During a time on campus where things seemed so divided, Fast-a-thon came just in time as a breath of fresh air in a tense atmosphere. With the goal of bringing a diverse group of people to the event, Islam on Campus succeeded and delivered one of the best nights I have had the privilege to attend at my time at University of Florida.
The Mission
Fast-a-thon is an annual event held throughout the nation at university campuses, with the goal in mind to promote unity and understanding of Islam. The organization UF Islam on Campus encouraged people of all diverse backgrounds to fast on October 17th, which would show people what Muslims undergo during the month of Ramadan, since sawm (fasting during Ramadan) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. After pledging to fast, donations to NuDay Syria and Gators for Refugee Medical Relief would be made in the name of the pledges.
Once it was sunset, everyone would gather in the Stephen O’Connell Center for a delicious three-course meal to break the fast. The theme of this year’s Fast-a-thon was “Blossoming Empathy”, since the goal of Fast-a-thon is to promote empathy amongst different groups of people on campus. I spoke to both IOC President Israa Ilyas and Volunteer of the Year Fatima Jarrah on the importance of non-Muslims participation, in which they both articulated that it was one of the most important steps in promoting empathy.
The Struggle
I had pledged to fast, which I didn’t think would be too tough. As someone who almost never eats breakfast, I thought, “How would a few more hours make a difference?” Well, I quickly found that it made a very big difference, because once I returned from my classes around 2pm, I was starving. So, to combat my hunger, I took a nap to distract myself from my growling stomach.
The Event
At 6pm, I entered the O’Connell Center ready to have some great food and meet new people brought together through a common cause. I was surprised to see how many people were at the event, because as a freshman at UF, I had never been to an organization’s gathering that amassed such a large group of people.
“I think one of the best things this organization has done, executive board and committee aside, is that the members have really pushed the numbers and asked everyone to come out,” Hamza Yacoob, Vice President of External Affairs, said.
Fast-a-thon’s venue was truly gorgeous, with the pink theme complimented wonderfully by dainty flower petals sprinkling the tables. The staff working the event were also extremely hospitable and kind, making everyone feel welcome and that they belonged. When asked what the hardest part of putting together such a massive social occasion, my server Samira Ahmed came up with an answer right away.
“I think one of the hardest parts logistically is getting the O’Connell Center booked, because it is one of the largest places to hold people,” said Ahmed.
It was also exciting to hear from people of different backgrounds explain why they came to the event, which showed that the organzation’s vision of compassion was truly at work.
“I like to learn about different cultures and especially with something as immersive as this, it’s really interesting to see things from this perspective,” freshman Jocelyn Standard said.
“My dad is of the Islamic faith, and it’s always been in his culture to at least learn about things if you don’t want to be fully in the religion, so I promised him when I would go to college, I would look into things like this,” freshman Farah Soliman said.
The night began with the adhan (call to prayer), and as that occurred, everyone in the venue broke the fast by eating dates, which I have since been addicted to as someone who had never had one before.
Good Eats
For an appetizer, we were served pita and hummus, which would be appreciated by any hummus lover. It was fresh and refreshing, putting Sabra to shame.
As we chowed down on the pita, we listened to a Quran recitation and then listened to a speech given by former NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, who touched on the importance of standing up for what you believe in and working hard to achieve your goals.
After all of the speakers, we were served the main course. Since I am pescatarian, I opted for the vegetarian option, which consisted of vegetable curry, aromatic rice, and a salad of mixed greens.
The regular dish included everything in my dish, but also included butter chicken. The curry was savory and spicy, which made the fragrance of the rice really stand out.
The meal was also extremely filling, and I couldn’t have possibly have thought to have more, until my server handed me kheer for dessert. Kheer is a rice pudding that includes cardamom, pistachios and almonds. It tasted like a hybrid of oatmeal and tapioca, and I honestly could have gone for seconds.
Wrapping It Up
The night wrapped up with some farewells from members in the club and President Kent Fuchs, and I left with a sense of happiness. I couldn’t have imagined a better way to spend my night, and I was so glad that I was able to experience Fast-a-thon. Since Fast-a-thon is annual, be on the look out for future events with Islam on Campus like next year’s Fast-a-thon, which I can assure you will be a great time.
