Fast-A-Thon!

In the Islamic month of Ramadan, Muslims fast during daylight hours as an act of submission, solidarity, and remembrance. One of the main benefits of fasting is to call attention to those who go hungry every day, not as an exercise of religious expression, but as a fact of life.

As we know, the problem of hunger here in the Bay Area is very real. It is not something that only happens "over there" in some faraway land. It happens right here, in our own city, right now.

To help with this situation, the Islamic Society of Stanford University has organized the Ramadan Fast-a-thon. This event hopes to raise up to five hundred dollars in a single day for Rahima Foundation, a local charitable organization distributing food in the San Jose area to those in need.

We are asking Stanford students and staff to join us in fasting on Sunday, November 16th. Area businesses have pledged to sponsor a donation to the charity on behalf of each person who signs up. You are then all invited to a delicious, ethnic meal compliments of the ISSU!

So go ahead and try it! Go hungry for a day, so that someone else doesn?t have to. We are sure that you?ll find it very rewarding!

Here is how it works:

Sign up online (see http://ramadan.stanford.edu/fastathon.htm) to fast with us on Sunday, November 16th.

Our local sponsors will then donate $2 on your behalf to the charity fund.

Finally, make sure to join us for the complimentary dinner! The dinner will be at 5:00 PM in the Tressider Oak room.

Any questions? Contact Ragip Pala at rpala@stanford.edu.

How to Fast

Muslims fast by abstaining from food, drink and sexual relations from dawn to sunset. On November 16th, dawn will be at 5:35 a.m. and sunset will be at 4:57 p.m. Try to get up before dawn for a light breakfast, that will help a lot. Finally, break your fast as soon as the sun sets. Muslim tradition is to break the fast first with some water or dates, make our evening prayer, and then have dinner.

We hope you enjoy it. If you get hungry during the day, try to remember why you are doing it. The fast is also a great exercise in self-discipline.