Ramadan at HBS
A Month of Fasting, Reflection and Community
Mariah Sheriff (ND) & Nabil Mallick (NG), Contributing Writers
Issue date: 9/28/09 Section: Features
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The sun began its descent into the horizon as almost 100 HBS students gathered in the One Western Common Room. Images of Ramadan around the world were on display on a screen in the center of the room. Among them were images of the prayer, reflection, and commerce associated with Ramadan. EC Sofina Qureshi began the evening's program with an impromptu tutorial of the Islamic exchange of greetings, "Assalaam alaikum," or, "Peace and blessings be upon you," followed by a short welcome address. Afterward, the significance of Ramadan was discussed at length by EC Tarek Saghir. Tarek's informative words were directed at the guests, but they were poignant reminders of the virtues of fasting and reflection for all the Muslims in attendance as well. At 6:55 p.m., it was announced that the sun had set and it was time for everyone to join the Muslims as they broke their fasts. Dates and milk were passed for all to enjoy while EC Yasser Salem turned his head toward Mecca and gave the athan-the Muslim call to prayer.
As the dates and milk quickly raised the blood sugar of the fasting students, the spirits of all those in attendance were heightened in anticipation of the meal to come. The catered meal was an array of traditional Persian delicacies-kabobs of lamb, beef, and chicken along with rice, grilled vegetables and hummus. Attendees ate together in small clusters in the intimate space-anyone walking by the diverse groups heard stimulating conversations taking place throughout. The diversity and sheer number of attendees at the event demonstrated the openness and multi-cultural values espoused by the broader HBS community and the Islamic Society.
Breaking one's fast in a communal gathering is highly encouraged during the month of Ramadan to build a sense of community during the holiest time of the year. On this evening, the gathering served an additional purpose-the dozens of guests of other faiths were invited to witness the fast-breaking and learn from the Muslims at HBS. Inter-faith gatherings during Ramadan, such as this one, are becoming more common as a diverse American society shows solidarity with the growing Muslim community. On September 2, President Obama invited scores of Muslims for Iftar Dinner at the White House, a tradition that President Clinton began in his second term. At this year's White House Iftar Dinner, President Obama acknowledged the contributions of Muslims in America.
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