For many of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, the month of Ramadan is the most joyful and festive time of the year.

International Muslim students at OU who fast for Ramadan said fasting can evoke feelings of hunger not just for food, but for the community in their home countries.

"In the Middle East, you have many Muslims around you, thus you feel that you have a lot of support and are practicing Islam," said Belal Alzoubi, vice president of the Arab Student Association and a native of Jordan. "Here, Ramadan is more of an independent task. Yes, there are many Muslims here who are fasting, but it does not have the same 'feel' to it as back home."

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar year, Ramadan began Oct. 4 and is scheduled to end Nov. 3. The last 10 days of Ramadan are the most intense, as Muslims spend more time in prayer, reflecting on the lessons learned from the fast. Throughout the month, healthy adults are required to fast, which includes abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking, swearing and sexual activity between sunrise and sunset.

Ashraf Hussein, president of the Muslim Student Association and electrical and petroleum engineering junior, said the happiness of Ramadan stems from the fast, which increases recognition of the small joys in life.

Hussein said the enjoyment of Ramadan is multiplied when it is a shared experience with the rest of the community. That sense of a close-knit community can be lost when living in a predominantly non-Muslim area such as Norman, Hussein said.

"Socializing is one of the main essences of Ramadan anywhere in the Muslim world," he said. "The combination of all such aspects creates that great feeling of warmth and true observance of Ramadan, which is the biggest difference between here and home."

Hussein described the typical holiday scene in his native Egypt.

"If you walk after sunset in downtown Cairo, you'll find lights everywhere, a special Ramadan lantern at every balcony and people staying up very late, either at mosques or exchanging visits," he said.

Ebrahim Dirhalli, a native of Jordan, said fasting away from home is the biggest challenge for foreign Muslims.

"In Norman it is difficult for international students, who mostly live alone and have no relatives around to make us feel the celebration of Ramadan," Dirhalli said. "We miss the special types of food that used to be prepared for breaking the fast that will keep you going and give you strength so you can fast the next day."

Dirhalli, an engineering senior, said he finds it too difficult to get through the day without eating.

"Most of my non-Muslim friends don't even know what Ramadan is or what we do during it," he said. "Usually people are socializing at lunch time. It is hard to be around that and not eat or smoke. I feel really bad for every day that I don't fast, but it is hard when you are away from your family and culture."

Alzoubi, international business and Chinese sophomore, said fasting students may even feel isolated from the campus community around them, and many typically avoid Oklahoma Memorial Union during the day.

"You can begin to feel like an outcast," Alzoubi said. "Before Ramadan, my friends and I used to always meet up at the union and grab some lunch. During Ramadan, I cannot eat lunch and thus I tend to stay away from the union. I miss the opportunity of being with my friends."

Alzoubi said Muslims can go each evening to Norman's mosque, Masjid Al-Nur, for iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast. Alzoubi said the service is very helpful to bring the atmosphere of Ramadan back, but that student schedules don't always permit attendance.

"Sunset does not occur until around 6:50 p.m., and sometimes we have classes at those times which can interfere with this practice, and thus we must eat either after class or during class," he said.

Hussein said breaking fast in class is something which would never occur in Muslim countries.

"Back home, they would shift an exam if it conflicts with iftar," he said. "Everyone there bears with you, even college professors. School days and business hours are a lot shorter."

Public relations sophomore Houda Elyazgi said she is used to celebrating Ramadan in America, being an Oklahoma native. However, she spent a year in Qatar when she was 12, and said there was a difference in the atmosphere there during Ramadan.

"The celebration of Ramadan and Eid was more real and evident among everyone," Elyazgi said. "School let out earlier. I had more time to spend with my family and friends. My family broke fast together every evening. There were special television series made for Ramadan just like in the states where we have Christmas-themed shows. Overall, Ramadan just seemed more real. I had more time to dedicate to worship and really felt the bounties and beauty this month exudes."

Elyazgi said regardless of the religious makeup of the OU population, she hopes Ramadan can be a shared experience for the community as a whole.

"I want people to know that Ramadan is a spiritual month filled with great beauty," she said. "When you see a Muslim on campus or if you know one, smile. Ramadan is to us what Christmas is to many others. We want to share in our celebration with Muslims and non-Muslims alike."

Hussein said despite the challenges of celebrating away from home, the spirituality of Ramadan transcends geography.

"Ramadan has its own beauty everywhere," he said. "We just have to find it."
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