IMSA Hosts Fast-a-Thon to Educate Students 

by Aliya Bahjet

On September 16, the Islamic Medical Students Association (IMSA) hosted a fast-a-thon in which students were invited to fast from sunrise to sunset and to attend a free Middle Eastern dinner as a reward for their experience. For more than five years, IMSA has organized this event to help non-Muslim students experience the tradition of Ramadan for one day. 

“Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days during which time Muslims abstain from eating and drinking throughout the day, or indulging in any ill-natured activity such as gossiping. By abstaining from such activities, we (Muslims) hope to focus less on ourselves and more on the less fortunate,” explained Fadi AlKhatib, president of IMSA. 

One goal of the Ramadan-based fast-a-thon is to give students a learning experience. “There are a lot of Muslims in America, so it is important for physicians to know about and understand Muslim practices,” said Nida Husain, secretary of IMSA. “It is possible that physicians unaware of our traditions may believe Islamic patients are simply being noncompliant. Doctors need to be sensitive to their patients’ beliefs and practices, but patients need to listen to their doctors too,” she said. 

The event also served the purpose of bringing students together so they could learn from and support one another. Rizwana Rahman, a practicing Muslim and first-year medical student, expressed her desire to share her personal experiences. “I’m new to the MSUCOM community, so this event was a great way for me to relate to and get to know my classmates,” she said. 

Guest speaker, Dr. Abdalmajid Katranji, a hand surgeon and practicing Muslim in East Lansing, shared his own experiences with fasting. “The unique thing about fasting is you learn that while your physical body needs to be fed, your soul needs nourishment as well. It is an expression of being humane.” He talked about how spending time helping others in place of the time usually designated for eating in turn helps restore balance to his life. He also explained that fasting is not only about giving up food but also about becoming self-disciplined by resisting urges to eat or indulge. “As you get that mental discipline, you are able to better prioritize what is important in your life,” he said. 

Hassen Berri, a medical student, commented, “Fasting makes you see that you can overcome anything if you really want to. The whole experience makes you a better person.” 

Several students view the experience as a way to raise awareness about hunger. When asked what prompted the decision to participate in the fast-a-thon, Tyson Luoma, a first-year medical student, said, “I wanted to understand what it’s like to go without food even if it’s just for a day. I know that there are people out there that go without food for much longer.” 

Rahman also commented, “Fasting makes me want to do more for those who are hungry.”