ISU Muslims celebrate Ramadan during Fast-a-thon

The Dede rooms were teeming with the smell of delicious food as the Muslim Student Association celebrated the end of Ramadan with their Fast-a-thon fundraiser Thursday night.

The program included food, prayer and presentations on Ramadan and Islam in the U.S.

Islam, which literally means the total surrender of oneself, is based upon five pillars. Two of the pillars are exemplified in the month of Ramadan: fasting and giving to charity.

Also, President Daniel J. Bradley was there to commemorate the Muslim Student Association's advisor, Bassou El-Mansour, assistant technology professor.

This year the Fast-a-thon will donate what it raised to Grumbly Tummies, a children's charity here in Terre Haute, said Farooq Al-Tameemy, the publicity director of the Muslim Student Association.

He said ISU's Muslim Student Association has had a Fast-a-thon since 2003, and they plan to continue to have the celebration in the future.

"Every year we try to improve it," he said.

Every year they hope for a better turnout.

Senior social science education major Joel Ladd said that he really enjoyed the program and would come again next year.

He and his roommate, senior automotive technology major Michael Richardson, heard about the program from a friend.

"I thought it was good, interesting and different," Richardson said.

The Fast-a-thon fundraiser was started at the University of Tennessee in 2001. It is held to raise money for a charity in the community as well as to celebrate and inform about Ramadan and Islam.

It is estimated that there are 1.2 billion practicing Muslims in the world, which is 20 percent of the global population.

Although it is the second largest religion, Islam is one of the fastest growing religions today according to islamicity.com.

To get more information on Islam, visit islamicity.com. For more information on the Muslim Student Association contact Al-Tameemy at faltameemy@indstate.edu.

( Jessica Squires is a sophomore communication major. She can be reached at sascamed@isugw.indstate.edu.)