, potluck ifṭārs, and an off-campus retreat. Through the month, the Dining Hall provides extended hours for students to break fast, a prayer room within the Hall for Maghrib, and a suḥūr bag with a variety of foods for the early-morning meal. For Eid, the Chaplaincy provides a shuttle for Prayer, and Muslim Life hosts its annual Eid Banquet for the campus community.

     

  • Eid al-Fitr
    Eid al-Fitr, Holiday of Breaking the Fast, is an Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan. After an intense month of daily fasts, Muslims celebrate the conclusion of the month of Ramadan. Muslims start the day with congregational prayer, followed by gathering with friends and family, and gift-giving. Although traditions vary, after a month of abstaining from it during daylight hours, food is often at the heart of Eid celebrations.

  • Eid al-Adha
    Eid al-Adha, Feast of the Sacrifice, is an Islamic holiday honoring the willingness of Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God’s command. As Abraham was getting ready to complete the deed, God replaced Ishmael with a sheep. In commemoration of this, Muslims sacrifice an animal (usually goat, sheep, or cow) and divide the meat into three parts: one third for the family, another third for relatives, friends and neighbors, and the remaining third for those in need. Muslims begin the day of Eid with congregational prayer, followed by the sacrifice, gathering with family, friends, and community, and gift-giving.

  • Ashura
    ʿĀshūrāʾ is the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Ashura, literally "tenth," marks the day that Moses and the Israelites were saved from Pharoah by God creating a path in the Sea as well as the day that the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Husayn ibn Ali, was martyred in the Battle of Karbala. In recognition of these events, Sunni Muslims follow in the footsteps of Moses who fasted as gratitude for the liberation of the Israelites,and Shi’a Muslims mourn the martyrdom of Husayn.