Ramadan
is a month dedicated to fasting, spirituality & worship, and charity
& community. Ramadan is expected to begin Saturday, April 2. The
last day of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, is expected to begin on the evening of
May 1. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast during daylight
hours and increase in their spiritual devotional acts such as prayer
and giving to charity. It is the holiest month of the Muslim year and
follows the lunar calendar. During this month, no food or drink
(including water) may be taken from dawn to dusk Worshippers eat a
pre-dawn light meal, called suhoor. After dusk, Muslims break the fast
with an evening meal called iftar.
Given
Ramadan's placement during the academic year, this will impact Muslim
students, staff, and faculty in various ways. In addition to being aware
of this religious observance, you can support members of the Muslim
community this month in the following ways:
Understand that Ramadan is a time of spiritual cleansing and reflection.
Acknowledge Ramadan and Eid by wishing folks well.
Be
respectful of prayer times - many people are more observant during
Ramadan and therefore may need to leave class, meetings, or other
obligations to pray for approximately ten minutes.
Ramadan includes evening programs that will require folks to be out late - be understanding and empathetic.
Check-in folks' mental health and overall well-being.
For
more information on how to support the Muslim community this Ramadan,
check out the attached handout from the Islamic Center at New York
University and head over to the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies in Towson, MD!
Ramadan Observance at UMBC
Ramadan
Observance is being hosted by the Muslim Student Association. From
April 2 through May 2, 2022, the Center for Well-Being hours will be
temporarily expanded to 4:30 am - 1:00 am. The Gathering Space corridor
(rooms 109 and 105) will be accessible during these times, but the
conference rooms and the second floor will not be open.
Participating
students are expected to ensure that the space is left clean and
organized, and all materials and supplies are put neatly away so that
the space can be ready for use during regular business hours. This
includes ensuring that ALL food products have been appropriately
disposed of and cleaned. Participating students are expected to follow
the student code of conduct, and respect the space and property of i3b
and the Center for Well-Being. For more information, please contact the
Muslim Student Association at umbcmsa@gmail.com.
Students
can also take advantage of the varied prayer, reflection, and
meditation spaces across campus, which can be found here.
Ramadan Dining at UMBC
Chartwell's
has created the following Ramadan-specific dining options. For more
information on the below, please contact UMBC Dining.
TRUE GRIT'S: Open Monday-Friday until 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday until 7 pm
COMMONS
RETRIEVER MARKET
LATE NIGHT AT TRUE GRIT'S
If you are in need of religious accommodations, please contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion at oei@umbc.edu. For questions about religious and spiritual resources, please contact us at i3b@umbc.edu or contact Dr. Jasmine A. Lee, Director of Inclusive Excellence/Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging (i3b) jaslee@umbc.edu.
Hi everyone!