Attendees of the event The Xavierite
The Muslim Student Association (MSA) hosted their third Annual Ramadan Iftar dinner for members of the SXU community on March 27, 2024.
Current MSA President Majid Matariyeh began the event by noting that each year the president of MSA decides the organization’s main mission for the academic calendar.
Of his own tenure, Matariyeh stated, “I wanted to create more events to create a stronger Muslim community on campus that includes a diverse crowd.”
Matariyeh also thanked everyone who made the dinner possible, from the MSA Executive Board, to Rola Othman, Ed. D., to the Graduate Assistant of Student Life Kennedy Adams and Student Development Specialist Blanca Correa.
“I want to thank and apologize to them at the same time we know we caused headaches but hope we made it up towards the end,” expressed Matariyeh in regards to all of the help received from Student Life.
Secretary Jena Kanaan then reminded attendees to think of their Palestinian brothers and sisters as they fast for Ramadan. “We have been fasting for 16 days, while they have been fasting for 172 days. They have lost their homes, lost their families, yet somehow have not lost their faith,” she voiced.
“When one of our brothers and sisters suffer, we are all suffering. As we observe this Ramadan, let us reflect on the privilege we have. Let us learn from their faith. Let us think of them when we sit down to a hot meal, as they do not know when they will eat their next,” said Kanaan.
Keynote Speaker Sheikh Omar Hedrough, who serves as a full time Education Director at the Islamic Center of Naperville and an instructor with the AlMaghrib Institute, explained the importance of Ramadan to the non-Muslim attendees.
“Ramadan is really a lot about changing our perspective towards things. That you can actually remove things from your life to make your life more fulfilling, something much greater in the process and so the soul, we believe as Muslims that you are a body and a soul,” said Hedrough.
Hedrough added that through giving a little less attention to one’s body and focusing on the soul, one can find true peace and content-ness. Hedrough said that is why Ramadan is so special.
“You are giving a little less attention to the body so that you can focus on the soul and that’s where true peace and content-ness and strength are found. That is why Ramadan is so special for us,” he continued.
Kanaan’s reminder to think of the people in Palestine was echoed by Hedrough, who attributed their unique resilient nature to the Quran. “This Quran is what gives them hope, this Quran is what gives them a light at the end of the tunnel,” he explained.
After Hedrough’s speech, attendees filled their plates with Persian food from Kabobi, a Persian and Mediterranean Grill, in order to break their fast with dates before participating in the Maghrib prayer at 7:13 p.m.
Matariyeh noted that there were no space limitations for the event, which hosted close to 120 people, even having extra tables for attendees who came at the last minute because the board felt that it was within their Muslim duty to not turn away and feed them during Ramadan.
“But we had so much food left over I walked around the entire campus telling people to come to the butler and grab the food,” added Matariyeh.
The Ramadan Iftar is an annual event hosted by MSA, and Matariyeh voiced that he would like next year’s event to be just like this year’s. He clarified that the dinner can be anything, “but what makes a beautiful gathering is the community coming together to learn something and become diverse. I want more people to experience it and see things from a Muslim perspective.”
MSA’s goal is to create a diverse community and Matariyeh expressed that events such as the Iftar dinner help to teach non-Muslims about Islam.
“At this day and age we are a representation of our community so when the non Muslims come out to our events they start to learn that Muslims can be very beautiful people and not like they are displayed on the media,” he continued.
More information about MSA and their events can be found on TheDen.